“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”
– Romans 3:27-31
The Boast Is Gone
Romans 3:27-31 concludes one of the most beautiful sections of Scripture.
Paul has shown that God is righteous in saving the unrighteous, not by ignoring sin, but by judging it in His Son. The cross has satisfied justice, redemption has been purchased, and grace has been offered. Now Paul explains what that means for us: all boasting is gone.
“Where, then, is boasting?” he asks. “It is excluded.”
The word excluded means “shut out.” The door to pride is closed forever. Faith and pride cannot live in the same heart. When salvation is received as a gift, there’s no room left for self-congratulation. Grace leaves us humbled. Faith is the only attitude that honors grace. If we are saved by grace through faith, then all glory belongs to God alone.
Justified by Faith, Not by Works
Paul summarizes the entire gospel in one verse:
“We conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” (Romans 3:28)
To be justified means to be declared righteous before God. But that declaration doesn’t come through human achievement. It comes through trust, through faith. Faith means depending entirely on what God has done in Christ. Works of law refer to human effort, any attempt to earn standing before God through performance.
These are two different systems under view in 3:27-28:
The law system says, “Do and live.”
The grace system says, “Live and then do.”
Cottrell wrote, Grace and law are two opposite ways of seeking righteousness. Law depends on human effort; grace depends on divine mercy. Moser adds, “Salvation is by grace upon the principle of faith. These exclude merit and boasting and make salvation possible for all.
That’s why Paul insists that justification is by faith, apart from works of law—a faith that always produces obedience. Not partly by grace and partly by effort. Not by grace plus law. Just grace. Faith that obeys. Jesus who saves.1
Why Boasting Is Excluded
Under a system of law, pride thrives. The law rewards performance. But under grace, pride dies, because grace rewards dependence. Romans 11:6 puts it this way:
“If by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.”
Grace and works can never be combined. One magnifies self; the other magnifies God. In a law system, salvation is a wage owed. In a grace system, salvation is a gift given. When we truly understand that, we stop boasting in what we’ve done and start rejoicing in what God has done.
One God, One Way
Paul continues:
“Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too.”
God has one plan of salvation for all people: faith in Jesus Christ. Under the law, Jews and Gentiles stood divided. Under grace, they stand united. The same faith that justified Abraham justifies us today. The same mercy that reached Israel reaches the whole world. Moser wrote, The gospel abolishes distinctions that law creates. Grace lifts every barrier and brings all to God on equal terms.
That’s the beauty of the gospel, one God, one Savior, one way: faith.
Does Faith Nullify the Law?
Paul anticipates the following question:
If we are justified by faith, does that make the law meaningless? “Absolutely not,” he says. “On the contrary, we uphold the law.” How? By showing what the law always pointed toward: the need for grace. Faith fulfills the law, not by reestablishing a system of rules, but by accomplishing its purpose: bringing sinners to Christ (Galatians 3:24).
Grace does not excuse sin. It empowers obedience. The one in Christ doesn’t obey to be saved but because he is saved. Faith doesn’t make us lawless; it makes us loving. It doesn’t set us free from holiness; it sets us free to holiness.
Paul would later say, “The righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4).
The gospel doesn’t destroy morality; it restores it.
The Life of Faith
Faith begins at the cross but continues every day. It’s not a single decision but a way of living, trusting God, resting in His grace, and walking in obedience born of gratitude.
“The law of faith,” Paul says, is not a list of commands but a relationship of trust. To live by faith is to depend daily on God’s mercy, to surrender self-reliance, and to walk in confidence that Christ’s work is enough. Faith works, not to earn righteousness, but to express it. Galatians 5:6 says, “Faith works through love.” True faith moves the heart, changes the life, and glorifies God.
The Glory Belongs to God
Romans 3 closes with a song of grace. Every line of this section leads us to worship.
Righteousness revealed: God made the way.
Grace given: freely and fully.
Redemption purchased: through the blood of Christ.
Justice satisfied: the wrath that fell on Him.
Faith received: our humble acceptance of the gift.
All boasting is gone. All glory belongs to God. When we stand before God one day, no one will boast, “I made it.” Every voice will say the same thing:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.”
The critic says, but what about the steps leading to salvation? When you say salvation is by grace through faith, you are eliminating those. Remember, Paul is writing to saved people — people who have already expressed their faith through repentance, confession, and baptism.
Obedience to the conditions of salvation does not save. Only Jesus’ work on the cross and His subsequent resurrection is the ground or basis of salvation. The power to save is in the blood of Christ, not in the conditions on our part. What we are called upon to do in response to the gospel call is never in competition with the cross but is an expression of faith.[i]
In heeding these conditions, we relate to God as our redeemer and appeal to Him for salvation.[ii] The Bible refers to these instructions as obedience to the faith or obedience to the gospel (see Acts 6:7; Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8). They have no power to create personal righteousness. Instead, they focus on our sinful state and our acknowledgment of our inability to save ourselves and the glorious work of Christ in our stead. By submitting to these conditions, we do not diminish grace; we magnify it.[iii] In other words, our following them is an expression of personal humility, brokenness, and our desperate need for rescue.
[i] Moser, The Way of Salvation, p. 38
[ii] As humans, we have two main ways we relate to God: (1) as the powerful being who made us, and (2) as the one who saves us from our sin. As our maker, God has the right to tell us how to live, and we should follow these rules because He is in charge. He is the rewarder of those who seek Him, Hebrews 11:6. Following commands does not earn us a spot in heaven; it is doing what we’re supposed to do. Simple belief in God is not enough. Saving faith is faith in God, the Father of Christ, and the resurrector of Christ from the dead. This involves faith in Christ. Our salvation is a spiritual blessing conditioned on faith in God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
As our savior, however, God gives us specific guidelines that are not about being good enough but about accepting His help to overcome our wrongdoings. These guidelines are like a lifeline thrown to us—not rules to show we’re good enough, but steps to take to be rescued. When we follow these steps, we’re not trying to show we deserve God’s help; we’re simply accepting it and showing how much we need it.
[iii] Cottrell, What the Bible Says About Grace…, p. 212.
QUOTE: "That’s why Paul insists that justification is by faith apart from works. Not partly by grace and partly by effort. Not by grace plus law. Just grace. Just faith. Just Jesus."
The phrase”justification by faith apart from works” is one place where some of us are talking past others.
I am assuming that you and I, Matthew, are on the same page with this. We teach that it is the justification which is apart from works. Some are vehemently objecting because they erroneously hear us saying it is faith which is apart from works.
Would it be helpful to rephrase your statement, to say "That’s why Paul insists that justification is apart from works by a faith that produces works”, or maybe just insert a comma …… "That’s why Paul insists that justification is by faith, apart from works"?
So clear
So good