Romans 3:25b–26
Hook: The Fire You Can’t Outrun
In 2018, wildfires swept through Paradise, California. The flames moved so fast that escape routes became traps. Entire neighborhoods were swallowed in minutes. Survivors spoke of the terrible realization: the fire wasn’t something you could negotiate with, outrun, or reason away. It consumed whatever stood in its path.
Paul’s words in Romans 3 remind us that God’s judgment is like that fire. It cannot be ignored. It cannot be bribed. It cannot be postponed forever. And it will fall—either on Christ for you, or on you apart from Him.
Historical Context
Paul writes: “This was to show God’s righteousness… so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:25–26). In the ancient world, rulers were often accused of injustice—punishing some crimes but ignoring others. Paul insists: God will never sweep sin under the rug. His righteousness demands that it be judged.
For Israel, this truth became painfully real in AD 70. Jesus had warned in Mark 13: judgment was coming. He wept over Jerusalem, longing to gather her children as a hen gathers her chicks (Luke 19:41–44). But they wanted a political savior, not a crucified Redeemer. In rejecting Him, they chose the fire. And when the Roman armies came, the temple fell stone by stone, and blood filled the streets.
D.A. Carson put it plainly:
“If God did not spare Jerusalem, the city of the covenant, do not think He will overlook the rejection of His Son today.”
Exegesis: Just and the Justifier
- “To show His righteousness” – God’s justice had to be vindicated. If He forgave sin without penalty, He would be unjust (Nahum 1:3).
- “Just and the justifier” – At the cross, God displayed both His justice and His mercy. He judged sin fully in Christ, so that He could justify sinners who trust Him.
- Faith in Jesus – This grace is not automatic. It is received through faith. Reject the Substitute, and you stand exposed before the fire.
As R.C. Sproul said:
“The cross was the place where God’s justice and mercy kissed.”
Cross References
- John 3:36 – “Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Hebrews 10:29 – “How much worse punishment… for the one who has spurned the Son of God.”
- Revelation 19:15 – Christ returns, “treading the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.”
History (Jerusalem in AD 70) is the preview. Eternity (the Final Judgment) is the reality.
Voices from the Church
- John Owen: “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.”
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “The gospel confronts us with the eternal seriousness of sin.”
- Voddie Baucham: “Hell is full of people who believed they deserved heaven.”
Application & Takeaways
- Repent and Believe
God’s justice is not theory; it is reality. The cross is the dividing line of eternity. Have you truly entrusted yourself to Christ—or are you presuming on grace without repentance? - Self-Examination
Paul warns in 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.” Where are you still clinging to sin, acting as though judgment lies ahead rather than behind you? Confess it now. - Rest in Assurance
For those in Christ, judgment is behind you. Romans 8:1 proclaims: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Let that truth quiet your fear and fuel your joy.
Communion Call: Remember, Repent, Rejoice
At the Lord’s Table, we rehearse these truths:
- Remember – The bread and cup are not mere symbols; they are visible sermons that wrath has been absorbed and righteousness has been given.
- Repent – Do not come to the table with unconfessed sin. Lay it down at the cross.
- Rejoice – If you are in Christ, you eat as one for whom judgment has passed. The ransom was paid in blood.
Closing Reflection
There are only two fires:
- The fire of wrath that fell on Christ for you.
- The fire of judgment that will fall on you without Christ.
Jerusalem chose the second. Today, by grace, you are offered the first. As John MacArthur reminds us:
“At the cross, God treated Christ as if He lived your life, so He could treat you as if you lived His.”
Come to the cross. Come to the table. Come while there’s still time.