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Romans 3:29 – Non-Exclusive God

Posted on December 1, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:29

Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,

Truth to Learn

No group of people has exclusive rights to God and His truth.

Behind the Words

“Only” is translated from the Greek word monon. This is probably derived from the verb menō, meaning “to remain” or “to stay.” Hence, monon means “that which remains, alone, or only.”

The word “not” is translated from ouchi, which is derived from ou, the absolute “not” in Greek. However, ouchi is a stronger form meaning “not at all” or “no way!”

“Yes” is from the Greek word nai, which implies strong affirmation. We could reasonably translated this as “yes, certainly.”

The word “Gentiles” is from ethnos, meaning “a group of people belonging together and living together, a race, or a nation.” It has been used historically by Jewish writers (as it is here) as a reference to those people, or nations, who are not Jewish.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just stated in conclusion that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law. To a Jew this would imply that the Law is void, otherwise why have they been working so hard for all these centuries to satisfy the Law through works.

Paul is saying that if justification could come from the Law (and only from the Law, as the Jews thought) then He must only be the God of the Jews since they are the only ones who had the Law. That’s why Paul asks the question, “Or is He the God of the Jews only, and not also of the gentiles?” He then immediately answers the question, “Yes, He is the God of the Gentiles also.”

The apostle is not making a casual statement here. The use of ouchi and nai indicate that he is making a couple of very strong statements: “Is He not at all also the God of the Gentiles? He most certainly is also the God of the Gentiles!”

The Jews knew that Jehovah is the God of all mankind, but they also knew that only the Jews had the Law. This made them selfish about the Scriptures and their relationship with God. They began to believe that Jehovah was their God exclusively, but Paul is bursting that bubble. Not only is He the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles but, as he will state in the next verse, He justifies (declares as righteous) both the Jews and the Gentiles. That would have come as a shock to many Jewish Christians who believed that God only justifies those who keep the law. It also may come as a shock to Christians today who believe we have to keep a lot of “rules” to be saved or to stay saved.

Application

Once again, we can see a strong parallel between the attitude of the Jewish people at the time of Christ and the attitude of Christians today. The Jews believed they had exclusive rights to God and were unwilling to share Him with Gentiles, building a wall between Jews and Gentiles. Since Christians have been given the Great Commission, we are commanded to share the Gospel with the whole world. But many denominations believe only they have “the correct” truth, thus building walls between Christians.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 3:28 – Faith Alone

Posted on November 30, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:28

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Truth to Learn

Righteousness comes by faith and faith alone, not by works.

Behind the Words

“Therefore” is from the Greek word oun, which marks a connection between the current phrase and that which proceeded.

The verb translated “we conclude” is logidzomai, which means “to put together with one’s mind, to count, or to make calculations or reckonings in the mind.” When used with oun, as it is here, it indicates “a proof” or “a conclusion.”

The words “apart from” are translated from chōris, which indicates separation of two things in space or time. Therefore, it could be translated here as “separate from.”

“Deeds,” as we have seen before, is from the Greek word ergon, meaning “a deed, a work, something involving labor.”

There is no definite article before the word “law” in the Greek text. Hence, the word “the” has been added by translators.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just gone through a very complete rationalization of why the Jews were falsely confident in the Law, having stated that whether Jew or Gentile we all have sinned and have come short of God’s glory. He further went on to show that the blood of Christ is represented by the mercy seat in that it “covers” our sins, allowing God to pass them by. And, in doing so, He draws attention to His own righteousness as he credits righteousness to anyone who has faith in the covering blood.

He now states the conclusion of this part of his dissertation. That is, that we are justified by faith separate from works of law. In other words, the works have absolutely no bearing on our justification (our being declared righteous).

The Jewish Christians in Rome had always considered their righteousness to be the result of keeping the requirements of the Law. Because of the teachings of the Law and the Prophets, they waited for their Messiah to come. These converts from Judaism considered themselves Christians because they kept the Law AND believed in their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Paul now tells them that keeping the Law has no effect on salvation, further demonstrating that there can be no boasting in salvation because we didn’t do anything to deserve it.

We can only be justified by the principle (law) of faith. In order to satisfy this principle of faith we must humble ourselves before the mighty hand of our sinless God, agree with Him that we are sinners who are undeserving of justification (salvation), and agree with God (confess) that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

Our justification does not come about because we perform some work or deed. We are justified in His sight because He reveals His son to us and He draws us to Himself so that we believe. It’s all His work and none of ours.

Application

Paul makes it very clear that we can’t do anything to earn salvation; we can only receive it humbly, as a free gift. Are you still trying to earn “favor” with God? Why? It can’t be done!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 3:27 – No Bragging Rights

Posted on November 28, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:27

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.

Truth to Learn

Salvation through faith in the blood of Christ is nothing to brag about.

Behind the Words

“Boasting” is from kauchēsis, which refers to the act of bragging or boasting.

The Greek word translated “excluded” is ekkleiō, which is made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of” and kleiō, meaning “to shut.” Therefore, this word literally means “to shut out.” In other words, something has no chance of coming in what so ever. In sports, we refer to a team as having been “shut-out” if they have been beaten without having scored a single point.

The word “what” is translated from the Greek word poios, which means “of what sort” or “what kind.”

“Law” is translated from nomos, which refers to “a law” or “a principle.” Paul is using it here, as he does in many places, in reference to a principle rather than a specific law.

The word “no” is from the Greek word ouchi, which is a stronger form of the word ou, meaning “no” or “not.” We might translate this as “No way!”

Meaning Explained

The apostle now goes on to cement in the minds of the Roman Christians that their salvation is not of themselves through acts of righteousness, but completely through the actions of God. He starts off this verse by asking where any of us can find room for boasting. There is nothing to boast about in having been granted righteousness. Since all have sinned and have failed at being able to justify themselves by obeying the Law, and since all are alike, dependent on the mercy of God, any reason for bragging is, of course, taken away. It is shut out.

That’s what Paul is telling us about boasting or bragging with regard to our salvation. There is no way we can brag about our salvation because bragging has been shut-out!

This boasting is not shut-out by the law of works, but by the law of faith. By this Paul means that we cannot be justified by performing any works no matter how unselfish or self-sacrificing they are. We cannot be justified by keeping the 10 commandments, and we cannot be justified by obeying all the rules or ordinances set-down for us by our church. We simply cannot be justified by this kind of law. In other words, there is nothing we can do to earn righteousness, nothing! It can only come through faith.

Back in verse twenty-two we learned that faith (Greek pistis) means “belief in a truth.” But what does Paul mean by “the law of faith?” This is not a written law or set of commandments, but a principle. The principle here is, “believing in a truth.” That is, the truth that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God who, while completely God, is completely man. The truth that He lived a perfect life then offered His life as a sacrifice in payments for your sins and mine.

Application

It’s easy to boast about all the things we have done to earn something, but salvation can’t be earned. It requires humility to accept salvation and become a Christian. It can’t be bragged about. A humble person doesn’t brag about his humility.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 3:26 – His Righteousness

Posted on November 25, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:26

to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Truth to Learn

God’s plan of salvation draws attention to His righteousness.

Behind the Words

The word “demonstrate” if translated from endeixis, which refers to “the act of pointing something out, especially with the finger.” Thus, it implies drawing attention to something.

The phrase “at the present time” is from en tō nun kairō, which literally means “at the now time.” In other words, “right now.”

“Righteousness” is from dikaiosunē, meaning “the characteristic of always doing what is right (see Romans 3:21).

The word “just” is from dikaios, meaning “someone who does what is right.” This word could be translated “righteous.”

“Justifier” is from dikaioō, meaning “to make someone righteous.”

Meaning Explained

At the end of the previous verse we said that the purpose of the entire plan of salvation is to glorify God. Today’s verse tells us how God will be glorified in the plan of salvation. You will recall that we said God can “pass-by” our sins because they will be “covered” by the blood of Christ.

The result of His passing-by our sins is that His righteousness is on display right now. The translation “that He might be just” is unfortunate in that it makes it appear that God might be just, but he might not. That’s not what the Greek text says. A better translation would be “resulting in His being righteous.”

You see, God cannot ignore sin, he must judge it and exact payment for it. The blood of Christ is the payment for our sins and is sprinkled as a covering over our sins. Because this payment is made, God can pass-by our sins and still be doing what is right. It means He is righteous in forgiving our sins.

Now, here’s the best part of this verse, “and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Do you see what that says? Not only is God proven to be righteous by his plan of salvation and the “passing-by” of our sins covered by the blood of Christ, but in doing so He actually is “justifying” us. That is, at the time of our salvation God declares that we are righteous (just like He is). This means that in His record book we are credited with having kept the law and never having committed a single sin. We are declared righteous!

Remember what Paul said back in verse 20? “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” We cannot become righteous by keeping the law, but we can be declared righteous by believing in the blood of Jesus Christ. God’s plan of salvation for us is a perfect plan because it provides a way for Him to judge sin and forgive the sinner. Wow! Praise be to God!

Application

These last couple of verses are very complex, but they demonstrate how perfect God’s plan of salvation really is. He has found a way to judge sin but forgive the sinner. You are a sinner. Do you believe in the blood of Jesus Christ as payment for your sins? If not, then you are a sinner who will be judged!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 3:25 – Covered by The Blood

Posted on November 23, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:25

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,

Truth to Learn

God will pass by our sins covered by the blood of Christ.

Behind the Words

The words “set forth” are from the Greek word proetheto, meaning “to place in public view” or “to exhibit conspicuously.”

“Propitiation” is translated from hilastērion, meaning “to make favorably inclined, to conciliate, or to appease.” The only other use of this word in the New Testament is in Hebrews 9:5, where it is rendered “mercy seat.” The use of this word in the Septuagint most often refers to the mercy seat as well. Since the mercy seat is a covering of the Ark, where the blood was sprinkled, it refers to a covering of our sins.

The word “forbearance” is translated from anoche, which refers to “self restraint.”

“Passed over” is from paresin. This word is made up of para, meaning “beside” and a form of hiēmi, meaning “to send.” The most basic meaning of this word, therefore, is “to pass by.” This word is not used anywhere else in the entire Bible.

Meaning Explained

This is one of the most power-packed verses in the New Testament. The verse starts off with “whom,” a reference to Jesus Christ. Paul says that He was “set forth” or put on public display as “a propitiation.” As we noted above, this is the word that is used of the mercy seat, which is the covering of the Ark of the Covenant in the Jewish temple. The mercy seat is where the sacrificial blood was sprinkled once a year by the high priest to atone for (that is, to cover) the sins of the people. And this is where God was reconciled to His people on the Day of Atonement every year. Jesus Christ has become our mercy seat and His blood has atoned for (covered) our sins.

Paul is now telling us that it is through our faith in the blood of Christ that this covering of our sins occurs. And, he is telling us that the purpose of the atonement, the covering of our sins, is to declare the righteousness of God because He passes by our sins. Because He passes by these sins, He does not take them into account because they are covered by the blood of Christ.

Paul says the sins that He passes by are the sins that were previously committed. That doesn’t mean that only the sins of the people who had lived up until the Cross were covered. The point where He will “pass by” sins is at the Day of Judgment (for us, the Bema Seat Judgment). At that point in time all of our sins will have been committed in the past, and through the atoning work of the blood of Christ, He will pass by them.

So this verse is telling us that it is our faith in the blood of Christ exhibited on the cross that will allow God to pass by our sins, thus declaring His righteousness, which He credits to our account.

Application

The whole purpose of the plan of salvation is to glorify God. So let us do just that. Let us give Him the praise and the glory for it all, with thanksgiving! He is worthy.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 3:24 – Free Righteousness

Posted on November 23, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:24

being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Truth to Learn

Through faith in Jesus Christ we are declared to be righteous.

Behind the Words

“Being justified” is translated from dikaioō. This is based on dikaios, which as we saw in verse ten means “meeting God’s standard of always doing what is right.” The oō ending of a verb generally indicates “bringing out something about a person.” The verb is expressed here in the passive voice indicating action done to someone. So, this word means that someone is being declared righteous.

The word translated “freely” is dorean, an adverb based on the noun dorea, which refers to “a gift.” Hence, dorean means “gratuitously” or “as a free gift.”

“Grace” is translated from charis, which refers to “a favor done without expectation of anything in return.”

The word “redemption” is translated from apolutrōsis, which is a compound word made up of apo, meaning “from or away from” and a form of lutron, which means “a ransom that is paid for someone.” It denotes the rescuing of captives (sinners) from captivity (sin) through the payment of a ransom for them.

Meaning Explained

Paul now continues on his statement of justification by faith, declaring to us that even though we are all sinners and have come short of God’s glory, we can be declared righteous (justified). Since we are all sinners, we need to be redeemed. So what does this mean? The fact that Paul used apolutrōsis instead of simply lutron implies that not only was a ransom paid for us (the blood of Jesus Christ) but, having paid that ransom, He also took us away from the captor (sin).

Here’s a deeper explanation of what this verse says.

Because of the faith spoken of in verse 22, because we believed in the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, even though we are sinners, we are justified (declared righteous by God) freely (without payment on our part, simply as a gift) by God’s grace (a favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God) through the ransom that was paid for us by Jesus Christ (His blood), and we have been taken out of our captivity by sin.

Wow! Read that again!

In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul said almost the same thing in a slightly different way:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Application

Paul has shown us that there is no way we could earn the righteousness that we need to stand before Almighty God. He has also shown us that we can obtain that righteousness for free simply by believing in the blood of Christ.

If that doesn’t drive us to our knees in praise and adoration, nothing will!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 3:23 – Sinners All

Posted on November 22, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Truth to Learn

Every one of us has committed sin. As a result, we don’t meet God’s reputation.

Behind the Words

“All” is translated from a form of the Greek word pas, which means “all, the totality, the whole.” It does not mean generically all (all peoples) but specifically all (all people, every one).

The word translated “fall short of” is hustereō, which means “to be behind or under either in place or time.” What Paul is saying is, because of our sins we don’t have the same glory as God and, therefore, are not worthy to be in His presence.

“Glory” is translated from doxa, which primarily means “thought or opinion, especially favorable human opinion, and thus in a secondary sense it refers to reputation.”

Meaning Explained

We left the previous verse having declared that God’s righteousness is only given through faith in Jesus Christ and it is given to all who believe. It is this faith, believing whole heartedly in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross as a substitutionary payment for our sins, which causes God to declare us righteous.

But what does the phrase, “For there is no difference,” mean? In our study of the previous verse we showed that the Greek word that this is translated from is diastolē, meaning “a distinct difference.” Paul has been talking to the Jewish Christians in Rome who were still putting their hope in their righteousness obtained from obeying the Law. But Paul has shown them that there is no righteousness obtained by obeying the Law. The Law only produces sinfulness. He has shown that this sinfulness applies to all, both Jew and Gentile. All have gone out of God’s way and have become sinful by following their own path. Paul’s closing phrase in the previous verse coupled with this verse shows that he is talking about the fact that there is no difference, no distinction, between the righteousness of Jews and Gentiles.

The reason that there is no distinction between the righteousness of Jews and Gentiles is, “for all have sinned.” In other words, Paul is saying that every person on the earth (except for Jesus Christ) has committed sin and, therefore, is unrighteous. And, because each and every one of us has sinned, we fall short of God’s glory. That is, we don’t measure up to God’s reputation. You may recall that in verse ten we learned that we are all unrighteous. That is, we don’t measure up to God’s standard.

Recognizing this fact about ourselves is the first step in what has come to be called the Romans Road to Salvation. In order to be saved a person must first recognize their need for salvation and they need it because they are a sinner.

Application

According to the Apostle Paul you are a sinner, not “were a sinner” but “are a sinner.” Because of this fact you don’t measure up to God’s standard or God’s reputation; you are unrighteous. But, you can be declared righteous and measure up, through faith in Jesus Christ. You may be a sinner, but you can be saved through faith in Christ.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 3:22 – Through Faith

Posted on November 18, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:22

even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

Truth to Learn

You can’t earn righteousness, but you can receive it.

Behind the Words

The word translated “faith” is the Greek word pistis. This is derived from the verb peithō, which means “to persuade” or “to win over.” Therefore, pistis describes the result of having been won over or persuaded. In other words, it means “faith, conviction, or belief in a truth.”

The expression “of God” is a translation of the word Theou, which can mean either “of God” or “from God.” Hence, we can say that the righteousness that comes by faith belongs to God and He gives it to those who believe.

“Difference” is from the Greek word diastolē, which is derived from the verb diastellō, meaning “to separate” or “to set apart.” Diastolē represents the state after the action. In other words, “a distinct difference.” In 1Corinthians 14:7 this word is used to describe distinctly different sounds of a musical instrument.

Meaning Explained

The righteousness needed to stand guiltless before the Judge of the entire world cannot be obtained by obeying a set of rules, no matter how perfect those rules are and no matter how sincere we are or how hard we try. The Old Testament has declared that all of us are sinners. None of us is righteous, no not even one of us; not me, not you, not your pastor, not even the Apostle Paul. I like the way the prophet Isaiah said it:

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6) NIV Translation

In yesterday’s verse Paul introduced a new concept, one that isn’t really new, for it was written about in the Old Testament. Namely, it is possible to obtain the righteousness of God, but it is obtained totally apart from the Law. We can’t become righteous by obeying all the rules or by doing good deeds.

This new doctrine of “justification by faith” is now plainly declared by Paul. There is righteousness apart from the Law, “even the righteousness of God,” but this righteousness comes “through faith in Jesus Christ.” That is to say, we can’t earn the righteousness necessary to meet God’s standard of behavior, but we can receive it from God by believing in Jesus Christ.

Paul also tells us that this righteousness by faith is granted to everyone who believes. You don’t have to be born into the right family. You don’t have to be a member of a church. You don’t have to take religion classes. You don’t have to be wealthy. All you have to do is believe.

We will talk about the last phrase of this verse when we talk about the next verse, with which it rightly belongs.

Application

Do you want to stand before the Judge of the earth with the same righteousness as Jesus Christ? You can! And, you don’t have to earn it. You certainly don’t deserve it. Nonetheless, you can have that righteousness, through faith in Jesus Christ.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 3:21 – Righteousness Without Works

Posted on November 18, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:21

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Truth to Learn

There is a righteousness, which the Old Testament declared, that does not result from obeying all the rules.

Behind the Words

“Righteousness” is from the Greek word dikaiosunē, a form of dikaios, which we looked at back in verse ten. Dikaios refers to “meeting God’s standard of behavior.” The sunē ending means that this is the characteristic of someone who has met that standard. That is, someone who has obtained “righteousness.”

The word translated “revealed” is phaneroō, which is derived from the verb phainō, meaning “to shine the light on” or “to cause to appear.” Therefore, phaneroō means “to make something apparent” or, as it is translated here, “to reveal.”

“Being witnessed” is translated from a form of martureō, from which we get our English word “martyr.” This word means “to be a witness.” Throughout the history of the church, during times of persecution many people have forfeited their lives because of their faith in Christ. We refer to these people as martyrs because their death was the witness of their faith.

Meaning Explained

In the last verse we said that no one is righteous before God by obeying a set of rules, period. This would have come as a major affront to any devout Jew whether they had become a Christian or not. To them, obeying the Law was how anyone became acceptable to God.

Now Paul is about to introduce the doctrine of justification by faith, but he had to show first that justification couldn’t come any other way. He says that the only true righteousness, the righteousness of God (or from God), a righteousness not resulting from obeying the Law, has already been revealed. Not only has it already been revealed but it has been witnessed to by the Law and the Prophets.

Paul is telling these Jewish Christians that their own Scriptures have testified against them and declared them all to be sinners. Also, he is telling them that the Scriptures have testified about a true type of righteousness which only comes from God.

In the next verse Paul is going to tell us that righteousness can only come by faith. He will also show that it’s not just any kind of faith and not faith in just anything.

And in the coming chapters of this letter, Paul will illustrate how the Old Testament declared and witnessed to this saving faith apart from the Law. He will use Abraham as his primary example and will show how Abraham was not justified (declared righteous) by God because he was obedient, rather he was declared righteous because he believed the message that God gave to him. Here’s one verse that Paul will quote from:

And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

Abraham was not righteous because of any works he did. He was righteous because God declared him to be so.

Application

Do you want to stand before God as a righteous person? If so, then God must declare you to be righteous. He will only do that if you believe the truth about Jesus Christ; He is the Son of God and He died on the cross to pay for your sins.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 3:20 – Good Deeds

Posted on November 17, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:20

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Truth to Learn

No one can do enough good deeds to be saved.

Behind the Words

“Therefore” is translated from the Greek word dioti, which is a compound word made up of dia, meaning “through” or “by” and hoti, which means “that.” Hence, dioti basically means “through that, because of that, or for this reason.”

The word “deeds” is from ergon which means “a product of labor, a work, or a deed.”

The word translated “flesh” is sarx, which literally means “flesh of a living creature.” It is used here to denote all of mankind, both Jew and Gentile.

“Justified” is from dikaioō, which means “to declare someone righteous” or “to make someone righteous.”

The phrase “in His sight” is translated from enōpion. This is another compound word. It is made up of en, indicating a static position (in, on, over, etc.) and ops (a derivation of optomai – to see) which refers to “sight” or “eyes.” So, literally this word means “in His sight,” though it is often translated “before Him” or “in His presence.”

The word translated “knowledge” is the Greek word epignosis, which means more than simply knowing something. It means “to recognize and understand something.”

Meaning Explained

Remember that whenever we see a “wherefore” or a “therefore” we need to see what it’s there for. In the previous verse we learned that the Law was given so that all those who tried to obey the Law would be found guilty before God without excuse. Therefore, that is, in light of this fact, because of this… “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight.”

What Paul is saying is that justification before God cannot be obtained by obeying any set of rules no matter who made the rules. Why? Because it is through rules (Law) that we recognize sin and sinfulness.

If you recall the account of the temptation of Adam and Eve, up until God gave them the command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were without sin. If they had eaten of the tree before they were told not to, they would not have been sinning; but due to the fact that they had been commanded not to, it suddenly became sinful to do so.

What Paul is telling us in these verses is that we cannot become righteous by following any set of rules, whether God-made or man-made. How then can one become righteous before God? Is it impossible? Paul is going to begin telling us in the next two verses.

Application

Just because we can’t be declared righteous through doing good deeds doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do them. We ought to do them out of obedience and gratitude. In other words, we can’t be saved by doing good deeds, but once we are saved, we should do them because we want to, not because we have to.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –