Romans 3:1-31
When we get in a tight spot, we all have the tendency to start making up excuses. These are usually fairly lame arguments that are easily brushed aside, but that never seems to stop us from trying. Paul anticipates that his readers will try to excuse their sinfulness with these types of arguments so he makes a preemptive strike and just shoots them all down from the start. But this chapters is not all gloom and doom. Paul turns a very important corner and shows us the way of hope.
ALL ARGUMENTS ARE SILENCED: Paul anticipates that his Jewish readers will make a series of arguments against Paul's message of justification by faith alone. They will argue that this teaching seems to take all of the advantages of being a Jew away. But Paul reminds them that their revelation of God was far superior to any other people however this brought greater responsibility as well. They then make a series of arguments that all go back to the idea that God's grace is manifest through forgiveness of sin so, in reality, sin brings glory to God. This kind of reasoning leads to the conclusion that sin is good which is absolutely idiotic reasoning by any man's standards. Far too often, we try to make God fit into our preconceived ideas of what we think He should be like and do. When we do this we typically end up making very foolish arguments and excuses. We will do much better to take God at His Word and be humble enough to admit that we don't have all to the answers.
ALL MANKIND IS SINFUL: Paul gives a scathing final argument in his condemnation of all men demonstrating that every single part of our body has been infected by sin and stands condemned before God. Our word, thoughts and actions are all reprehensible before God. While all men might not commit all of the acts described in this passage, all men have these sins deeply ingrained in their hearts. We are not only condemned for what we do but we are condemned by who we are. The sad truth is that all of us stand condemned by our actions as well as the condition of our hearts. We stand helpless and hopeless chained to the sin that has infested our hearts. Praise be to God that this is not the end.
ALL BELIEVERS ARE SAVED: This section opens with one of my favorite words in all of Scripture: "BUT." Paul now begins to reveal that we do have hope because the righteousness of Christ is made available to us through faith. Salvation results from the greatest "deal" known to man. Our sin is placed on Christ and Christ's righteousness is placed on us. What's the catch? Only faith! When we come to the end our ourselves and recognize that we are idolaters at heart, that our morality and religions are completely unable to rescue us from our sin; then and only then can we find hope. Once we throw ourselves at the foot of the cross and trust in Christ alone as our only hope for salvation, then God transfers the righteousness of Christ to us. The depth of our sin does not matter. The only thing that matters is the reality of our faith. May Jesus Christ be praised for His indescribable gift, His amazing grace and His full forgiveness!
ALL ARGUMENTS ARE SILENCED: Paul anticipates that his Jewish readers will make a series of arguments against Paul's message of justification by faith alone. They will argue that this teaching seems to take all of the advantages of being a Jew away. But Paul reminds them that their revelation of God was far superior to any other people however this brought greater responsibility as well. They then make a series of arguments that all go back to the idea that God's grace is manifest through forgiveness of sin so, in reality, sin brings glory to God. This kind of reasoning leads to the conclusion that sin is good which is absolutely idiotic reasoning by any man's standards. Far too often, we try to make God fit into our preconceived ideas of what we think He should be like and do. When we do this we typically end up making very foolish arguments and excuses. We will do much better to take God at His Word and be humble enough to admit that we don't have all to the answers.
ALL MANKIND IS SINFUL: Paul gives a scathing final argument in his condemnation of all men demonstrating that every single part of our body has been infected by sin and stands condemned before God. Our word, thoughts and actions are all reprehensible before God. While all men might not commit all of the acts described in this passage, all men have these sins deeply ingrained in their hearts. We are not only condemned for what we do but we are condemned by who we are. The sad truth is that all of us stand condemned by our actions as well as the condition of our hearts. We stand helpless and hopeless chained to the sin that has infested our hearts. Praise be to God that this is not the end.
ALL BELIEVERS ARE SAVED: This section opens with one of my favorite words in all of Scripture: "BUT." Paul now begins to reveal that we do have hope because the righteousness of Christ is made available to us through faith. Salvation results from the greatest "deal" known to man. Our sin is placed on Christ and Christ's righteousness is placed on us. What's the catch? Only faith! When we come to the end our ourselves and recognize that we are idolaters at heart, that our morality and religions are completely unable to rescue us from our sin; then and only then can we find hope. Once we throw ourselves at the foot of the cross and trust in Christ alone as our only hope for salvation, then God transfers the righteousness of Christ to us. The depth of our sin does not matter. The only thing that matters is the reality of our faith. May Jesus Christ be praised for His indescribable gift, His amazing grace and His full forgiveness!
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