Romans 3:1-20  Oct 23

This is Tom Noyes (from our new group email group@ironmenrr.com).We have a new website with our schedule and messages like this www.ironmenrr.com. Your feedback is welcome.

Two weeks ago we covered Romans 2:17-29,  This Thursday, October 23rd at 7:30 we will be meeting in the side room just past the pro shop and covering Romans 3:1-20. To make this time useful

• Read Romans 3:1-20 (see link and listed below)
• See short notes on the context for Paul’s address to the Jewish Christians in Rome 
• Look through the discussion questions (at end of this note)
• (optional) In Paul’s citation within 3:10-18 see the Old Testament references for each

Romans 3:1-20 

1What 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.” [Psalm 51:4]

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.” [Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20]

13  “Their throats are open graves;
      their tongues practice deceit.”[Psalm 5:9]
      “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[Psalm 140:3]

14  “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”Psalm 10:7 

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.”Isaiah 59:7,8

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[Psalm 36:1]

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.

Context (From Commentary Epistle to Romans by Douglas Moo)

1. As we discussed last time, Romans 1 to Romans 4:25 sets up the rest of Romans. Here Paul lays the foundation for how we become right with God (justification). 
2. Romans 1:1-17 was addressed to the majority Gentile Christians in Rome
3. Romans 1:18-3:20 is addressed to the Jewish Christian minority in Rome
4. In Romans 2 Paul emphasizes two aspects of this righteousness that were not widely accepted in his day. First, being an entirely gracious act on God’s part, God’s righteousness could be experienced only by faith. Second, Jew or Gentile could, and needed to, experience it on exactly the same terms.
5. The fact that Paul dialogues with Judaism here does not mean that the dialogue is itself directed to Jews, or even to Jewish Christians. Paul wants the Christian community in Rome to listen in to this dialogue so that they may understand his gospel
6. 3:1–3:20 articulates the problems with Jewish dependency on the law. The passage both affirms the continuing faithfulness of God to his covenant people and argues that this faithfulness in no way precludes God from judging the Jews. Provoking this discussion is the Jewish tendency to interpret God’s covenant faithfulness solely in terms of his salvific promises. Paul meets that conception with a broader and deeper view of God’s faithfulness— his faithfulness to remain true to his character and to all his words: the promises of cursing for disobedience as well as blessing for obedience.
7. Whereas Jews tended to rely on their election and works of the law, Paul insists that it is faith (only and always) that is the basis for a righteous standing with God. Therefore, the “signs” of election ( the law and circumcision) are of no value without this faith.
8. Why so many old testament quotes? Paul’s purpose in citing these verses is clearly to substantiate the accusation of v. 9, and, in particular, his claim that sin is universal.
9. The last part of v. 20 supports Paul’s contention in the first part of the verse by setting forth what it is that the law does accomplish (as opposed to that which it cannot accomplish). The law does not justify; rather, “through” it comes “knowledge of sin.”

Discussion Questions

1. What advantages did the Jew have (Romans 3:1-2)?
2. Does confidence in God’s grace lead to complacency about sin?
   1. How can we avoid this?
3. Does our sin give God an opportunity to be more gracious (Romans 3:7)?
4. Are people really worthless, no one good for anything (Romans 3:10-12)?
5. What do the scriptures teach us about:
   1. The trends of our life (Romans 3:10-12)?
   2. Our speech patterns (Romans 3:13-14)?
   3. Our conduct and inner attitudes (Romans 3:15-18)?
6. What is the purpose of all the quotations from the Old Testament (Romans 3:10-18)?
7. If the law can’t declare us righteous, what is it good for (Romans 3:20)?
   1. What can the law do?
   2. What can the law not do?