Posted in Bible Study, Romans

Session 5 – Romans 3

Romans 3 —
The Defense Caves In

Recall that in Romans 2, God establishes the principle that a real relationship with God cannot be accomplished by our own vain attempts at righteousness.  So, as Paul points out, when any person (Jew or Gentile) depends on outward acts for redemption, he fails.  Apart from Christ in our life, each of us has a “stubborn and unrepentant heart” (Rom. 2:5) and fails before God’s judgment, even the Jew who “possesses” circumcision and the Law.

judge scalePicture the prosecution and defense in a court room, laying out a case to the jury regarding the accusations being charged against the accused.  Humanity’s defense of its actions has nothing more to say, every effort to grasp at righteousness has failed.  Romans 3 provides the Prosecutor’s summation of undeniable guilt which mankind faces.

Bible Study Journal

  • Read through Rom. 3 – Try to pick up the key words or phrases.  What would you say is the key verse for this passage?

Whenever you are reading or studying the Bible, be sure to keep your journal and a pen (or your laptop) at hand so you can make notes of what you observe and learn.

The Jews’ Attempted Privilege, Romans 3:1-8

In this situation, no one (all mankind is guilty) has any pretense of ‘advantage’ – no one can stand before the Judge with a smug grin.  This is emphasized by the fact that the Jews possessed the very inspired utterances of God in the Holy Scriptures, yet they still stood condemned.

Bible Study Journal
Although Paul was writing to people in Gentile Rome, he still had to address Jews who would also be in the audience.  Why would the Jew consider circumcision an advantage?  Consider what  Paul says in Rom. 2:25 and Rom. 9:4.

Paul “turns” the argument on its head after making it clear to Jews that they are judged for their sin.  Now he says they are blessed with the oracles from God.  It’s true, God delivered the Law to them, with provision for sacrifice which would atone for sin.  Yes they have had the revelation of revealed truth, but they are guilty of tragic neglect of that truth through many centuries of idolatry and religious ritual.

Consider Isa. 55:6-7, here the Jews are expected by God to be repentant and come by faith for deliverance, just as the heathen must do.  “Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.”  The Jew really is just as guilty before God as the Gentile.  The fact that God applies wrath in the situation has no effect on the purity of His holiness, righteousness and faithfulness.  A key doctrinal truth is the unchangeableness of God – His purity, holiness, righteousness, justice is always constant.  A rebellious act by man doesn’t change that, including the rebellion of the Jews who have the legacy of the Law.  The sinner remains condemned.

In these verses, Paul anticipates some of the arguments that hearers will push back with.  Paul confirms that the message he has been preaching throughout his missionary journeys agrees with this principle, and he does not encourage continued sin in order to give God more opportunity to demonstrate His mercy.  This is a recurring sub-theme in Paul’s letters, where he sees need to defend some aspect of his ministry and message.  Everywhere he went, there were detractors who would try to undermine him.  Peter declared that Christians should “Always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15).  See for example, Paul’s testimony in 2 Cor. 10-11.

Bible Study Journal

  • What reasons do you see in Rom. 3 that Paul gives for the wrath of God against humanity?
        • Note all the words and descriptive phrases for man’s rebellion
        • How does Psalm 14 relate to Rom. 1-3?

Summary Judgment, Romans 3:9-31

Rom. 3:9-20 –  With these verses in Rom.3, Paul begins to move towards a “concluding statement” for this first section of his letter (Rom. 1-3).  He begins with an extended quote from the OT scriptures (check Psa. 14:1-3 and Psa. 53:1-3)  Mankind is full of poisonous sin, determined to be rebellious against God’s holy standards, with no fear of God and His declared judgment of sin.

Rom. 3:20-31 –  Paul introduced the subject of “justification” in chapter 2, referring to God’s work of declaring a person righteous. In Rom. 2:13, he states the OT Jew’s approach of being a “doer of the Law” in order to be justified by God.  Of course Paul’s point there was that no one is capable of successfully “doing” the whole law – we all sin at one point or another.   After closing chapter 2 with the key point of “circumcision of the heart”, he now establishes that  justification requires true faith from our heart (Rom. 3:28).   In chapter 3, justification is mentioned in four verses – Rom. 3:4, 20, 24, and 28.  Take the time to think through Paul’s progress in these verses and note that he is working towards a major statement that occurs in 5:1 – “having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.”

The bottom line:  On the authority of God’s Word, not one person on earth at any time in history can claim to be good or sinless on their own – that is, “good” according to God’s measure of holiness.  The goal of any thinking person is to be righteous in the eyes of our holy God Who created them.  And yet Paul closes this segment of Romans emphasizing that it is impossible for any person to accomplish that righteous condition.  All he can do is be miserably aware of just how sinful he is, and stare in fear because of his condemned status before the Judge.

Bible Study Journal

1.  In Rom. 3:1-8, what are four objections that men raise against the Gospel (Rom. 3:1, 3, 5-7, 8a)?
2. In Rom. 3:2, 4, 6, 8b, what is Paul’s response for each of those objections.
3.  What are the three phrases that build a reverse parallel in Rom. 3:10-11?  How do these actually illustrate how a person comes into relationship with God?
4.   How is it consistent for Paul to say that the Jews have an “advantage” (Rom. 3:1-2) and yet they are “all under sin” (Rom. 3:9)?

* Reminder: Use a journal, either paper or electronic, to write down your observations as you think through these study questions.  Two reasons why you should write notes:  1.  You are able to go back over your notes for recall, and you can refer to the notes in future related study.  2.  Just writing the notes (even if you throw away the notes later) helps you to learn and remember more effectively.