The Advantage of the Circumcision: (Rom. 3:1-19)

          Chapter three concludes the thought from the first two chapters.  The question is asked, "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision" (Rom. 3:1)?  He answers in the next verse, "Much [in] every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God" (Rom. 3:2).  The Jews have a big advantage in that they received the word of God.  They knew what God expected from man.  Other nations did not, though they were still judged by that law (Rom. 1:18-19).  However, if a Jew did not believe in the Messiah, this will not make faith ineffective.  God's truth is more powerful than man's unbelief (Rom. 3:3-4).  If God's righteousness was approved by our unrighteousness (sin of unbelief), is God's vengeance/wrath unrighteous (Rom. 3:5-6)?  The answer is no, for God will judge the world, both sinner and righteous, through His law (Rom. 3:7-8).  Why, "for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin" (Rom. 3:9).  All will be judged because all are sinners.  This judgment is based on our sanctification.  Our justification comes by faith, but our sanctification comes by practicing God's law.  We, who are of faith, will be judged for our sanctification.  The result of this judgment will determine our place in the kingdom of God (Matt. 5:19).

           The proof is quoted from various verses in the scripture, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used 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 have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Rom. 3:10-18).

All Under the Law (Romans 3:19-26)

          The terms, "Under Law" and "Under Grace" have caused a lot of confusion in the church today.  The Law speaks to those who are under the law, which is everyone at one time or another.  The question to ask is, what does it mean to be under the law?  The answer is in Galatians chapter three.  "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse" (Gal. 3:10).  Those who seek to be justified by the law, are under the curse of the law, but "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13).  Those of faith, are not under the law (or under the curse/penalties of the law).  Those who are not of faith, are under the law and all of it's penalties.  Paul clarifies this in Romans 6:14 when he said, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."  Once faith comes, we are forgiven of our sins and no longer under the curse of the law.  At this time, sin will not have dominion over us, but the Holy Spirit will teach and instruct us on how to follow the law of God (Eze. 36:27).  The Spirit of God has been given to all those of faith to assist in the practice of God's law, which takes us from being "under the law" to "under grace."  The conclusion is that, "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Rom. 3:20).

          It is important to keep in mind that the word used here is "justified."  The law does not provide our justification, but it does provide our sanctification.  We are justified by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, but we are sanctified by the works of the law.  The righteousness of God comes by different means than that of the law.  The word translated as, "without"  in Romans 3:21 is the Greek word chōris, which means, "separately or apart from" (Strong's Concordance - G5565).  Our righteousness does not come, "without" the law, but "separate" from the law.  It would be incorrect to use this verse to say God's law is abolished, rather, it is clearly putting the law in it's proper place (sanctification).  The righteousness of God was, "witnessed by the law and the prophets" (Rom. 3:21), and it comes, "by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (Rom. 3:22).  Please read my articles on Justification and Sanctification for more on these topics.  The point here is this, "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), which is why we must be, "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24-26).  Since everyone who has ever lived has sinned, there is no way anyone can be justified by the law, but this does not excuse us from practicing the law.  As Paul says later in chapter six, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Rom. 6:14-15).  Since sin is, "the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4), the only way to understand this is that we should no longer continue to break God's law now that we are under grace.

The Law of Faith: (Romans 3:27-Romans 4:5)

          The purpose for all this is that God gets all the glory.  If we could practice God's law to the point of receiving our righteousness, we would get the glory.  Paul asks the questions, "Where is boasting then?"  He then immediately answers it, "It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith" (Rom. 3:27).  Faith keeps us from "boasting" because it is a work of God and not ourselves.  Our boast is in the LORD God of heaven.  The conclusion is that, "a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Rom. 3:28).  Since God is the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles, they are both justified by faith (Rom. 3:30).  The question is then asked and immediately answered, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Rom. 3:31).  Many espouse Paul as advocating the abolishment of God's law, but this could not be further from the truth.  Paul is only trying to put the law in it's proper place.  The Jewish leaders (Pharisees) had the law as part of a man's justification, but Paul is putting the law where it should be -our sanctification.  Faith and grace do not remove the law of God, but rather it "establishes" it.

          An example of this happening can be found with Abraham.  "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found" (Rom. 4:1)?  Was Abraham justified by the works of the law?  If he were, then he would have occasion to "glory" (Rom. 4:2).  The truth, however, is clear from scripture.  "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3).  Abraham received his righteousness by faith and not the works of the law.  The man that works for his justification by the law, his reward is of debt, because all have sinned (Rom. 4:4, Rom. 3:23), but the man that, "worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:5).

           Abraham is the perfect example to explain the concepts of justification and sanctification.  The Abrahamic contract (the promise) was a contract between two people, but only based on God's performance/promise.  In Genesis 15, God instituted this contract with Abram based on Abram's faith (Gen. 15:6, Gal. 3:6).  It was ratified in Genesis 15:17-18 when God passed through the sacrifices as a "burning lamp."  During this time, God put a "deep sleep" on Abram and he was not part of the ratification (Gen. 15:12).  This covenant was a contract between God and Abram, but God had the only duties because of Abram's faith.  God then changed Abram's name to Abraham (Gen. 17:5) and Sarai's name to Sarah (Gen. 17:15).  The difference between these two names is very significant.  God simply added the Hebrew "hey" to the end of their names.  The letter "hey" appears in the name of God twice.  In ancient Hebrew pictographs this letter is represented by a man standing with his hands towards the heavens () and means, "behold, look, breath, sigh and reveal or revelation" (Ancient Hebrew.org, Hey, Jeff A. Benner).  This letter gives reference to the rûach (spirit of God).  Note the significance.  This covenant of promise gives rise to the Spirit of God in their lives.  This is demonstrated in their name change.  At the ratification of this covenant both Sarai and Abram were given the Holy Spirit as exemplified by their names ending in "hey", the Spirit of God.  This is Abraham's justification.  His sanctification is found in Gen. 26:3-6.  God told Isaac that He would bless him like he blessed Abraham.  Why did God bless Abraham?  The answer is, "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws" (Gen. 26:6).  Abraham was justified by faith/belief (Gen. 15:6), but he was sanctified by practicing God's law (Gen. 26:6).

An Example of Faith: (Romans 4:6-25)

           Paul then quotes David to confirm his position (Rom. 4:6).  David said, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Rom. 4:7-8).  This forgiveness, or justification, was not given to Abraham when he was circumcised, but when he was not circumcised (Rom. 4:9-10).  Circumcision was a sign of this righteousness, not a means to receive this righteousness (Rom. 4:11-12).  This is proof that circumcision was not necessary to receive righteousness, for Abraham himself received his righteousness before he was circumcised.  "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith" (Rom. 4:13).  If it were through the law, then, "faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect" (Rom. 4:14).  Through the law, comes wrath, but through the promise, comes faith and grace (Rom. 4:15-16).  If there were no law, there would be no sin, but to deal with sin, God made a promise to Abraham to send His Messiah.  This promise was to Abraham and all his children.  Not to children of the flesh, but children of faith.  Abraham is the "father of many nations" (Rom. 4:17-18).  These nations are not physical nations, but nations of faith.  Anyone from any land, nationality, or race, can come to the Messiah in faith and have Abraham as their father.  Why? That is because God can, "quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Rom. 4:17).  John the Baptist said the same in Matthew 3:9, "God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."  God can do this because He is not speaking of a promise to a physical people, but a people of faith from any nation.  Hence, Abraham is the,"father of many nations."

           The example of Abraham's faith was that he believed God when he promised him a son, even though he was too old to have children (Rom. 4:19-20).  Abraham believed that God was fully capable of performing on His promise, which is why he received his righteousness (Rom. 4:21-22).  The purpose God had for writing this down was not just for Abraham, "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Rom. 4:23-25).  Again, this is our justification, not our sanctification.  The Messiah clearly promised the Holy Spirit would come after His ascention.  The purpose of God's spirit is to, "cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them" (Eze. 36:27).  This is our sanctification.  The Messiah brought us both.  His death, burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins brought us our justification (forgiveness of sins), but His promised Holy Spirit brings us our sanctification (works of the law).

           These topics of scripture can be difficult to understand.  Fortunately, God has provided many explanations in the scripture as well as examples to follow.  We need to seek out these examples and learn from them in order to become the person God wants us to be.  To continue this study in Romans chapter five please click here.

By Steve Siefken
 

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Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth

not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV