In the book of Romans, the concept of "righteousness" is crucial and deeply rooted in its

historical context (Romans 1:16-17). Here, "righteousness" signifies God's ability to save

humanity through the gospel of Christ. This salvation becomes effective for individuals when

they have faith, motivating them to obey God's teachings (Romans 1:5; 16:26).

In Romans 3:26, Paul explains that God's righteousness serves to demonstrate His

fairness and, at the same time, His role as the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus. In

essence, the term "δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ" (righteousness of God) in Romans 1:17 encompasses both

God's act of saving and His gift of righteousness through faith.

Paul uses "δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ" seven times in Romans (1:17; 3:5, 21, 22, 25, 26; 10:3).

Colin G. Kruse identifies five distinct aspects of "δικαιοσύνη" (righteousness) throughout

Romans:

1. Distributive justice (1:18-32; 2:2-11; 3:1-20)

2. Covenant faithfulness (3:3-9; 9:1-29; 11:1-10)

3. Saving action (3:21-26)

4. The gift of justification and a right relationship (3:21-26; 4:1-25; 5:17; 9:30–10:4)

5. The righteousness of life (6:1-23; 8:4)

C. K. Barrett suggests that God's righteousness in salvation involves both His attribute of

being right and His active role in doing what is right. Similarly, W. G. Kummel emphasizes that

God's righteousness signifies His saving action, especially in declaring sinful humans righteous

during the present end-times.

In Victor Paul Furnish's view, God's righteousness manifests itself as a powerful force in His

redemptive actions. It is closely tied to His faithfulness and truth as expressed through His

establishment and maintenance of a covenant relationship with His people.

the development of the theme of "Righteousness" throughout Romans

The theme of "Righteousness" is introduced in Romans 1:16-17 and further explored from

Romans 1:18 to 15:13. In this section, Paul emphasizes that those who have faith are considered

righteous (Romans 1:18-4:25).

Paul distinguishes two groups under God's judgment: the unrighteous, who lack the law

(Romans 1:18-32), and the self-righteous, who possess the law (Romans 2:1-3:20).He goes on to

highlight that God's righteousness is revealed and affirmed by the Law and the Prophets, and

ultimately through Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-31). This righteousness is exemplified in the life

of Abraham for our benefit (Romans 4:1-25).

Furthermore, Paul explains that those who are righteous through faith live free from both

God's wrath (Romans 5:1-11) and the power of sin (Romans 6:1-23). Sin is portrayed as a barrier

between life and death (Romans 6:10-11) and is associated with the reign of Adam, opposing

righteousness and life (Romans 6:23). It's depicted in two aspects: the power of sin within the

law (Romans 7:1-25) and death (Romans 8:1-39).

Importantly, Paul addresses that the concept of "He who is righteous by faith shall live"

does not invalidate God's promise to Israel (Romans 9:1-11:36). He clarifies that God is faithful

and will fulfill His promise (Romans 9:1-29), while Israel's failure lies in rejecting God's

righteousness (Romans 9:30-10:31). Nevertheless, Israel, like all others, can be saved through

faith (Romans 11:1-36). In the later part of Romans, Paul discusses how those who are righteous
through faith should live. They undergo a transformation, no longer conforming to the world but

demonstrating righteousness. This includes living in love (Romans 12:1-13:14), adhering to

God's law (Romans 13:8-10), and embracing their identity in Christ (Romans 14:1-15:13).

In Paul's thesis in the book of Romans, we find three key principles:

1. God's Supreme Righteousness: God alone possesses inherent righteousness, making Him

the ultimate source of all that is right and just (Romans 3:5-6, 26).

2. Accessing God's Righteousness Through Faith: We can attain God's righteousness

through faith (Romans 1:17; 4:3, 5; 5:1; 9:30-32). This righteousness isn't something we

earn but is received by faith.

3. Faith in Christ: Faith must be directed solely toward Christ (Romans 1:16-17; 3:21-26;

5:1-2; 10:3-13). It's through faith in Christ that we access God's righteousness.

The term "righteousness" in Romans is closely related to the Hebrew concept of justice. It

refers to moral perfection, both in the case of God and humans. For God, it signifies His absolute

moral perfection and is the standard by which He judges all moral beings. For humans, it has two

aspects in the New Testament: it's both God's standard for human character and conduct,

reflecting His own character, and a gift from God received through grace and faith. This

demonstrates that humans cannot achieve God's righteousness on their own.

Exploring the various Greek forms of "righteousness" in Romans: Adjectives and adverbs for

righteousness are often translated as upright, just, or righteous. They appear seven times

(Romans 1:17; 2:13; 3:10, 26; 5:7, 19; 7:12). The verb form of righteousness means to be

acquitted or declared righteous, and it occurs fourteen times (Romans 2:13; 3:4, 20, 24, 26, 28;
4:2, 5; 5:1, 9; 6:7; 8:30). The noun form of righteousness is translated as justification,

vindication, or acquittal and is found twice (Romans 4:25; 5:18).

In essence, Romans emphasizes that God's righteousness is the foundation of moral perfection

and is accessible to humanity through faith, particularly faith in Christ. This concept underscores

our dependence on God's grace for righteousness, which we cannot achieve on our own.