Audio commentary on this verse

Note 2 at Ro 3:22: Paul made an even clearer presentation of this truth in Ro 9:30-10:9. The Jews were seeking to produce their own righteousness according to their holy actions that conformed to the Law. Paul was speaking of a different type of righteousness--not a human righteousness that was flawed but the perfect righteousness of God Himself.

Through faith in Jesus, we can receive the very righteousness of God as a gift (2Co 5:21). God's righteousness is infinitely better in quality and quantity than man's puny righteousness (Isa 64:6). People can never be justified in the sight of God based on a righteousness that comes from their own acts of holiness. They must have God's righteousness, and that only comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Paul said in Php 3:9, "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." This is "the righteousness of God" that Paul was referring to here.

Note 3 at Ro 3:22: Notice that Paul did not say that this righteousness of God came by faith in Jesus Christ. No, it comes by the faith of Jesus Christ. There is a big difference.

Our faith does not produce our righteousness. Jesus obtained righteousness (the perfect righteousness of God) through His faith and offers it to everyone who will believe on Him as Lord. Therefore, our faith (which is also a gift from God, Eph 2:8) just receives what Jesus has already obtained for us through His faith. Jesus obtained our justification and righteousness through His faith (Ga 2:16).

Note 4 at Ro 3:22: The only difference between Jew and Gentile, or the moral and immoral, is in the sight of people. From God's point of view, there is no difference. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Ro 3:23 and Jas 2:10).