No Human Merit

Secular -

A guy gets pulled over for running a stop sign. The police officer walks up to the window and says, "Sir, you didn't stop at that sign back there."

Now, this driver is a master at minimizing his faults and self-justification. So he says, "Well, officer, I slowed down! And besides, 'stop' is such a harsh word. Let's call it a gentle deceleration."

The officer doesn't say a word. He just pulls out his nightstick, starts tapping the guy on the shoulder, and asks, "Now sir, do you want me to stop, or do you want me to just gently decelerate?"

Historical/Cultural Context -

Paul wrote Romans to explain the gospel and to establish the theological foundation of the faith. It was written between A.D. 56-58.

Biblical Text -

Romans 3:1–26 NKJV

What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.” But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just. What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced 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 they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 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, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - We are justified solely by God's grace through faith, so live in uncompromising obedience to His truth rather than relying on human effort or excuses

Life Point- Keep God’s Word Holy In Your Heart

Exegetical -

Romans 3:1–4 BSB

What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God. What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”

Homiletical -

People don’t like to deal with there sin. They want to excuse it or minimize it. To do that we often change the name of things. It’s not adultery it’s an affair. It’s not lying, it’s a mistruth. It’s not gossip, it’s a prayer request that happens to be really, really detailed.

Paul has spent the last two chapters blowing away people’s minimizing and bringing to their attention their sin.

In chapter one Paul talks to the unrighteous heathen.

In chapter two Paul deals with the self-righteous hypocrite

In this chapter he is dealing with the religious people who think they and God have it all worked out, but don’t.

So if there is no advantage to being a religious Jew. What good is it?

Well Paul says much good in every way. Why?

Because to them was given the oracles of God. The Pentateuch, which is the first five books of the Bible. The law, and the prophets.

In the Old Testament we find Jesus concealed and in the New Testament we find Jesus revealed. You cannot divorce Christianity from the Old Testament because it is all God’s Word and it is Holy.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 BSB

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

It says all scripture that means the Old Testament and the New Testament. But we have to parse the Old Testament too. The laws that Jesus carried over to the New Testament are not the ceremonial, religious laws. But the moral laws, or the moral code. As a matter-of-fact Jesus made the moral code even more strict. But for us it is not impossible because we have the Holy Spirit in us. Working His will and power throughout our lives.

Matthew 22:37–40 BSB

Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

You cannot do that perfectly because you were born in sin and you have sinned in your life.

But you know who did do that? Jesus did that. That is why we rely on His life. We have faith in what He did. We trade our sin for his righteousness.

Ephesians 2:8–9 BSB

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.

According to Courson did you know that throughout history the Jews missed the reason for the law, they nonetheless benefited from the results of keeping the law.

For Example: When the bubonic plague swept across Europe, killing one of every three people, the Jewish population was left virtually untouched. Why? Because in keeping the law, the Jews were protected from the plague due to the hygienic and dietary regulations contained within the law. So, too, throughout history, the Jews have always done well monetarily. Why? Because the financial principles contained within the law work—regardless of whether those who practice them walk close to the Lord or even believe in Him.

Check out the second part of verse four it says, “Let God be true and every man a liar.”

You ever run across someone who says things like. “I tried Jesus, it didn’t work.” “I prayed hard, and nothing happened.” I did all these things and nothing worked.

Two things 1) When we are praying God answers in three ways. Yes, No, and not yet. 2) God promises us in James chapter four that if we draw near to God He will draw near to us.

That means someone is lying and it aint God. You came to God with a wrong motive, or your heart wasn’t right with Him or you didn’t really try that hard.

Matthew 7:7–12 BSB

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.

Well pastor what’s the trick? No trick. You just gotta get yourself right, pray according to His will and keep asking, knocking and seeking.

Life Point - Choose Integrity Over Compromise

Exegetical -

Romans 3:5–8 NKJV

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

Homiletical -

Throughout scripture you find that because the Jews rejected Jesus we got engrafted into the family of God.

So, Paul heads off a question here. If someone’s unbelief and unrighteousness actually shows the righteousness of God why are men punished?

Paul then says is God unjust? The obvious answer is certainly not!

If I do wrong and God gets the glory through my wrongdoing. why am i also still judged a sinner? Why should I not do evil that God will get glory in the end?

I am about to say something that may get me in trouble. The ends do not justify the means.

There is a quote from Star Trek that I like here, “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.

I have had people tell me that if they don’t do a shady thing to reap a good reward then they will lose the reward. Yes that is true, that is life. You know what, you kept? Your integrity before God. God gets glory when the rubber meets the road. When doing the wrong thing is easier than doing the right thing and you do the right thing anyway you prove that you are doing what God wants.

For example there will be many who will take the mark of the beast because there is no buying or selling without it. They have to do that wrong thing to get groceries and medicine. But you know what? The Bible says it doesn’t matter. They will not be forgiven for that. They will suffer judgement for their error.

Life Point - Rely Entirely On God’s Grace

Exegetical -

Romans 3:9–26 BSB

What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery lie in their wake, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

Homiletical -

This does not paint man in a very nice light does it? All are sinners and this quoted scripture shows how bad people really are.

But thanks be to God that through Jesus Christ we don’t have to remain that way.

Paul says none seek God. Here are some common objections that pastors hear on this subject.

“But what about the guy in the Philippines, who beats his body and is hung on a Cross every Easter? Yes, his theology might be askew, but surely he is seeking God.”

No, he’s not. Paul says none seeks after God.

“What about the Tibetan monks who live their entire lives in simplicity and celibacy? Surely they’re seeking after God.”

No, they’re not. The Bible says none seeks after God.

“Then what’s the guy in the Philippines seeking?” you ask.

Perhaps he’s seeking alleviation from his guilt, perhaps recognition from his peers, perhaps exaltation of his soul. But he’s not seeking God.

“What about the monks in Tibet? What are they seeking?”

Perhaps they’re seeking peace, perhaps some kind emotional experience, perhaps a higher consciousness—but they’re not seeking God.

The Bible says none seeks after God, no not one. Every believer was chosen solely by grace, completely because of God’s unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor.

You who are saved are chosen by God to be transformed in the image of His son. Let that transformation happen.

Without God’s Word in the world then man wouldn’t know how truly sinful he is. No one can keep the law perfectly. Only one did.

Now with that in mind Paul is about to introduce the doctrine of Justification. It is the teaching that Jesus took our place on the cross to save us from God’s wrath and deliver us from sin. This renders us Just-as-if-I-had-never-sinned in God’s eyes.

Justification is apart from the law. If you’re trying to be saved by being a good person and get into heaven on your own goodness then you will never make it. That is works salvation. That is self-justification. That doesn’t work. You can never be good enough. You can never do enough to get into heaven on your own.

You see the law is a great equalizer. It can only show you how bad you truly are. It can show you how much of a sinner you are and how much you need a Savior.

So how do we receive justification?

It is by faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. That is the only way. It requires a personal relationship with Jesus not just a belief that Jesus exists.

James 2:19 BSB

You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Even the demons believe that God exists and they shudder. They don’t get to be redeemed. They don’t get to be justified.

Surely you are better than a demon? You don’t just believe in God’s existence but you have a personal relationship with Jesus.

One of the most famous verses in Romans is verse twenty-three. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

You know the word there for all means, all.

You, me, everyone has sinned and cannot reach God’s perfect Holy requirements. That’s why we need Jesus.

and according to verse twenty-four His justification is given freely and is exclusively by grace.

Well what is grace pastor. It is God’s unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor.

The best part is, is that we are not just justified once. It is an ongoing thing. It doesn’t stop once it is received it continues.

Courson puts it this way. Justification solves a divine dilemma. In 1 John 4:8, John declares that God is love. But 1 John 1:5 tells us He is also light. Therefore, although God loves us deeply, He also sees our rebellion clearly. And if He said, “I love them so much I’m going to overlook their sin,” He would no longer be light.

You see somebody had to fulfill the justice of God. someone had to pay that price and that someone is Jesus. He paid the price to free you from wrath on your sin. He took it so you don’t have to.

Life Principle– We are justified solely by God's grace through faith, so live in uncompromising obedience to His truth rather than relying on human effort or excuses.

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