Justification by Grace through Faith

After his greeting & introduction to this letter addressed to the Christians at Rome, he tells them that, though they who are reading this epistle are already saved, he is not ashamed to preach the gospel to them at Rome, because the preaching of the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all men (1:16), & because it is through the preaching of the gospel that the righteousness, the justice-ness, of God is revealed from faith to faith (1:17). Then from 1:18-3:20, Paul proceeds to tell the Roman Christians of God's wrath revealed against the ungodliness & unrighteousness of sinful men, how utterly sinful man is, that sinful man is deserving of God's just judgment, & that every man, woman, & child since the fall of Adam is absolutely guilty of sinning against a holy God, being both helpless & defenseless in & of himself. Therefore, standing condemned before a holy & just God, God pours out His holy wrath upon Jesus Christ the righteous substitute, the propitiation for sinful men, who believe by faith in Christ's righteous blood shed at Calvary's Cross (3:21-31). Of those who believe, God declares such a one forgiven of sin and standing righteous before Him. This declaration, this act upon God's behalf is called justification.