The Role of the Jewish Law
Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Lasts week we studied Paul’s premise that God is true and every man is a liar (Rom. 3:4). And in our text last week we saw Paul build on his argument that God sees Jews and Gentiles the same. Yet, Paul argued that being a Jew had an advantage and the advantage was that they were entrusted with God’s Word.
So when we come to our passage today, Paul anticipates a repeat of the question: Are Jews better than everyone else.
If you have your Bibles, and I hope that you do, turn with me to Romans chapter 3 and we’ll begin looking at verse 9.
Paul’s Rhetorical Question
Paul’s Rhetorical Question
What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.
Paul anticipates this question: What shall we conclude? Does a Jew have ANY advantage over anyone else?
The answer is simple: NO!
Paul says that he has already built the case that both Jews and Gentiles alike are under the power—or control of—sin.
O.T. Support
O.T. Support
Now Paul is going to bolster this argument by quoting from a variety of Old Testament verses.
Verses 10-12 are a quote from Psalm 14:1-3.
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
No person in this world is “righteous!” Not righteous with the law of God and not righteous without the law of God!
To make sure we understand this, the Psalmist repeats, not even one!
There is no one who understands.
There is no one who seeks God.
All of mankind has become worthless.
And there is no one who does good.
Reemphasizes—not even one!
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
People’s throats are open graves.
Their tongues practice deceit.
(a quote from Psalms 5:9)
The poison of vipers is on their lips (Psalm 140:3).
Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness (Psalm 10:7).
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.”
Their feet are swift to shed blood.
Ruin and misery mark their ways.
These people have no clue what the way of peace even looks like.
(these three verses are quotes from Isaiah 59:7-8)
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
These people that he has been describing have no fear of God! (A quote from Psalm 36:1)
Expecting Too Much
Expecting Too Much
The big problem with the Old Testament Law is that the Jews expected too much from it! They expected to be righteous before God as long as they kept the law. But Paul is going to remind them that making them righteous was not something the Law could do. Let’s keep reading!
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.
Whatever the law say—it says to those who are under it.
But the fact is the Law silences ever person.
And the law makes the entire world accountable to God.
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
So then—the works of the law never could make anyone righteous in God’s sight.
Rather the law made us aware—conscious—of our sin!
Righteousness Apart From The Law
Righteousness Apart From The Law
This idea—that the law did not make anyone righteous was completely foreign to many of Paul’s readers. In fact, most of them believed that the law was the way to make someone righteous.
So if that is not the job of the law, how does a person become righteous before God?
Well, let’s continue reading!
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
Paul tells us that God has made His righteousness known, but comes from another source—it is apart from the law.
It shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us because both the Law and the Prophets (the equivalent to our Old Testament) testify to it!
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
To make it completely clear, this righteousness that Paul is talking about is give through faith in Jesus Christ.
And it is given to all who believe!
It does not matter if you are a Jew or Gentile.
No difference!
Now this was a shock for some of Paul’s original readers. So he continues with our memory verse for the week.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Now the last time I checked—ALL means all!
So everyone—every Jews, every Gentile, every Person—ALL have sinned
And that means that everyone falls short of the glory of God—we all miss His mark which is perfection.
While this was disturbing and bad news to the reader, there is good news.
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Just like all of us sinned—we can all be justified freely by His grace. Mankind is put into a right relationship with God by an act of grace—favor that we do not deserve!
That grace came through the redemption that came through Jesus Christ!
Paul continues to develop this idea in verse 25.
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
God gave Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice.
Jesus became that sacrifice by shedding His blood for us.
And in order for us to experience this atonement—we must receive it by faith.
God did this to show—demonstrate—His righteousness.
And this sacrifice showed that God was being “righteous” or “fair” when He did not punish those who in times past had sinned.
he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
God also provided Jesus as the sacrifice to demonstrate RIGHT NOW that He is just.
And to prove He is the one who justifies those have faith in Jesus!
More Rhetorical Questions:
More Rhetorical Questions:
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.
Where is the boasting?
Answer—there is not boasting—it is excluded.
Is it excluded because of the Law?
Is it in the works that are required by the law?
No there’s still no boasting, because even the law requires faith that living by it will make you acceptable to God.
Here’s the KEY!
For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Paul maintained that a person is justified by faith—Ephesians 2:8-9.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
It has nothing to do with the works of the law—or living out the law! It is by grace, a gift of God!
Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
The Jews believed that God was really only the God of the Jews.
Paul, says that is not true—God is also the God of the Gentiles.
YES, the Gentiles too—also!
Paul uses verse 30 to support this point!
since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
Point one: There is only one God.
Point two: This one God justifies those who are circumcised—not by their action but by their faith.
Point three: This one God also justifies those who are NOT circumcised by the same action of faith!
So Paul anticipates the next rhetorical question. Look at verse 31.
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Do we nullify the law by faith?
Paul answers with his characteristic, “Not at all” May it never be.
Paul goes on to say that it is only by faith that we uphold—or prove the law. It is by faith that we see the truth of the law—that everyone misses God’s mark of perfection.
So What?
So What?
God created His law to show us that everyone of us is separated from God. The law, shows God’s moral standard, and it also shows us how much we fail Him.
The central fact that we need to walk away with in this passage is that we have a problem with sin.
Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
You have to admit, that’s pretty bad news. But there’s good news! God made a way for us to be justified freely. Now here’s a simple definition of “justified”—just as if I had never sinned—and our redemption came through Christ Jesus!
As we continue studying the book of Romans we are going to see that even the Old Testament saints were saved by faith, faith that they demonstrated by action.
If you know Jesus as your Savior, I want to challenge you to live out an active faith this week.
Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus gave us our marching orders! They are found in Matthew and Acts.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Actively share the Good News so that people want to be disciples.
This Good News needs to be shared with all nations.
We are to challenge them to identify with Jesus—through baptism.
And we need to disciple them so that they will obey everything that Jesus commanded!
Will you share Jesus with someone this week?