Romans 3:6
Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?
Truth to Learn
Our righteous God will one day judge everyone.
Behind the Words
“Certainly not!” is from the Greek words mē genoito, which we explained in verse four. However, what we didn’t mention there is that this is expressed in the rare “optative mood,” which is a use that expresses a separation from reality as much as any mood in Greek. In other words, Paul is saying that there is no possible way that this could be reality. It is an expression that is a particular favorite of the Apostle Paul. Of the 15 times this expression is found in the Bible, 14 of them are in his writings.
The word translated “judge” is the Greek word krinō. The basic meaning of this word is “to separate or to distinguish between good and evil.” It is a judicial word that implies a trial and most often is used to denote condemnation and punishment.
Meaning Explained
Keep in mind that Paul is posing and answering rhetorical questions that the Jewish Christians in Rome would likely have expressed against his treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of being a Jew. His rhetorical question in the previous verse was,
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
His response to this question is, “Certainly not!” What Paul is saying is that God is in no way unrighteous in his judgment of sin even though such judgment glorifies Him. It is not wrong for God to receive glory as a result of our sinfulness; otherwise, how could He judge the world? To the Jewish mind it is an unarguable fact that God will someday judge the world.
And we Christians also know from the New Testament writings that the Creator will one day judge all sin and will condemn all sinners to the lake of fire. But we also know that those who have humbled themselves at the foot of the cross, having accepted the sacrifice of Jesus as payment for their sins, will not receive this judgment. Instead, because of our faith, we have already been declared as righteous.
Paul will talk more about this righteousness which has been credited to us later in this chapter. He will even show that such righteousness is ours through faith:
even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; (Romans 3:22)
Remember that God is holy, meaning that He is set apart from sin and sinfulness. It is part of what He is. God cannot do wrong because of His holiness. That’s why Jesus, as completely man and completely God at the same time, could not commit a sin, which is also why He was able to sacrifice His life for us – the sinless One for the sinners.
Application
Every man, woman, and child will stand before the Judge one day. Only those who are as righteous as Jesus Christ will be spared from the Lake of Fire. In just a few verses Paul will declare that none of us is righteous except through faith in Christ. Do you have that righteousness?
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2009 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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