Up to Verse 20 we have seen what sinners we all are, and no way for us to be better. We have no righteousness of our own. Our best endeavors are filthy rags (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). The law could not produce any: “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
What is to be done? On our part, nothing. We have done too much already—we are guilty. What can God do? Can He justify the ungodly? Yes, His love has found a way. And now, the righteousness of God, without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ. The work of Jesus Christ, as the Sin bearer, on the cross, has declared God’s righteousness, and the sinner who believes, is brought into this new blessing which is unto all (everybody), and upon all believers. None need go away now, in their sins, for there is no difference, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, and sin cannot be excused. It must needs be judged, but the believer is justified freely (without cause) by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. God’s righteous judgment fell on Him, whom God hath set forth a mercy-seat through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the passing over of the sins of a past dispensation—God’s forbearance with those saints who lived before the cross; their sins were carried forward, and put upon Jesus (Isa. 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)). Now in the present, we can look back, and see God’s righteousness declared, and God is the justifier of him who believes in Jesus.
Can the sinner boast of his works? Such a thought is gone. The finished work of Christ declares that it is faith alone; the two will not mix. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith,” without any works, or law keeping. This is as true for the Gentile as for the Jew. God is the one to whom all nations are responsible, and He has made the same provision for all, so both are justified on the principle of believing in what God has done through the work of Christ. Does this make void the law? On the contrary, it establishes the law, for all the weight of the judgment of the law fell upon the blessed Son of God.