In his divine forbearance he [God] had passed over former sins
(cf. Acts 14:16–17, Acts 17:30). We do not know how God will eventually judge all the nations, but Romans 3:25–26 is addressing the issue of whether there might be a general amnesty. Rather, his argument is focused clarifying that, even despite the many sins in Israel and among the nations, God nonetheless sent a Redeemer. The history of humanity did not exactly justify doing that, yet in his love God opted not to repay evil with evil. He restrained his wrath and spared the world for this time of reconciliation.
Along with his forbearance, God also wants to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus
(Romans 3:26) For Paul, the righteousness of God is more than his punishing justice. A king is more than a judge, for he seeks not only justice but also peace and prosperity for the people. The Creator is so much more than merely an Avenger of evil among people. Through his righteousness he maintains creation to his own glory. It would run contrary to his just nature to simply allow humanity as the crown of his creation to suffer eternal ruin. His royal righteousness certainly includes condemning and punishing evil but also transcends it. God’s works reflect his justice in that he tempers his wrath over humanity until he himself provides a Deliverer from guilt.
In order to understand what God’s righteousness
actually means, one has to look further than what the Greek dictionary says concerning the word translated here as righteousness.
Above all else, one must understand who God is by taking into account his creation, his wrath, his redemption, and his glory. Only then can one truly understand what being righteous
entails for the Creator himself.1
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.