notes
Main point summary
All that are justified by faith in Christ Jesus have no ground to boast in any accomplishment. All the credit belongs to God. He offers His righteousness in grace as a gift in Jesus Christ.
Arc
editing
NT
Romans 3:1-31
nkjv
What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.
For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.”
ideaexplanation
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
progression
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
comparison
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
inference
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
negativepositive
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
The advantage of being a Jew
God is true and all people have lied.
God will judge the world righteously
All have sinned. No one is elevated over another
Boasting is excluded because God justifies sinners by faith in Jesus apart from any deeds of man.
Jews and Gentiles have sinned and will be judged accordingly
The advantage of the Jews does not help in the righteousness before God
Justification by grace through the redemption of Christ Jesus
Justification by faith, and not through the keeping of the law
discourse
Notes
Outline of Romans I. GREETING 1:1-15 A. Paul's witness of Jesus Christ 1:1-7 B. The Roman saints Testimony 1:8-12 C. Paul's responsibility in the work of God and his desire to serve in Rome 1:13-15 II. THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST 1:16-16:27 A. The righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel 1:16-17 B. The wrath of God revealed against all unrighteousness of men 1:18-3:20 1. Men's unrighteousness in suppression of the reality of God 1:18-23 i. Creation's unmistakable witness to God the Creator 1:20 ii. Men's suppression of the reality of God leading to self-deception in worshiping the created rather than the Creator 1:21-23 2. The downward road of Idolatry 1:24-32 i. God gave them up to vile passions 1:24-27 ii. God gave them over to a debased mind 1:28-31 iii. The Idolater's desire to see others in Idolatry 1:32 3. The law of God reveals everyone's sins 2:1-3:20 i. Men shows his condemned condition when he judges others 2:1-11 ii. God's law reveals the Jew and Gentile equally guilty of sin 2:12-3:20 C. The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ 3:21- 1. Justification by God's grace as a gift through the redemption in Christ Jesus 3:21-25 2. Boasting excluded because God is the Just and the Justifier 3:26-28 3. Justification offered to Jews and Gentiles 3:29-