Romans,
Chapter 3
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Romans 3:1-2
1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles
of God.
We should understand that Jews are special to
God.
The coming of Paul marks a pause in God’s
plan for the ages.
God did not discard the Jews.
He just took a pause in His work among them.
Romans
11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled
that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is
come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
The Gentile pause is designed to provoke the
Jews to make them desire the benefits of Christ.
The pause is temporary!
Romans
11:25 For I would not, brethren, that
ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own
conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
We will discuss that further in Chapter 11.
Romans 3:3-4
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in
thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art
judged.
Shall their unbelief invalidate the faith of
God?
Will God's promises to the Jews be nullified
by unbelief?
The answer to both questions is,
"Absolutely No!"
We might also ask, "Do the actions of
some of those within the Church nullify God's love for us?"
Again, the answer to that is also,
"No!" God's love is
infinite.
That is difficult for us to understand.
We, Christians all know that we are saved by
grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9).
Faith’s object is Christ Jesus.
Man without Christ cannot be faithful!
Love and faith originate within God the
Father.
Man without God cannot love!
A Man without Christ may lust, but he cannot
love!
Let’s look at the faith of the Son of God, God the Son, our Lord Christ Jesus.
Most Christians are completely
ignorant concerning the faith of Christ Jesus.
Here are some verses for your
study.
Read and learn that we
operate because of and through the faith OF
Christ Jesus.
Rom 3:22
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for
there is no difference:
Rom 3:26 To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the
justifier of him which believeth in [of]
Jesus (Gr. Ieesou-Ihsou).
Gal 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 3:22 But
the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given
to them that believe.
Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the
faith of him.
Phil 3:9 And
be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but
that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Rev 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of
God, and the faith of Jesus.
I pray that this will be your
start on the road to understanding our true relationship with Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:5-6
5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we
say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I
speak as a man)
6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
What if our sinful deeds serve to highlight
the correct actions of God?
Can we then say that God was wrong when He
punished us?
Absolutely not!
The one thing we do not want is justice. That would result in the Lake of Fire.
We want and need His mercy! That results in everlasting
life.
God is sovereign.
We are not!
In all that God does, He acts righteously.
We may not understand His actions, but they
are always correct.
We are living out His plan for the ages.
All creation was made for His purpose.
Romans 3:7 For if
the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I
also judged as a sinner?
Salvation is by grace.
It is not by works.
Only the deceived think that good works can
bring them to God.
One of the things God has done is to hide the
truth from all but the chosen.
In due time, the Jewish nation will proclaim
Christ Jesus, because their eyes will be opened.
In that day, they will rejoice in God’s
grace.
Romans 3:8 And
not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,)
Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is
just.
If evil can give birth to good, the world
would be better by being more evil.
Do you believe that?
I hope not!
“Damnation” means—to exercise legal judgment.
In this case a negative judgment.
Even God’s negative judgment is correct.
Do you slander the grace of God by trusting
in “salvation by works.”
Martin Luther led the Reformation by
understanding something the Popes cannot grasp because they were not chosen to
understand.
Romans
1:17b The just shall live by faith.
Do you understand that truth?
Romans 3:9 What then? are
we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and
Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
All, Jews and Gentiles, live in sin, until
called out of sin by Christ.
When our eyes are opened and we come to Jesus
as the only sacrifice able to bring us salvation.
Romans 3:10 As it
is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Here in verses
10-12, Paul brings out the condition of the lost! They CANNOT under their own
free will and power seek Christ Jesus coming to Him for salvation without the
call administered by the Holy Spirit!
Paul restates the charge against humanity.
None is righteous!
The unrighteous do not seek righteousness
until the Light has been given to them via the Holy Spirit.
You will not choose God, but He chooses you
and sends the Holy Spirit to claim you!
1 Cor
12:3b no man can say that Jesus is
the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Romans 3:11 There
is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
The fact is that Christianity is God in
search of man and not man in search of God!
Luke
19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek
and to save that which was lost.
God is not lost---We are!
Many claim that searched diligently for
Christ when the fact is that “none seeketh after
God!”
Until we accept the fact the Christ Jesus
came looking for us, we will never truly understand the role that Christ Jesus
plays in our lives.
Until you understand this simple concept, you
will always attempt good works as a way to gain or maintain salvation.
Humanity says, “We can do it!” God says, “Christ Jesus already did it!”
Self-salvation is not salvation!
Learn to rest in Jesus!
Romans 3:12 They are all gone out of the
way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no,
not one.
"Become unprofitable" indicates
that all mankind has been rendered totally useless.
Why would God want to redeem a bunch of
useless rebels?
Because He loves us!
God is Love (1 John 4:8, 16), and Love never
ever fails (I Corinthians 13:8)!
God has a vested interest in your salvation.
If His creation fails, He has failed.
And, God does not fail!
We may fail to understand, but He does not
fail!
Nobody does good! All the “good” that we “do” is not done by
us, but it is done by the Holy Spirit working within us!
Phil 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Romans 3:13-18
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their
tongues they have used deceit; 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 ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
This section seems extremely negative.
It is!
Let’s look at in the NASB.
Romans 3:13-18
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 have they not known."
18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." (NASB)
This describes men who teach salvation by
works.
To spiritually blind eyes, sin looks good.
Romans 3:19 Now
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are
under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God.
The Law is for
those under the Law.
The Law was given
to Israel! It was not given to the
Gentiles!
Prior to coming to Christ,
Gentiles were not under the Law!
None of us, Jew or
Gentile, can perform the Law.
The law has one
purpose.
That purpose is to
bring Israel to Christ.
Gentile, by birth,
Christians are not “under” the Ten.
Christians are led
by the Spirit of God.
Romans 8:2 For
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of
sin and death.
Romans 8:14 For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 3:20 Therefore
by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by
the law is the knowledge of sin.
"Shall not be justified" means
"shall not be declared legally innocent."
However, the use of this negative is not
absolute.
In Hebrews 13:5 we find another use of the
negative.
It literally says, "I will never-never
(Gr. ou mee-ou mh) leave thee, never-never
forsake thee."
That is a double negative.
In Romans 3:20, the negative leaves room for
innocence to be declared under certain circumstances.
In Hebrews 13:5 the negative eliminates all
conditions, under which Christ might forsake us.
Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
“But now” is the page turner! At this point
in his letter, Paul tells the Romans that NOW the righteousness of God is shown
to those outside of, aside from the Law!
“Without” means "aside
from."
In Christ, God’s righteousness apart from the
Law has come to light.
It had been previously proclaimed by the Law
and the Prophets of the Old Covenant, but rejected by most men.
Abram’s story is based on pure grace.
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God
which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that
believe: for there is no difference:
Now, the righteousness of God, which is
through the faith OF Jesus Christ has
come to all that believe, and there is no variation in its effect on Jews and
Gentiles.
Galatians
2:16 Knowing that a man is not
justified by the works of the law, but by
the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that
we might be justified by the faith of
Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law
shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians
2:20 I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself
for me.
“Our” righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah
64:6).
But, His righteousness, and His justification
comes only through His faith!
We do not live by our faith.
We live by His faith!
Romans 3:23 For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
“For” may be better understood when we read
it as "because."
There is no variation is the effect of grace and
faith "because" all, Jews and Gentiles, have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God.
Why have all sinned?
Did you wake up on morning and say to yourself, “I think I’ll become a fallen sinner today”?
Of course not!
The answer if found in:
Rom
11:32 For God hath concluded them all
in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
You became a fallen sinner because God has
caused all to fall so that He may have mercy on all!
Now, If He does not
have mercy on all, it was a sinister trick indeed.
However:
Rom
11:36 of Him and through Him and to
Him are all things.
And, He shall have mercy on all His creation!
Death in all forms shall be destroyed! (1 Cor
15:26)
One day there shall be no more death, and no
more pain, or crying! (Rev 21:4)
There shall be no more curse!
(Rev 22:3)
In that day all shall be made new! (Rev 21:5)
Romans 3:25 Whom
God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God;
“Propitiation” speaks of a placating
sacrifice.
Christ Jesus, and Christ Jesus
alone, has been appointed as the only sacrifice that will placate God in
reference to man’s sin.
Through Christ’s sacrifice we are declared
righteous.
Christ does not just cover our sins, He disinfects
us!
Romans 3:26 To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the
justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
First, there is one portion of this verse
that is mistranslated.
It should read, “has
the belief [faith] OF Jesus.”
Let’s review the verses that
indicate the love OF Jesus!
Rom 3:22
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for
there is no difference:
Gal 2:16 Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 3:22 But
the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given
to them that believe.
Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the
faith of him.
Phil 3:9 And
be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but
that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Rev 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of
God, and the faith of Jesus.
God provided the faith of Christ, so we might
declare, or demonstrate His righteousness mercy.
We demonstrate that God is just and the
Justifier of those that trust Christ Jesus.
We, being carnal by
nature, would never have done it on our own.
Think with me.
God does not justify only good people.
He justifies the really rotten apples in this
barrel called society.
God so loved the sinful world that He
gave.
There are no prerequisites to the receiving
of God’s love.
God loved us prior to the crucifixion.
And, the only prerequisite to receiving the
benefits of that love is to believe in, trust Jesus.
John 3:16-17
16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (NKJV)
Did Christ Jesus succeed?
Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is
excluded. By what law? of works?
Nay: but by the law of faith.
If we are saved by grace, why do we boast
about the Law?
Or, why do we boast about works, if they will
not save us?
His sacrifice was wasted effort!
But, what if we boast about the law of Faith?
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
The Law of he Spirit does what the law of
works cannot do!
And, Love cannot fail!
Romans
3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man
is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Because of that---we reason that a man---any
man---is justified, declared innocent by the faith of Christ Jesus, and not due
to any works of the Law.
Romans 3:29 Is he
the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the
Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Is God the God of Jews alone?
Or is He also the God of Gentiles?
God is the God of all!
The resurrection of Christ Jesus did not
alter His status.
It changed OUR status!
Jesus was the Christ prior to His birth or
resurrection!
Jesus was the Christ prior to the creation of
creation!
Romans 3:30-31
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the
circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish
the law.
We are all justified by faith.
However, verse 30 seems to make the salvation
of Jews and Gentiles separate issues. That view is not correct!
Jews were given a legal system that they were
to live by! They were not given “legalism.”
Due to “legalism,” a system of works and the
spiritual blinding of Israel, most Jews do not understand the work of Christ
Jesus. The spiritually blinding od most Jews made it
impossible for most of them to understand the finished work of Christ Jesus at
the crucifixion!
The fact is the Jews and Gentiles alike are
justified by faith. Faith in Him is
actually OF Him! It is given to both Jews and Gentiles by the Holy Spirit!
Jews are justified by grace within the Law.
Gentiles are justified outside of the Law!
Justification comes to all by means of the
imputed faith of Christ alone!
But, what about James?
James 2:18
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith
without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by
my works.
The fact is that James was
written by a Jew to Jews!
Does faith invalidate the
Law?
Absolutely not!
No matter how many good works you do, you
still are saved by grace through faith!
Gal 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
If the Holy Spirit does not intervene on your
behalf, you cannot acknowledge, “Jesus is Lord!” And, without that heartfelt
acknowledgment, you cannot be saved!
1 Cor 12:3b
no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Through Holy Spirit given faith those who
were under the Law establish, confirm, or bring the Law into balance!
Law has no effect on justification!
The Law was never meant to “save”
anyone.
Abraham was not justified due to keeping the
Law!
The Law cannot save, because none has the
power to obey it completely.
But, it can point out sins, spiritual
deficiencies.
However, we must come to Christ to correct
our deficiencies.
Gal
3:24 Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith.
That verse was written to all who are under
the law!
It was not meant to guide those outside of
the law!
The words “salvation,” and/or “justification”
are not found in the Ten!