“Romans 3”

Friday, February 03, 2017

Chapter One said the Gentiles were guilty of sin. Chapter Two said the Jews were guilty of sin. Chapter Three, therefore, says that everyone is guilty of sin.

The first 20 verses of Romans 3 conclude that everyone falls under the condemnation of sin. Paul first defends God’s righteous judgment of the world (verses 1-8). Then he quotes numerous verses from the Old Testament (verses 9-18) to show that all people who reach a point of accountability before God rebel against His will and commit sin. Paul then reminds them that obedience to the Old Law will not justify one before the Lord.

The chapter concludes with a discussion of salvation through faith in Christ apart from the deeds of the Law of Moses (verses 21-31).

Two verses stand out in this chapter.

Verse 23 states, in terms that cannot be misunderstood, that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Verse 26 speaks of God’s righteousness and says that He is both “just” (in that all sin is punished in the plan of God) and “the justifier” (the one who delivered this saving plan to mankind).

We do not earn salvation through obedience; it is still a gift of God’s grace. Salvation is never a matter of perfect deeds, but of mature and devoted faith.

--Roger Hillis

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