God’s faithfulness
1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:
‘So that you may be proved right when you speak
and prevail when you judge.’
5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 Someone might argue, ‘If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?’ 8 Why not say – as some slanderously claim that we say – ‘Let us do evil that good may result’? Their condemnation is just!
No one is righteous
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:
‘There is no one righteous, not even one;
11
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.’
13
‘Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practise deceit.’
‘The poison of vipers is on their lips.’
14
‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’
15
‘Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16
ruin and misery mark their ways,
17
and the way of peace they do not know.’
18
‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
Righteousness through faith
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished 26 – he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the ‘law’ that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
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Word by Word Meditations
by Fred Ursell
Romans 3: “alike” (v.9)
Most people have a ‘them and us’ herd mentality, just as Jews thought – and think – of all Gentiles in relation to themselves. Often, though not always, this creates hostility towards whoever ‘them’ are. Paul makes the point that “Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin” (v.9). The human race manifests multiple racial and ethnic divides, but one factor makes us “alike” – our universal wickedness. It’s not just that we’re not very nice or good. That would be bad enough. We are “under sin”, deceived and defeated by our own flaws.
So the point is – everybody has a problem and all “alike” need a solution.
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READING
The Letter of PAUL to The ROMANS
Chapter Three
Read by David Suchet
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OVERVIEW
The Letter of PAUL to The ROMANS
Chapter 1 to 4
Overview
(The Bible Project)
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STUDIES
Romans 1-4 "The Bible in 5”
Tim Mackie (The Bible Project)
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ROMANS 3 : 21- 28
Justified by Faith –
Timothy Keller [Sermon]
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Unlocking the New Testament - Romans part1
David Pawson
Unlocking the New Testament - Romans part2
David Pawson
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