no longer sinners under the law (Romans 3:9-19).
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Rom 3:9, What 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;
Rom 3:10, As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Rom 3:11, There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Rom 3:12, They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Rom 3:13, Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Rom 3:14, Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Rom 3:15, Their feet are swift to shed blood: Rom 3:16, Destruction and misery are in their ways: Rom 3:17, And the way of peace have they not known: Rom 3:18, There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Rom 3:19, Now 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. Rom 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
In v.9, it should be clear from 1 Corinthians 10:32 that there are three categories of people in scripture: Jews, Gentiles, and the church of God. Here in verse 9 it is said that Jews and Gentiles are alike all under sin; it does not here mention the church of God; although the church is made up of Jews and Gentiles.
In v.10-18 is a statement that is made about all who are under the law...it is what the law says about all those who are under it. However it is also written,
Rom 6:14, For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
So the statement that no one is righteous, no, not one, etc. is a statement that is made of those who are under the law. If you are under grace then these statements do not apply: for you are a new creature in Christ:
2Co 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law but under grace:
Tit 3:3, For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Tit 3:4, But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6, Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7, That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
In v.19, it clearly states that what the law says, it says to those who are under it, in order that all the world might be found guilty before the Lord; and so that every mouth might be stopped. This is so that the enemies of the Lord will be justly condemned over their rebellion against Him. However, when a man comes under grace, he is no longer an enemy, he comes to be at peace with God (and therefore the law no longer calls him those things that are mentioned in v.10-18, because he is not those things any longer):
Rom 5:1, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
This would indicate that in order to be justified by faith, we must become an enemy of the world:
Jas 4:4, Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
In v. 20, it is clear that no flesh will be justified in the Lord's sight by performing the deeds of the law.
If I give $5 to a poor man, or even $5,000,000, that is not going to bring about the transformation of character and behaviour in me that we call salvation. The only thing that can do that for me is faith in Jesus and His shed blood on the Cross of Calvary; and that by receiving Him into my heart I can become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4), even His love shed abroad in my heart (Romans 5:5).
And of course, if this transformation does take place, I will very likely give money to the poor; however, it is not the giving that makes me born again; it is me being born again that makes the giving.
When I am born again, the love of the Lord is shed abroad in my heart through the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5); and this love is not in word or in tongue only, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). And it is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:8-10, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Galatians 5:14).
But I am not justified by this result. What justifies me is the fact that Jesus' blood was shed for me and covers all of my sin:
Rom 4:6, Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Rom 4:7, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Rom 5:9, Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 3:25, Whom 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;
Rom 3:10, As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Rom 3:11, There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Rom 3:12, They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Rom 3:13, Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Rom 3:14, Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Rom 3:15, Their feet are swift to shed blood: Rom 3:16, Destruction and misery are in their ways: Rom 3:17, And the way of peace have they not known: Rom 3:18, There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Rom 3:19, Now 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. Rom 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
In v.9, it should be clear from 1 Corinthians 10:32 that there are three categories of people in scripture: Jews, Gentiles, and the church of God. Here in verse 9 it is said that Jews and Gentiles are alike all under sin; it does not here mention the church of God; although the church is made up of Jews and Gentiles.
In v.10-18 is a statement that is made about all who are under the law...it is what the law says about all those who are under it. However it is also written,
Rom 6:14, For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
So the statement that no one is righteous, no, not one, etc. is a statement that is made of those who are under the law. If you are under grace then these statements do not apply: for you are a new creature in Christ:
2Co 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law but under grace:
Tit 3:3, For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Tit 3:4, But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6, Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7, That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
In v.19, it clearly states that what the law says, it says to those who are under it, in order that all the world might be found guilty before the Lord; and so that every mouth might be stopped. This is so that the enemies of the Lord will be justly condemned over their rebellion against Him. However, when a man comes under grace, he is no longer an enemy, he comes to be at peace with God (and therefore the law no longer calls him those things that are mentioned in v.10-18, because he is not those things any longer):
Rom 5:1, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
This would indicate that in order to be justified by faith, we must become an enemy of the world:
Jas 4:4, Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
In v. 20, it is clear that no flesh will be justified in the Lord's sight by performing the deeds of the law.
If I give $5 to a poor man, or even $5,000,000, that is not going to bring about the transformation of character and behaviour in me that we call salvation. The only thing that can do that for me is faith in Jesus and His shed blood on the Cross of Calvary; and that by receiving Him into my heart I can become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4), even His love shed abroad in my heart (Romans 5:5).
And of course, if this transformation does take place, I will very likely give money to the poor; however, it is not the giving that makes me born again; it is me being born again that makes the giving.
When I am born again, the love of the Lord is shed abroad in my heart through the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5); and this love is not in word or in tongue only, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). And it is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:8-10, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Galatians 5:14).
But I am not justified by this result. What justifies me is the fact that Jesus' blood was shed for me and covers all of my sin:
Rom 4:6, Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Rom 4:7, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Rom 5:9, Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 3:25, Whom 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;
There are those who use the scripture passage in question to defend their position against the doctrine of entire sanctification; but the teaching above refutes their argument.
Ernest T. Bass
Well-Known Member
The law Paul is talking about that we are no longer under is the OT law of Moses.
In Romans chapters one and two Paul shows that both groups, Jews and Gentiles, have sinned therefore are under sin. Those under sin are in need of justification. In Romans 3, Paul begins this chapter by telling us what does NOT justify (the OT law of Moses) and ends it with what does justify (faith).
Romans 3:1-2 having the OT law was in some ways an advantage the Jews had over the Gentiles, yet that OT could not justify the Jews for it required perfect, strict, flawless law keeping to be justified which the Jews could not do. Therefore the Jews were no better than the Gentiles (Romans 3:9). Paul goes on to point out in Romans 4 how that neither Abraham (Gentile) nor David (Jew) were justified by works of the OT law for both were ungodly....both sinned and did not keep that OT law perfectly therefore could not be justified by the flawless works required by the OT law. (Abraham did not even live under the OT law of Msoes therefore was not justified by it (Romans 4:9-10)
If then Jew nor Gentile were justified by works of the OT law then how were they justified? By an obedient faith (Hebrews 11).
Paul concludes "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Romans 3:28. Jew and Gentile, David and Abraham were not justified by deeds required by the OT law but by an obedient faith. Paul did NOT say 'that a man is justified by faith alone' for such an idea undermines all that Paul taught.
In Romans chapters one and two Paul shows that both groups, Jews and Gentiles, have sinned therefore are under sin. Those under sin are in need of justification. In Romans 3, Paul begins this chapter by telling us what does NOT justify (the OT law of Moses) and ends it with what does justify (faith).
Romans 3:1-2 having the OT law was in some ways an advantage the Jews had over the Gentiles, yet that OT could not justify the Jews for it required perfect, strict, flawless law keeping to be justified which the Jews could not do. Therefore the Jews were no better than the Gentiles (Romans 3:9). Paul goes on to point out in Romans 4 how that neither Abraham (Gentile) nor David (Jew) were justified by works of the OT law for both were ungodly....both sinned and did not keep that OT law perfectly therefore could not be justified by the flawless works required by the OT law. (Abraham did not even live under the OT law of Msoes therefore was not justified by it (Romans 4:9-10)
If then Jew nor Gentile were justified by works of the OT law then how were they justified? By an obedient faith (Hebrews 11).
Paul concludes "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Romans 3:28. Jew and Gentile, David and Abraham were not justified by deeds required by the OT law but by an obedient faith. Paul did NOT say 'that a man is justified by faith alone' for such an idea undermines all that Paul taught.
However, he did say that righteousness is imputed to us apart from works, Romans 4:6.
I will say also that the NT law (in the Sermon on the Mount) includes the OT law within it (Matthew 5:17-20).
Therefore if we are saved through keeping the NT law, we are also saved through keeping the OT law. So your theology breaks down.
It is indeed an obedient faith that saves us. But I will qualify this by saying that we are not saved by obedience.
That would be salvation by works, which is refuted by Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:1-8, Titus 3:4-7, and Romans 11:5-6 (kjv).
Obedient faith is an attitude that produces good works. But if we do good works and do not have faith in what Christ did for us on the Cross, such obedience will never save us; because we would not be forgiven of all of our sins; and therefore when we are judged, we would be counted as unrighteous (worthy of the pit).
To say it more clearly, Romans 3:10-18 is what the law says to those who are under it (Romans 3:19).
But Christians are not under it (Romans 6:14).
Therefore Romans 3:10-18 does not apply to the believer in Christ. Instead, it applies to the world of unregenerated people.
But Christians are not under it (Romans 6:14).
Therefore Romans 3:10-18 does not apply to the believer in Christ. Instead, it applies to the world of unregenerated people.
Ernest T. Bass
Well-Known Member
Again, the "works" of Romans 4:6 refers to the perfect flawless works required by the OT law for one to be justified and not obedience. Therefore neither David nor Abraham could be justified by the OT law for they both sinned, neither were perfectly flawless. How then were they justified if the OT law could not justify them?
By a faithful obedience in obeying the will of God. God never required of the Jew under the OT law perfect flawless works to be justified but required a simple faithful obedience (better to obey than sacrifice) but the Jews just did not get if for they kept trying to find justification by keeping the OT law perfectly and failed.
Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:1-8, Titus 3:4-7, and Romans 11:5-6..eliminate the flawless works required by the OT or works of merit, works of self-righteousness but not a single one of these verse eliminate a faithful obedience to God's will.
--not a single example in the Bible of a person living in rebellion and disobedience to God's will that was justified
--not a single example of a person who was obedience to God's will is said to have earned God's justification by obedience.
--obedience is a condition God has placed upon His free gift of salvation therefore obedience cannot ever earn salvation. Again, Noah's obedience to God's will in building the ark lead to the saving of his house. The saving of his house from the flood was by grace, therefore his obedience could not earn God's grace but a condition God put upon HIs saving grace. When will the faith onlyists come to see that there is a difference between
(1) working to earn some thing
and
(2) meeting the condition placed upon a free gift?
Which did Noah do? #2, not #1.
Through the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:9), same as us. of course, they were held in Abraham's bosom until Jesus could come and lead captivity captive.
Aaron the saint of the LORD (Psalms 106:16) also created the golden calf and led the Israelites into idolatry.
Obedience is not the condition; faith is. And a living faith produces obedience.
Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD before he ever built the ark; and therefore the LORD did not withhold His favour/grace until after the ark was built.
We do meet a condition; and that condition is faith. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved (Romans 10:13).
And I add for safety, that the only name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved is the name of Jesus Christ (Acts of the Apostles 4:10-12).
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