“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 3:23-24).

What’s a Lutheran?

I serve at a mission church in a place where there aren’t many Lutherans (not yet at least), so I hear that question a lot.

I have several ways of explaining what Lutherans believe. I have a short elevator pitch that sums up Lutheranism in three words: grace, faith, and Scripture. I have a membership class that dives deep into Lutheran beliefs. But the explanation of Lutheranism that I’ve used the most involves Romans chapter 3.

I open my Bible or the Bible app on my phone to Romans 3:23-24 and walk through those verses. Here’s the gist of what I say. Perhaps it will help you explain what a Lutheran is too.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God has a standard for us to live up to. That glorious standard is to be like him: Be perfect. It’s not “become perfect” or “be almost perfect.” It’s “be perfect”—at all times, in all ways. And being perfect is like jumping across the Grand Canyon. Either you make it, or you don’t. You can’t almost jump the Grand Canyon. You can’t almost be perfect either.

Despite my best efforts, I’m not perfect. Not even close. And you aren’t perfect either. You, me, everyone—we are all sinners. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard.

But all of us “are justified freely by his grace.” Justified is a Bible word that pictures a courtroom scene. You are the guilty defendant standing before the judge. But the gavel falls, and the verdict rings out, “Not guilty.” No one can prove you are guilty of any sins, so you’re free to go. You are justified. You are declared not guilty.

This justification happens “freely by his grace.” This is the key! We don’t justify ourselves. This is not something we do for God. This is not something we have to work for or earn. Justifying ourselves would require jumping the Grand Canyon, which we can’t do. So justification has to be something God does for us, something God gives to us. And that’s what he does. He justifies us freely, without any cost to us.

Why would God do that for sinners like us? Simple. Because he loves us—even when we don’t deserve it. Especially when we don’t deserve it. That’s grace.

All have sinned. All are justified. And this justification is free, because Jesus paid the price.

God justifies us “through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Redemption means to ransom someone, to pay the price to set someone free. That’s what Jesus did. He paid the ransom price to set us free from our sins.

Grace is free, but it’s not cheap. The ransom price Jesus paid cost him dearly. It cost him his life. He died to pay for sins. But he gladly died for me, for you, and for everyone because he loves me, you, and everyone. That’s grace in action.

That’s what Lutherans believe. All have sinned. All are justified. And this justification is free, because Jesus paid the price. Believe it! Share it!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the clear teaching of justification by grace. Help me share this life-changing doctrine with others. Amen.

Author: Evan Chartrand
Volume 113, Number 10
Issue: October 2026
Photo: iStock