Romans Chapter 3

Romans Chapter 3

Well then, what advantage does the Jew have? Or, what profit is there in circumcision? (Hmm, I may wonder more about the latter, but all historical things considered, the first is fair to wonder as well).

Well, basically everything! Mainly because the oracles of God were committed to them. (Well, gee, I’m sure that’s just making everyone’s life a million times better).

But, what if some of those folks didn’t believe? Will their disbelief render the faith of God meaningless? God forbid. (yeah, that’s the actual quote… every wonder where that expression came from, well, it probably existed before the KJB, but… I’ll say it came from here). Yes, let God be truth, but every man is a liar. As it is written, you might be justified in your sayings and you might overcome when you are judged. (Phew. I was starting to get nervous, I’m glad I can overcome… he was talking to me this time, right?)

But, (uh oh, I hate “but”s), if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what are we going to say? (Huh??) Is God unrighteous when he takes vengeance? (Um, yes?) Paul is speaking to us as a man, he tells us.

God forbid. (What is he forbidding? Vengeance?) Then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God has gained more glory from a man’s lie, why is he also judged a sinner? And not (as people slanderously report Christians say, and others affirm it), ‘Let’s do evil so that good can come?’. The damnation of people who do this is just. (I’m not sure I quite get the different in these two actions. Maybe Paul is meaning to say that both are sinful, but I’m struggling to force the text into that interpretation. I’ll have to go back and re-read this at a later time).

What then? Are we better? No, in no way, for we have before proved that both Jews and Gentiles are all sinful.

As it is written, no one is righteous, no, not one. There is no one that understands and seeks after God. They are all gone away and have together become unprofitable. There are none that do good. Nope. Nobody.

Their throats are open tombs. With their tongues they have deceived. The poison of asps is under their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood (they must be kick boxers or something). Destruction and misery are in their ways. They don’t know the ways of peace. (Neither did JC, he was always threatening to destroy things, and have people brought to him so they could be slain. I seem to recall him saying specifically that he did not come to bring peace on earth). These folks have no fear of God in their eyes.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law. Every mouth may be stopped and all the world could become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no one will be justified in God’s eyes, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

But, now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, and this is witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness of God, by faith in Jesus Christ is gifted to all that believe, for there is no difference because everyone has sinned and come short of the glory of God. Believers will be justified by God’s grace through their faith in JC. God sent him as a pacification for us through faith in his blood (ick!), to declare his righteousness for the remission of past sins.

Paul declares JC’s righteousness! He is just and is the justifier of all people who believe in him. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. How? By what law? Of works? No, it is excluded by the law of faith. (So, it’s okay for JC to brag, or for us to brag about JC? I think I’ll pass. I don’t like bragging).

So, therefore we can conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. (So I don’t have to obey the law if I believe in Jesus?)

Is God the god of the Jews only? Isn’t he also God of the Gentiles? Yup. Gentiles are also included.

It’s one God who justifies the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith.

Ah… he gets to my question right here… Do we then void the law by having faith? God forbid. Rather, we establish the law. (Eh, I’m not satisfied with that answer. It sounds like we get to make up our own, new laws. I’m not so sure about all that).