The Epistles · Chapter 3 of 16

Romans 3

Paul weighs the Jewish advantage, then proves from Scripture that all people, Jew and Gentile, are under sin, with none righteous. By the law comes knowledge of sin, not justification. Then he announces the turning point: a righteousness from God, apart from law, through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. God set Christ forth as a propitiation, so he can be both just and the justifier of those who trust him.

What happens in Romans 3

Paul answers objections about whether being Jewish gives advantage, granting that the Jews were entrusted with God's oracles, yet insisting their unbelief does not nullify God's faithfulness. Building his case, he stacks Scripture to prove that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin: none righteous, none who seeks God, feet swift to shed blood, no fear of God before their eyes. The law's purpose is to stop every mouth and make the whole world accountable, for by the law comes the knowledge of sin, not acquittal.

Then comes the great but now. Apart from the law, a righteousness of God is revealed, witnessed by the law and prophets, given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, for all have sinned. They are justified freely by grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation through faith in his blood. Thus God is both just and the justifier, and all boasting is excluded.

Romans 3 in context

This chapter is the hinge of Romans' opening argument. Having shown in chapters one and two that both Gentiles and Jews stand guilty, Paul now draws the verdict together and unveils the solution. The chain of Old Testament quotations in the middle of the chapter makes the case from Scripture itself.

The words justified, propitiation, and redemption carry deep meaning from the law court, the temple, and the slave market.

Main themes of Romans 3

Romans 3 (KJV)

1What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. 3For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. 5But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) 6God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? 7For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. 9What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17And the way of peace have they not known: 18There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Verses to carry from Romans 3

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”Romans 3:23

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”Romans 3:24

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”Romans 3:28

Reflection

There is a strange relief in the words all have sinned. It means the ground is level; no one is doing better than you, and no one is beyond reach. The very next word is the gift: justified freely by his grace. You cannot earn this, which means you also cannot fail to qualify by trying. It is offered to be received by faith.

A prayer from Romans 3