What is the key word (used 62 times) in Romans?

• A. Salvation
• B. Righteousness
• C. Faith
• D. Law

Answer: (B)

Righteousness is the central thread in Romans. Paul repeatedly centers his argument on how a person becomes right with God, not by human works of the law, but by receiving righteousness from God through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness is both a status before God (being declared righteous) and the means God provides to live in a right relationship with Him. That focus—how humans obtain a right standing with God through faith—runs through Romans from start to finish, which is why the term appears so often (about sixty-two times). While salvation and faith are important themes, the repeated emphasis on righteousness is what ties the letter’s argument together, showing that justification by faith brings about a righteous standing before God for both Jews and Gentiles. The law is discussed to reveal sin and to show its insufficiency for producing righteousness, highlighting why faith is essential.