{"id":318,"date":"2025-11-07T09:12:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T14:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/?p=318"},"modified":"2025-11-07T09:12:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T14:12:22","slug":"romans-31-20-oct-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/?p=318","title":{"rendered":"Romans 3:1-20\u00a0 Oct 23"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is Tom Noyes (from our new group email group@ironmenrr.com).We have a new website with our schedule and messages like this <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">www.ironmenrr.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Your feedback is welcome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two weeks ago we covered Romans 2:17-29,\u00a0 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<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Romans%203%3A1-20&amp;version=NIV\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Romans 3:1-20<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (see link and listed below)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See short notes on the context for Paul\u2019s address to the Jewish Christians in Rome\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look through the discussion questions (at end of this note)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(optional) In Paul\u2019s citation within 3:10-18 see the Old Testament references for each<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Romans%203%3A1-20&amp;version=NIV\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Romans 3:1-20\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><b>1<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? <\/span><b>2 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>3 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God\u2019s faithfulness? <\/span><b>4 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSo that you may be proved right when you speak<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and prevail when you judge.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> [<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psalm 51:4]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>5 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But if our unrighteousness brings out God\u2019s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) <\/span><b>6 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? <\/span><b>7 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Someone might argue, \u201cIf my falsehood enhances God\u2019s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?\u201d <\/span><b>8 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why not say\u2014as some slanderously claim that we say\u2014\u201cLet us do evil that good may result\u201d? Their condemnation is just!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>No One Is Righteous<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>9 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><b>10 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As it is written:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201c<\/b><b>There is no one righteous, not even one;<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>11 there is no one who understands;<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 there is no one who seeks God.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>12 All have turned away,<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 they have together become worthless;<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 there is no one who does good,<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 not even one.\u201d [Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20]<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>13\u00a0 \u201cTheir throats are open graves;<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 their tongues practice deceit.\u201d[Psalm 5:9]<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u201cThe poison of vipers is on their lips.\u201d[Psalm 140:3]<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>14\u00a0 \u201cTheir mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.\u201dPsalm 10:7\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>15\u00a0 \u201cTheir feet are swift to shed blood;<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>16\u00a0 ruin and misery mark their ways,<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>17\u00a0 and the way of peace they do not know.\u201dIsaiah 59:7,8<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>18 \u201cThere is no fear of God before their eyes.\u201d[Psalm 36:1]<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>19 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><b>20 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God\u2019s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (From Commentary Epistle to Romans by Douglas Moo)<\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Romans 1:1-17 was addressed to the majority Gentile Christians in Rome<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Romans 1:18-3:20 is addressed to the Jewish Christian minority in Rome<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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\u2019s part, God\u2019s righteousness could be experienced only <\/span><b>by faith<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Second, Jew or Gentile could, and needed to, experience it on exactly the same terms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3:1\u20133:20 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 <\/span><b>this faithfulness in no way precludes God from judging the Jews<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Provoking this discussion is the Jewish tendency to interpret God\u2019s covenant faithfulness solely in terms of his salvific promises. Paul meets that conception with a broader and deeper view of God\u2019s faithfulness\u2014 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.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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 \u201csigns\u201d of election ( the law and circumcision) are of no value without this faith.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why so many old testament quotes? Paul\u2019s purpose in citing these verses is clearly to substantiate the accusation of v. 9, and, in particular, his claim that sin is universal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last part of v. 20 supports Paul\u2019s 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,<\/span><b> \u201cthrough\u201d it comes \u201cknowledge of sin.\u201d<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Discussion Questions<\/b><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What advantages did the Jew have (Romans 3:1-2)?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does confidence in God\u2019s grace lead to complacency about sin?<\/span>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can we avoid this?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does our sin give God an opportunity to be more gracious (Romans 3:7)?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are people really worthless, no one good for anything (Romans 3:10-12)?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do the scriptures teach us about:<\/span>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trends of our life (Romans 3:10-12)?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our speech patterns (Romans 3:13-14)?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our conduct and inner attitudes (Romans 3:15-18)?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the purpose of all the quotations from the Old Testament (Romans 3:10-18)?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the law can\u2019t declare us righteous, what is it good for (Romans 3:20)?<\/span>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What can the law do?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What can the law not do?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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,\u00a0 This Thursday, October 23rd at 7:30 we will be meeting in the side room just past the pro shop and covering Romans [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"ironmenatriver","author_link":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/?author=1"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/318\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmenrr.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}