THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

This program of Scripture studies is designed to help you in daily honoring God with adoration through Bible study.

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TODAY'S SCRIPTURE STUDY
ROMANS

1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

Paul continues the discussion concerning the "Jew" that he had begun in Rom. 2:17-29.
They (the Jewish Nation) had failed miserably in both keeping and teaching the "law" of God.
So, then, the Jew might ask, "Well, what advantage did the Jew have in possessing the law?"

Paul answers positively, stating, "MUCH! EVERY WAY!"
They had the law of God "committed" to them.

Then, the Jew might ask, "What if some did NOT believe? Would their UNBELIEF make the faith of God without effect?"
Obviously, many of them in centuries past did NOT believe. Many turned to idols. This was the reason God ejected them from the land.

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

David, when faced with his sin, repented to God and never once disputed the fact that God was TRUE in His judgment of David, and in His condemnation of David's sin. (See Psalm 51:4)

And when we face the "judgment" of God for our sin, we must realize that He is "justified" in condemning our sin!

But praise God! He doesn't condemn the penitent sinner!
His mercy and grace will accept ANY ("whosoever") surrenders self to Christ for eternal judgment!

God WILL "overcome," prevail over all mankind.
His judgment will be just, righteous and eternal.

It is best when we see ourselves as surrendered to Him, because He is ALWAYS TRUE!

5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

God created man.
Man became a sinner.
This sinfulness, in a manner, brings glory to God because He is ALWAYS TRUE!

So, the question might be posed, "How then can God judge sinners whose sin brings Him glory?"
If the "truth of God" has grown from my sin, why then would he judge me?
And, why should we not sin MORE, that God may receive more glory?

When God judges the world, He will be JUST, RIGHTEOUS, TRUE, and PERFECT in His judgment.
It is WE who are unjust, unrighteous, and imperfect because of sin.
And, we shall ALL have to face God at His eternal judgment seat to answer for our sins. (See Romans 14:10)

But when we DO:
Those who have received salvation by grace through faith will be ACQUITTED,
And those who have not, will be CONDEMNED.

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;
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Paul quotes several Scriptures to show that God's Word plainly proclaims ALL MEN to be SINNERS!
Vs 11 is a quote from (Psalm 14:2-3)
Vs 12 is a quote from (Psalm 14:1)
Vs 13 is a quote from (Psalm 5:9)
Vs 14 is probably a quote from (Psalm 10:7)
Vs 15 is probably a quote from (Proverbs 1:16)
Vs 17 is probably a quote from (Isaiah 59:8)

ALL of the Jews had not obeyed the Gospel given in the Old Testament.
(See Romans 10:16)

NONE are righteous!
All are sinners!
And, Paul will come to that conclusion in Rom. 3:23.

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.
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.

The law of God was to be told and taught to all men.
Because ALL men are "under the law" of God!

And, "by the deeds of the law there shall NO FLESH be justified" in God's sight!
Because NO MAN has kept it, except Jesus Christ!
He is the ONLY "Just One," and the "Justifier" of those who come to Him!

The law of God brings us "the knowledge of sin."
AND, the law of God tells us what to do about it!
The law teaches us to surrender to God Who is ALWAYS RIGHT, and ALWAYS JUST!
Ps. 57:2 says, "I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me."

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
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;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

The "law of God" is perfect.
People are not.
And, imperfect people cannot keep a perfect law!
"For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

The law of God introduces and reveals "the righteousness of God."
And, the "righteousness of God" is "manifested" "without the law" (outside) through the person of Jesus Christ.
It is through receiving Jesus as Lord that a person is "justified freely by His grace"!

In the Old Testament, both through "the law and the prophets," this plan of redemption is revealed.
It is plain, by the Old Testament, that God BEGAN salvation by explicit trust in Him. (See Genesis 15:6)

The law was later given to reveal "the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20 above), and then bring man to a repentant attitude.
Salvation is not OF "the law"!!
Salvation is of GOD!

It is very plain, from the context of the Old and New Testaments, that God HIMSELF is the salvation of mankind!!

This God is revealed, "manifested" in the Person of YWHW, or JEHOVAH Who is the speaking God of the Old Testament.
It is HE Who, as the "Word of God" (logos, representation, revelation, manifestation of God), took on flesh and is Jesus the Christ! (See John 1:1-4)
The JEHOVAH of the Old Testament IS the JESUS of the New Testament!

Therefore, "the righteousness of God" is given "by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe."

Any and all who surrender to Christ as Lord are "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."!!
Because God in His immaculate design ALWAYS PLANNED Jesus to "be a propitiation through faith in his blood."
Through Jesus, God has set aside His anger toward sinners that He might offer them eternal salvation.

And Jesus is declared as the ONLY Righteous One! (See 1Peter 2:22, and 1John 3:5)

Therefore, God is "just" to be the "Justifier" of all those who come to Him through surrender to Jesus Christ.
God is also "just" to be the Judge Who condemns all who REFUSE Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives!

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Man canot boast of his goodness! (Rom. 3:23 above)
He cannot boast in keeping the law because NONE have kept it!
He cannot boast in "works" because God ONLY accepts works done IN and THROUGH and FOR Jesus Christ!

Man is "justified" outside the deeds of the law, because
he is justified ONLY IN and THROUGH surrender to God's planned and prophesied Messiah, Jesus Christ!

The faith of the Jew in Jehovah is what sanctified him in circumcision.
(Many were circumcized, but few truly believed!)
The faith of the Gentile in Jesus is what sanctifies him without circumcision.

Now hear the final note on this chapter!!
"Do we then make VOID the LAW through this doctrine of FAITH?"
NO!!
"Yea, we ESTABLISH the law!"

Remember, the law was given AFTER faith, in order to expose sin, and draw sinners TO faith!

Christ HONORED the law by His perfect obedience.
And, we who are saved are to abide by the law!
Even though we cannot keep it perfectly, it is to be our DESIRE!
And, when we fail, we have an ADVOCATE in our Lord Jesus Christ!
(See 1John 2:1, and 1John 1:9)

The Jew had "advantage" because he had the "law.
The law was given to bring him to repentance and surrender to the Lord for salvation.

The Gentile first must be surrendered to Christ, THEN
he learns obedience to the law.