A “Righteousness of God” apart from the Law but witnessed by the Law

Romans chapters 1 through 3 set forth the depravity and guilt of man before God, both Jew and gentile. 

The Gentiles did not have the Law of Moses, but by conscience, judged right and wrong, and they failed: 14  for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,  15  who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves [their] thoughts accusing or else excusing [them])  Romans 2:14-15.  

The Jews had the Law, and were its teachers, but they failed at it:   You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?    For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written. Romans 2:23-24

The Jews were no better than the Gentiles (Greeks).    

What then? Are we better [than] [they]? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.  As it is written, “there are none righteous, no not one.”  Romans 3:9-10

Israel’s failure to keep the law was a test case of the failure of all people—if Israel couldn’t keep it with the advantages they had as the people of God, no one can, as even those without the formally written Law of Moses failed with respect to conscience.  19  Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  20  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.  Romans 3:19-20

Galatians 3:22 says “the Scripture has confined all under sin…” (We will return to Galatians chapter 3 at the bottom.)

As in Romans, in Galatians we read the purpose of the Law was to reveal sin and the need for the righteousness that God gives as a gift. This righteousness is “justification,” a declaration of a right standing with God, a conferral of a status of acceptance.  It is eternal life with reference to our standing before God:  righteousness is life. 

Romans 3:22 says “the righteousness of God” is “to all and upon all who believe.”  It is to all, that is, for everyone, but only upon those who believe...so reads the Majority Text.  The UBS text leaves out “upon all,” but the MT reading would agree with Romans chapter 5: 17-18 which sets forth that that "gift of righteousness” which comes from Christ is “to all men” but received by those who believe:  For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as through one man's offense [judgment] came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act [the] [free] [gift] [came] to all men, resulting in justification of life. Romans 5:17-18

Romans 5:12-1 sets forth the sources of death (Adam’s trespass) and life (Christ’ righteous act).  Through Adam, sin and death came into the world, while through Christ, justification and life. 

Through the one, Adam, everyone was affected.  Through the other, Christ, everyone has an escape. 

Adam’s offence brought death and judgment, Christ’s sacrifice brought justification, and this justification leads to Life. 

Just like Paul says in Galatians 3:21 “that if there was a law that could give life, righteousness would have been through the law.”  Righteousness is life, and this is true practically as it is positionally.  But the issue is positional. 

The righteousness that brings life is a free gift and the grace of God and Christ.  That “free gift” and “grace” spoken of in Romans chapter 5 is that “righteousness” we call “Justification.” And that gift is available because of the “grace” of Christ (His sacrifice on the cross for sin), and that gift must be received (by faith in Christ as only Savior from sin and its consequences).    But the free gift [is] not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense [Adam’s sin] many died [all mankind separated from God], much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many [righteousness/ justification available to all mankind]. Romans 5:15 

It is those who believe in Christ for this “gift” of righteousness that are those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17

Romans 3:21 says that “There is a righteousness of God apart from the Law, witnessed by the Law and the prophets.”  This is demonstrated in Romans chapter 4 concerning Abraham and the words of King David.  The Law could not make one righteous by keeping it: everyone fails at keeping it, as Romans chapter 3 clearly sets forth.  But the “law” as the revelation of God, or also known as the “Scripture” to the Jews, did give witness to a “righteousness of God” (that is from God) that one could receive by faith alone and not by one’s ability to be righteous by keeping the Law.  He “Law” as the Scripture said that Abraham was justified by faith and not by works:  What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?  2  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has [something] to boast about, but not before God. 3  For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."  4  Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.  5  But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,  6  just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:  7  "Blessed [are] [those] whose lawless deeds are forgiven,  And whose sins are covered;  8  Blessed [is] [the] man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." Romans 4:1-8

And going back to the book of Galatians that said the “Scripture has confined all under sin…”

Galatians chapter 3:  19  What purpose then [does] the law [serve]? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed [Christ, the “seed” of Abraham] should come to whom the promise was made; …

21  [Is] the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

 22  But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 

23  But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.

24  Therefore the law was our tutor [to] [bring] [us] to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The Law revealed the inability to be righteous, it revealed sin.   The whole world is guilty before God.  It revealed that righteousness can only be received as the gift of God, as was revealed with Abraham.  And that gift is received by faith in Christ who died for our sins and rose again.  That gift is received by believing in Christ for it as our Savior from sin.