To this point in Romans, the gospel has only been announced by name. Immediately upon its announcement, its necessity was systematically demonstrated: everyone, everywhere, without exception, are corrupt and culpable before God. All are unrighteous and stand in desperate need of a righteousness from God. Only after every defense has failed before the bar of perfect justice—only after the weight of hopelessness is felt—can a person see the glory of God in the gospel. Paul now manifests the mystery of Christ, explaining the crucial and decisive point of the gospel. This passage has been called the acropolis of the Christian faith and the most important paragraph in the Bible. Indeed, this is the clearest and most explicit explanation of precisely how God saves sinners. It reveals the crux of the gospel. In this message, the chief problem of offering good news to the guilty is considered. For this reason, focus is given entirely to verses 25 and 26.
