Romans 3

Rom 3:1-20 NASB Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? (2) Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. (3) What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? (4) May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.” (5) But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) (6) May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? (7) But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? (8) And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just. (9) What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; (10) as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; (11) THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; (12) ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” (13) “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; (14) \”WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; (15) \”THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, (16) DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, (17) AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.” (18) “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” (19) Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; (20) because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

  • After Chapter 2, what advantage does the Jew have?
  • Even if they were given Oracles, what benefit were they when they and the people were often unfaithful?
  • Since the Jews were unfaithful and God’s forgiveness on them shows his mercy, then how can God judge them?
  • So if through the unrighteousness of His people, God\’s glory is shown, then shouldn’t I sin all the more? (Ro 6:1-2)
    • What is righteousness (Deu 6:25, Mat 5:48, James 2:10)?
    • Dikaiosúnē, righteousness, is thus conformity to the claims of higher authority and stands in opposition to anomía, lawlessness.
  • Therefore, are Jews (or Christians) better than others?
  • Read verses 10 through 18 and pray for the Lord to reveal to you something that He wants you to know.
  • What is the Law and how does it differ from secular law – how is it similar?
    • Here – nomos (greek for law), Old Testament – torah – Divine Law, the Pentateuch.
  • To whom is the Law addressed?
  • What is the purpose of the Law?
  • What does that mean to you?

Rom 3:21-31 NASB But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, (22) even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; (25) whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; (26) for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (27) Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. (28) For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. (29) Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, (30) since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. (31) Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

  • Apart – choris – chasm…
  • Whose righteousness?
  • What has happened with God’s righteousness?
  • Who/what demonstrated or prepared us for the manifestation of God’s righteousness?
  • Who has access to this righteousness, only Jews and Christians?
  • (24) Righteousness: dikaiosúnē (conforming to the claims of God), Justified – dikaióō (he/her who is righteous)
  • Propitiation: propitiatory – Mercy Seat: What does the mercy seat have to do with Jesus? (Hebrews 9:1-28)
  • Whose righteousness was demonstrated in Jesus’ sacrifice and why?
  • Where’s the boasting: Romans 2:17 and 2:23
  • What law? (James 2:12)
  • How do we establish the law through faith?

New Living Translation

21But now God has shown us a different way of being right in his sight—not by obeying the law but by the way promised in the Scriptures long ago. 22We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.

23For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. 25For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God\’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times.26And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus.

27Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. 28So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

29After all, God is not the God of the Jews only, is he? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30There is only one God, and there is only one way of being accepted by him. He makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

THEME

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

APPLICATION

REFERENCES

Psa 51:4 NASB Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

Psa 14:1-3 NASB For the choir director. A Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. (2) The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. (3) They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

Psa 5:9 NASB There is nothing reliable in what they say; Their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; They flatter with their tongue.

Psa 10:7 NASB His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.

Pro 1:16 NASB For their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood.

Isa 59:8 NASB They do not know the way of peace, And there is no justice in their tracks; They have made their paths crooked, Whoever treads on them does not know peace.

Psa 36:1 NASB For the choir director. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD. Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes.

Deu 6:25 NASB “It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us.

Mat 5:48 NASB “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jas 2:10 NASB For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

(Jas 2:12 NASB) So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.

Heb 9:1-28 NASB  Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary.  (2)  For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place.  (3)  Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,  (4)  having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant;  (5)  and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail.  (6)  Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship,  (7)  but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.  (8)  The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing,  (9)  which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,  (10)  since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.  (11)  But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;  (12)  and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.  (13)  For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,  (14)  how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  (15)  For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.  (16)  For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.  (17)  For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.  (18)  Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood.  (19)  For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,  (20)  saying, “THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU.\”  (21)  And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood.  (22)  And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.  (23)  Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  (24)  For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;  (25)  nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own.  (26)  Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.  (27)  And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,  (28)  so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.