Romans 3:21-31

21-22 (Direct quote)  “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.  (22) We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.  And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” 

23-26 (Direct quote) “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  (24) Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous.  He did this through Christ Jesus, when he freed us from the penalty of our sins.  (25) For God presented Jesus as a sacrifice for our sin.  People are made right with God when they believe the Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.  This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past.  (26) For he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in the present time.  God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.”

27-28 (Direct quote) “Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God?  No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law.  It is based on faith.  (28) So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”

29-31 (Direct quote) “After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles?  Of course he is. (30) There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. (31) Well then, if we emphasize faith, does that mean that we can forget about the law?  In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law. 

My comments:  I think today’s passage can be summed up by saying that we are justified and made righteous through our faith in Jesus, not by doing the works of the law.  However, when we have faith, we will naturally fulfill the law.