Romans 3:1-20

The Faithfulness of God

Last Sunday, we heard Paul's charge that despite their wholehearted belief the Jews are not exempt from God's judgment of their works.  Paul warns that God will judge every man and woman, Jew and Gentile, by their works and absolutely no one will be excluded based upon what they have or do not have.

Paul realizes that this inclusion of the Jews before God's bar of justice strikes at what is a false hope in the hearts of the Jews who think that just because they have received many privileges from God that they will escape the judgment to come.  What led the Jews to hold on to this false hope?

From our passage this morning it is clear that the Jews limited their understanding of God's faithfulness to their receiving His blessings only.  The Jews presumed upon God's goodness believing that they could only be blessed by God, whether they were obedient or disobedient, because of His promises made to them. 

This false hope goes back throughout Israel's whole history and was confronted regularly by the prophets.  In the OT, in the time before exile, the Israelites held to a doctrine known as the "inviobility of Jerusalem" arguing that it didn't matter how they lived that God would never allow the city of Jerusalem to be sacked by their enemies.  In other words, they treated the city of Jerusalem like a "lucky rabbit's foot" that no matter what they did, they would be protected simply because God had promised King David to forever dwell in that city.

What the prophets confronted before exile, Paul has to confront in his own day.  The Jews believed that just because they possessed many privileges like the law of Moses and circumcision that they were safe from God's judgment.  They believed they were the "righteous" whether they lived like it or not.

So, for Paul to now say that neither the law of Moses nor circumcision means anything if they do not obey the law and therefore they are equally guilty before God and under his wrath like the Gentiles, seemed to be denying God's promises.  Paul is dashing all their hope and puncturing the air from their proudly lifted chests showing them that they are just as guilty as the Gentiles of sinning against God.

Where is the problem in this false hope of the Jews?  It is because they limited God's promise to blessings only.  It was a complete misunderstanding about the nature of the Mosaic Covenant as a covenant of works.  The prophets of Israel made the point that the promises of blessing are tangent upon their obedience to the law of Moses.  If they do not obey then they do not receive the promise but rather are under the curse.  If they are to have any hope of remaining safely in the land and receive all the promises made to Abraham and David, then they have to obey Moses.  The covenant God made with Israel was distinct from the covenant God made with Abraham and the New Covenant in that the Mosaic Covenant was a covenant of works based upon their obedience to God's holy commandments and so along with the promises of blessing for obedience equally came the promises of cursing for disobedience.  Paul explains the radical distinction between the covenants in Gal 3 and Rom 10:

For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.”  11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”  12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM” (Gal. 3:10-12).

For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness (Rom. 10:3-5).

And it is precisely this important distinction that the Jews failed to understand correctly. 

So they saw Paul's denouncing of the Jewish false hope of security as calling into question God's faithfulness to His promises (3:1-3).  They argued that Paul was essentially saying that God is not righteous and faithful to His word, a serious charge that Paul will further address in chaps. 9-11.  Paul is answering the question of how we are to reconcile God's righteousness or faithfulness to his promises to Israel and yet Israel being under the wrath of God.  How is this possible?  Is God not true to His Word?  Can we trust God's promises?

This is where Paul begins in v. 1.  In chap. 2 Paul argued that the possession of the law of Moses and circumcision -- essentially being a Jew -- makes no difference at all on the day of judgment.  But the Jews object, "Is Paul saying that we have absolutely no advantage over the Gentiles?"  "Is being a Jew no better than being a Gentile?"  "Is the sign of the covenant of no benefit at all?"

In v. 2 Paul makes clear that the Jews have experienced many incredible privileges over the Gentiles, but that is not his point (cf. Rom. 9:4-5).  His point is that those blessings, which truly are gifts from God, in no way shield the Jews from the coming judgment of God.  What God requires under the Mosaic Covenant is obedience to His commandments, in order to receive the promises of blessing.  If the Jews do not obey God then they have no special favor with God no matter how many of those promises they have in their possession.  Rather, they will be equally judged by their works, along with all the Gentiles, and it is only the doing of the law that God will accept.

Of all the great gifts the Jews have received, which Paul could list here he draws their attention to the chief gift of all:  they were entrusted with the oracles of God.  What an incredible blessing indeed!  They have in their possession the actual words of the Creator of Heaven and Earth.  While Paul certainly includes here all the words of God given uniquely to them, Paul has in mind primarily God's covenant promise that He will be their God and they will be His people.  Moses told Israel in Deuteronomy:

“For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him? 8 “Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today (Deut. 4:7-8).

Truly, being entrusted with the very words and promises of God is a glorious blessing.  But in v. 3 Paul argues that when one considers Israel's whole history of rebellion right up to the present day and how those privileges have been so scorned, then the privilege has become virtually meaningless.  Why?  Because Israel did not obey God.  After all, it is not God's faithfulness that is in question but Israel's unfaithfulness that has led to her being under the wrath of God.

God entrusted Israel with a very special gift and He was always perfectly faithful to His promises of the covenant with Israel.  But Israel did not keep their covenantal obligations to obey everything God commanded them.  Why?

Because as Paul says they did not believe God.  Throughout their whole history, Israel has failed miserably to believe God from the time of their wilderness wanderings and all the way down to their failure to embrace Jesus as the promised Messiah.  And the failure of the Jews to fulfill their covenant obligations, which begin with faith, in no way nullifies God's faithfulness to His promises.  It is not God's Word that has failed, but Israel's rebellion to God's Word that was entrusted to them (v. 4 -- Ps. 51:4 "David's Confession"; cf. Rom. 9:6).

But doesn't God's promises to bless Israel overcome their unbelief and rebellion and save Israel anyway?  Isn't it God's whole purpose to bless His people?  If He promised, shouldn't He fulfill His promises? (cf. v. 5).  You can hear Israel's objection to what Paul is saying, "Doesn't our unrighteousness demonstrate God's righteousness?"  Paul answers a similar question in Rom. 6:

  What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase (Rom. 6:1).

Paul emphatically denies such reasoning a blasphemy (3:5).  Paul answers their question by expanding their understanding of God's promises.  What they failed to comprehend was that God's promise under the Mosaic Covenant includes not only blessings for obedience but equally cursing for disobedience.  Therefore, God is faithful even when he judges Israel's sins. 

Otherwise, if God was somehow unjust then He could not be the judge the world (v. 6).  God certainly does not act "unjustly" if He inflicts wrath upon Israel's rebellion.

Again, in vv. 7-8 Paul restates their objection:  "if the truth of God abounded to His glory through my lie then why am I being judged as a sinner?" and "Let us do evil that good may come."  In other words, if God's faithfulness or righteousness is proven or evident even when I am unfaithful then why am I under God's wrath?  The Jews reject Paul's reasoning that they should be treated like other "sinners" because God made special promises to them that He did not make to others.

But Paul's point has never been to deny those privileges but to simply point out that all are responsible to God to live up to His commandments and we will all be judged equally, impartially according to our works, whether we obeyed or disobeyed.  And since Israel also disobeyed God, as did the Gentiles, then God is perfectly just in His wrath upon the Jews.   God is always faithful to His Word.

Romans 3:9-20 -- The Universality of Sin and Condemnation

Finally, in vv. 9-20 Paul sums up his charge against all humanity being under sin and the wrath of God, which began in chap. 1:18.  His point is simply that all people, Jew and Gentile, are under the power of sin and therefore all humanity stands before God's righteous judgment seat condemned to eternal death.  In this section, Paul destroys any argument that can arise from either the Jews or the Gentiles that they can do something to gain the perfect righteousness that God requires in order to prepare us for the next section of Paul's letter where he will now show us how God provides his own righteousness as a free gift to all who rest in Christ by sovereign grace through faith.

Paul brings his accusation against the Jews to a close with a summary question:  "What then?  Are we (Jews) better than they (Gentiles)?"  Do these things like the law of Moses and circumcision make us better than the Gentiles?  Do these things somehow prevent us from being judged according to our works?  NO WAY!  Everyone, Jew and Gentile, is on an equal playing field when it comes to the judgment of God according to our works. 

In vv. 10-18, Paul now provides his exegetical defense in a rapid-fire collection of OT texts to substantiate his argument that sin is a universal problem and to prepare for his concluding statement in vv. 19-20 that every mouth is closed before God's judgment throne and all flesh is guilty.

In vv. 10-12 Paul quotes from Ps. 14:1-3 declaring that there is not a single person who can stand just before a holy God.  While Paul is certainly including all humanity, his point in conclusion is to drive home the fact that even the most faithful Jew cannot claim to be righteous before a holy God.  There is no one who is righteous.

In vv. 13-17, Paul now describes the kinds of universal sins he has in mind.  In vv. 13-14 he quotes from Pss. 5 and 140 describing how even our speech is sinful before God.  The throat is an open grave, which describes both the inner corruption of our hearts in that only death dwells in the grave of our throats.  But Paul also describes the deadly effects of our throats in that they only produce evil.

He also mentions our tongues that speak deceptively to others when they flatter another human being while intending only evil.  James confronts the incredible evil that our tongues can produce:

Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Neither can salt water produce fresh (James 3:4-12).

And Jesus made it clear that it is not the external things in life that make us evil, but sin dwells in our own bodies and often is revealed through our tongues:

And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him; 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” 20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man" (Mark 7:18-23).

In vv. 15-17 Paul quotes from Isa. 59:7-8 to include all humanity as living unrighteously before God.  In v. 18 Paul concludes his quotes with Ps. 36 showing that the root of all sin and unrighteousness is the absence of the fear of God.

In vv. 19-20 Paul finally draws out the implications of his series of quotations, as well as his whole argument, for all humanity before the divine bar of judgment.

"We know that whatever the law says to those who are in or under the law."  While Paul is clearly stressing the Jews under the Mosaic law in this verse as a way of summing up his argument that even the Jews will stand in judgment according to their works before God's throne, the latter part of v. 19 draws everything Paul has said from 1:18-3:17 to a close.  As Paul said in 2:14 that even the Gentiles have the works of the law written upon their hearts and through their works they prove that they do instinctively the things of the law so that they are a law to themselves.  Therefore, no one is excluded form the authority of the law of God and therefore everyone is equally a sinner.

Paul provides the imagery of a courtroom where God is the judge and jury.  We all stand before God's judgment seat and "every mouth is shut and the whole world is accounted as guilty before God.  Paul pictures every man and woman as the defendant before God's bar of judgment and that he or she has nothing more to say in response to the charges brought against him or her by God.  God has weighed the evidence against us and he pronounces the final verdict:  guilty as charged.

Having the verdict read, there is no other argument left.  God has proven his case and all humanity stands before God, accountable to him for their willful and inexcusable violations of his will, awaiting our sentence of condemnation to be carried out in full. 

We are accountable to God because by the works of the law -- those things which God requires of us through the law -- no person is able to be justified, or declared right with God.  Nothing we do by the law can ever bring us into a right favor with God.  No one is capable of doing anything to gain His acceptance.  The law requires perfect obedience and because we are all under the power of sin we cannot obey God perfectly and therefore no one is able to do the law perfectly to gain favor with God.

But why can't we be justified by the law of God?  Because we are sinners and the law is God's effective instrument to make us fully aware of our sin.  The problem is not with God's holy and perfect law, but with our sin.  The law is powerless as an instrument to declare us holy and righteous. 

That is why faith in Christ is the only possible way to God, which only God could do for us in Christ.  Paul has charged all people as being under the power of sin and have been brought before God's bar of justice and found wanting and there is only one power to break this enslavement:  the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Therefore it is only "apart from the Law" that the very righteousness of God can be ours and that only through faith in Jesus Christ.

Amen!

-SDG-