Romans 3:21-31

Romans 3:21-31 NIV
 ²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²²This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

Paul now brings it all together.  He informs the Romans that both Jews and Gentiles have sinned and that both can have redemption and God's righteousness through Christ.  The same applies to you and I today.  We all have sinned.  We all need to believe in Christ.

²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Atonement: to make amends or reparations.  Christ blood was the only sacrifice that would atone for the sin of the world.  God in his mercy did not punish those who died in faith before Jesus.  They died with a faith in the coming messiah.

 ²⁷ Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. ²⁸ For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. ²⁹ Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, ³⁰ since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ³¹ Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

There is nothing to boast about.  I did nothing to atone for my sin.  God is the God of all.  God alone justifies through faith.

God Bless.