The Backdrop to Justification in Romans, or, "Before We Talk About the Good News..."

In Romans 1:18-3:20, Paul makes his case for the just condemnation of all humanity. The gospel reveals the righteousness of God (1:16-17) and Rom.1:18-3:20 Paul goes to great lengths to demonstrate that man does not possess that righteousness. The result is that every person, non-religious and religious alike, Jew and Gentile, stands justly condemned and deserving of the wrath of God.

Then, beginning in 3:21, Paul turns to the gracious provision of the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, which Barnhouse calls, "the heart of the epistle." But we might ask why didn't Paul start there? Why the spilling of so much ink over such things as sin and wrath and judgement? The reason is that Paul first must demonstrate our need and inability before he turns to how our need is met. The need is great and requires a great provision, but in order to see our great need, and better, in order to see the greatness of the One who meets our need, we must recognize just how dire our situation is. The sinfulness of humanity stands in contrast to the righteousness of God manifested in Jesus Christ. That is the purpose of 1:19-3:20 in Paul's overall argument in Romans.

Imagine a room with windows in it. It is daytime and quite a bit of ambient light is flooding the room. You turn on a lamp, and while some additional light is observable as a result, the brightness of the bulb is not really noticeable because there is so much ambient light already in the room. One may not even see any need for a lamp at all.

But imagine it is late at night and the room is dark. Now the need for the lamp is obvious, and when it is switched on, noticeable light floods the room. The same amount of illumination is being put out, so why the difference?

Obviously, the answer is found in how dark the room was prior to the light being switched on. The darker the room, the stronger the contrast and the more bright the bulb seems, even though it is putting out the exact same amount of illumination. In the bright room, the light was washed out by the existing light. In the dark room, it's importance and brilliance are evident.

That is something like what Paul is doing in these early chapters of Romans. It is why he spends so much time talking about the depravity of man and the reality that all are under condemnation. He is darkening the room so that, when he comes to 3:21 and the topic of justification, the brilliance of the light of this good news can shine with exceeding brightness. The contrast of the depravity of humanity and the reality of wrath, judgement and condemnation serve as the darkest of backdrops for the good news of God's provision of the righteousness we so desperately need but can't accomplish for ourselves. And when that gracious provision is finally introduced in 3:21, it stands in brilliant contrast as it shines against the backdrop of all that darkness, just like a light in a dark room.