What does being justified freely by his grace mean (Romans 3:24)?

In Romans 3:21–31, the apostle Paul discusses the theological concept of justification, a central Christian doctrine. He explains that God has provided a way for unrighteous people (sinners) to be made right with Him: “But now apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21–24).

Paul states that all people are sinners, regardless of their social status, heritage, or upbringing. Every person ever born falls short of God’s perfect standard of righteousness (see Psalm 14:1–3; Romans 3:9; Galatians 3:22; Romans 11:32). We are all guilty in God’s courtroom and need a solution to the common problem of sin. The solution is to be justified freely by God’s grace. Let’s break down what this means word for word.

The term justified in Romans 3:24 refers to being declared righteous, just, or innocent in God’s sight. The Greek verb (dikaioumenoi) is a legal term meaning “being or becoming judicially vindicated as having complied with the requirements of the law (of God).” We are justified only when we stand before God in His courtroom, and He hammers down HIs gavel and declares us to be “not guilty.”

We are justified not based on our own merit or actions we have performed. Instead, justification and righteousness come “through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:22; see also Romans 4:5, 16; 2 Timothy 3:15). Believers are made right with God by placing their faith in Jesus Christ.

The word freely emphasizes that justification is offered without cost to the recipient. It is a gift, free of charge or payment from the sinner. Humans cannot earn a right standing or status with God through good deeds or even adherence to the law (Galatians 3:11). Instead, justification is given unconditionally and graciously through the kindness, generosity, and love of God.

Grace is the unmerited favor and goodwill of God toward humanity. It is through grace that sinners receive what they do not deserve. Instead of being condemned and sentenced to death, we receive eternal life and reconciliation with God (John 3:16–17; Romans 5:16–17; 8:1). Paul wrote, “Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life” (Titus 3:7, NLT).

Nowhere else is God’s grace more magnified than in “the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24) and His sacrifice on the cross: “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” (Ephesians 2:4–5, NLT; see also John 1:16–17; Romans 5:1–2).

Redemption refers to the act of Jesus Christ saving humanity by dying on the cross. To redeem is to purchase something. Through His shed blood, Christ made the full payment we owed for our sins (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:15). What was given to us free of charge was not without cost to God. The price He paid for our justification was immeasurable, as it required the sacrifice of His Son.

To be justified freely by His grace means that two things have happened. First, God canceled our debt. He met the legal obligations we could never fulfill (see Romans 8:3–4) by purchasing our freedom, paying our debt, and forgiving our sins (Colossians 1:14). Second, He applied the righteousness of Christ to our account (Romans 5:19; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:9–11; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9), thereby declaring us innocent and free.

Placing our faith in Jesus Christ is the key to being justified freely by His grace (Romans 1:17; Philippians 3:8–9). This applies to everyone who believes in Him, regardless of background or identity.