The Book of Romans By Doug Hamilton 16 Romans 3:1-20 “Three Facts About Sinners” In the first chapter of Romans we are clearly taught that the gentiles are nothing more than sinners even though they were not under the Law. They listened to what men said, but when it came to the final authority, they said, "What Scripture says, that's it! Romans 1 1:1 The Résumé of a Real Christian ... Romans 3 3:1-8 Objection Overruled! It has been interesting to note, as we have gone through this letter to the Romans, how logically and powerfully the Apostle Paul develops his subject. The rabbis were arguing constantly over infinitesimal theological differences. Then imagine that someone has invented a camera that records thoughts. The first part, the dialogue with the Jews, grows out of the close of Romans 2, in which the apostle answers the question that is still being hotly debated in the State of Israel today: What constitutes a true Jew? I wonder how many would show up? He has already demonstrated the universal condition of both Jews and Gentiles. I have often thought this would be an appropriate slogan for the United Nations! But the amazing thing is that across this kind of verse he writes, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son," (John 3:16a KJV). Much every way; chiefly, because--rather, "first, that." Doctrinal Point(s) All objections to God’s judgment are answered. 1, 2. Imagine that at a Sunday morning service, where all you fine-looking, moral, clean-living, decent people come, we would let you pass through a security section like they do at the airport and all your thoughts would be recorded. We would say they are looking for God, but God does not say so. What is down in the heart comes out in the speech -- not only vulgarity, but hypocrisy. But a certain group of people is given a powerful searchlight that can shine thousands of yards into the darkness. (F) As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak    and prevail when you judge.”[a](G). If all he sees is wretchedness, misery, evil, deceit, hypocrisy, vulgarity, profanity, slander, and all these evil things that are in every heart -- every one without exception -- our natural instinct is to say, "Then God doesn't want us." Read the Scripture: Romans 3:1-20 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. God himself could not act as a judge if he actually arranged things so that sin would glorify God. The fact is, sin never glorifies God. That is the first thing the Law does: it shuts you up, and you do not argue Second, Paul says, "The whole world is held accountable to God." Here are all these religious people going to temples, going through various procedures, observing rituals, flocking to churches, filling up worship areas all over the world. Jesus said that all the Law is summed up in one word: Love. The world is lost without it.” [Sanday and Headlam, p. 40] “The revelation of the righteousness of God (ver. I never fail to be delighted at how the mind of the Apostle Paul works as he sets this truth out for us. We thank you in Jesus' name, Amen. Romans 3:22-31 Ojibway translation Voices United , 1996; St. 5, A Collection of Sacred Ballads , Richmond, 1790 Evangelism; Lent (season); Praise of God; Salvation/Redemption Paul says the Law does three things to us: First, it stops our mouth: We have nothing to say. But now: These words provide the most glorious transition from the judgment of Romans 3:20 to the justification of Romans 3:21. i. Romans 3:1-8 - Outline and Summary . So, Paul says, the condemnation of this kind of reasoning is well-deserved. Paul then quotes David's fifty-first psalm, that wonderful psalm written after the twin sins of murder and adultery, in which he was caught red-handed. "Their tongues practice deceit." 18"There is no fear of God before their eyes.". May anyone here without this now turn and open his life to you, knowing that this is the only way out of the judgment of God. 3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Self-righteous people are always saying, "But -- but this -- but I -- yes, but I do this -- and I do that." (A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.(B). Already he has shown that everyone is under law. "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." Romans 3 Bible / Bible ... Paul Answers an Objection. In God's sight, a Jew is one who has faith, who has the presence of the Spirit of God in his heart, who inwardly has faith in Jesus the Messiah. b. That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? Home >> Bible Studies >> Romans Studies >> Romans 3:1-20 These small group studies of Romans contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, and applications. Romans 3:20, ESV: "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:1-2) The fact that Paul says "first" leads us to look for what is also second and third. First, they were entrusted with the very words of God. Objections answered. I love this because it means that Paul does not consider himself, even as a believer, beyond the judgment of God; he is just as capable of falsehood as anyone else. a. In the second chapter we learn that the Jews have nothing to boast of for they are convicted as sinners under the Law. Then what advantage has the Jew? But this is the stark revelation from Scripture of what God sees when he looks at the human race. 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. It was God who called them his chosen people. (Y) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(Z) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(AA). Paul says, "That's your problem; it's not God's problem." As John puts it in his Gospel, "There is a light that lights everyone coming into the world," (John 1:9 NIV). When we face ourselves before the Law, we have to confess that many, many times we fail in love. The advantage of the Jewish people 2. There is no one who does good, not even one. The Scriptures he uses divide into three very clear groups. b 3 What then? 12All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." 3 What then? Paul answers that question in Chapter 2. When Paul says first, he does not mean first in a long list of advantages, though he did see many advantages in being a Jew. Romans 3:1-20. ver 19, 23; 1Ki 8:46; 2Ch 6:36; Ps 106:6; Ro 5:12; 11:32; Gal 3:22, NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NIV, Quest Study Bible, Comfort Print: The Only Q and A Study Bible, NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture. Now comes the final touch. CHAPTER 3. Download the Audio; Download the Transcript Transcripts not available for all Talks; Lesson Number 8. 5But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? The conscience lays hold of that law written in the heart to tell people whether they are doing right or wrong. Father, we thank you for loving us enough to tell us the truth. Paul gathers up a compilation of Scriptures from the Psalms and Proverbs and Isaiah to show that what he has described, God has already said. Implied in this is the fact that, though the Jew had this tremendous advantage, he failed to make use of it, and therefore it did him no good at all. Related. Even though the Jews had the Word of God, some of them didn’t actually believe God. When you read this terrible description of the human race as God sees it, it is almost impossible for us to believe that God is not going to say, "Enough! Romans 3:1-8.JEWISH OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. In Romans 3:1-2, Paul states that there are advantages in being an ethnic Israelite, and he gives an example of one such advantage. )(I) 6 Certainly not! (O) 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.”[b](P)13 “Their throats are open graves;    their tongues practice deceit.”[c](Q)“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[d](R)14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[e](S)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.”[f](T)18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[g](U), 19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(V) it says to those who are under the law,(W) so that every mouth may be silenced(X) and the whole world held accountable to God. So, keep these verses from chapter 3 in mind. They are looking for a god, not the God. People today say, "If God is glorified by human sin and failure, as the Scriptures say, then let's sin all the more.". Cursing is blaming God; that is profanity. All rights reserved worldwide. Is it religion? If men fail, God has unlimited resources to fulfill his promise. Wherever man goes, ruin follows. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. A question concerning the unrighteousness of man 4. Nobody lives in darkness. I. Not at all!" Many claim that this is the answer. Written somewhere between A.D. 55 and A.D. 57, Paul wrote this letter or epistle which today we call the Book of Romans, while he was in Corinth and possibly staying with Phoebe (16:1-2). b 3 What then? If God cannot judge, he is demeaned; if he does not judge, the entire world is locked into perpetual evil. Answer: 2. (Romans 3:1-2) The fact that Paul says "first" leads us to look for what is also second and third. All rights reserved. He is about to answer the question fully, as he does later in Romans 9:4-5; but after stating the first point, he goes off upon a difficulty raised by this, and does not return to complete what he had begun. Paul strengthens this argument with a personal illustration in Verses 7-8: Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" Would their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? I invite you to pay close attention to it as we look through and see what these arguments are. That advantage is claimed today by many non-Jews, Catholics and Protestants who are proud of their knowledge of the Bible. Paul says, "Never let that be! All ungodliness and all unrighteousness may expect a visitation of wrath. Though the Law condemns us, it is that very condemnation that makes us willing to listen, so that we find the right path. "...no one searches for God." Therefore they had a tremendous advantage. "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness ... of men..." When men reject God, they lose everything. Are you saying that just because some of us didn't measure up to what God required in the Law, everyone in Israel has lost the promise that God gave them? But even though everyone has that light, the Jews had an additional degree of light. In Romans 3:20 Paul sums up the argument he began in Romans 1:16-18 by returning to his theme of justification and God's righteousness or "saving justice" and man's lack of righteousness by making an allusion to Psalm 143:2, "no living being will be justified before you." Romans 3:9-20 : 2007-06-23 THE CHURCH IS SENT: Romans 10:13-18 : 2007-06-20 GLORY WITH CHRIST: Romans 8:12-25 : 2007-05-27 MAKING GOD SMILE: Romans 12:3-8 : 2007-05-18 SAVED TO SERVE! When certain of the Pharisees boasted to Jesus that they were "children of Abraham," Jesus said, "Don't you understand that God can raise up from these stones children unto Abraham?" You can always tell someone is close to becoming a Christian when they shut up and stop arguing back. Her mouth was stopped. We do not love. The Apostle asks, What is the real value of these apparent advantages? The Gospel of Salvation—Paul’s Vocation (Romans 1:1–17) Our Need for Salvation in Life and Work (Romans 1:18–1:32) All Have Sinned (Romans 2–3) Judgment, Justice, and Faith (Romans 3) Judgment, the Source of Broken Relationships (Romans 3:1–20) God’s Justice Through Jesus, the Solution to Our False Judgments (Romans 3:21–26) B. Righteousness Obsolete: Sin (Romans 1:18-3:20) Man's sin and guilt is evident through its presence and judgment. Much in every way. d Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar, e as it is written: What are they looking for? 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