Category: Understanding Romans
Therefore, where is boasting? It was shut out. By means of what? Of Law? Of deeds? No! Rather by means of the Law of Faith. For we count a man to be declared "righteous" by faith without deeds of the Law. Or is God of Jews alone and not of Gentiles also? Absolutely He is of Gentiles also. If indeed God is one, then He will declare "righteous" the circumcision out of faith and the uncircumcision by means of faith. Therefore, do we render the Law useless by means of faith? May it never happen! Rather, we make the Law stand. (Romans 3:27-31)
(Introduction)
The hallmark of the 16th Century Protestant Reformation is summarized by the Latin phrase, Sola Fide!, which is shorthand for “justification by faith alone.” Martin Luther considered sola fide to be the doctrine on which the church stands or falls. That is a weighty affirmation. However, sola fide is a weighty dogma, a digest, in fact, of the gospel message. In this section, Paul unambiguously asserts that believers are pronounced “righteous” on the basis of faith and faith alone.
(Commentary)
27-28 Therefore, where is boasting? It was shut out… One man was born into abject poverty, but now, after years of hard work and wise decisions, is worth billions. Another man was born into a wealthy family. Which man has earned esteem? The self-made man, of course, for he merited his opulence through toil and persistence. He deserves what he has and has something to brag about. The other man’s fortune did not result from his own efforts, but from the work of someone else. If he is going to boast, he will have to boast in someone else, maybe his father or grandfather.
Christians have not merited their righteousness, they have inherited it. This is why, in another place, Paul says, “But by [God’s] doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” (1 Cor. 1:30-31)
The only thing any person has earned from God is condemnation. Justification is a gift, and it only comes by means of believing the gospel.
By means of what? Of Law? Of deeds?… Is it fitting for a Jew to sing his own Law-keeping praises? How about the Gentile? Should he launch a nationwide tour promoting his new book entitled, Why Can’t Everyone Be Perfect Like Me? Not if the apostle's previous words are true. If all have sinned, then boasting has been left out in the cold and the door slammed shut, and (to change the metaphor) the Christian has no horn to toot. The only boast for a righteous man is a boast about Jesus Christ.
No! Rather by means of the Law of Faith… The only law that brings righteousness is the law of faith. In other words, in order for an unrighteous person to be righteous before God, there is only one law to be obeyed—believing the gospel.
29 Or is God of Jews alone and not of Gentiles also?… The Jews thought they had a special claim on God, and for 1,500 years they did. However, God is also the Lord of those who were not part of the Old Covenant. If there is only one God, and if He is the ruler of Jews and Gentiles, then, the apostle affirms, justification for both groups will be by the same means—belief.
31 Therefore, do we render the Law useless… After all of this discussion regarding the inability of Jews to keep the Law and the disvaluing of circumcision for Jews who broke the commandments, one might conclude that the Law was altogether futile. If there was no hope for a Jew to be justified by it, then what good was it?
Paul responds by asserting the impossibility that the Law was purposeless. In fact, the gospel demonstrates that the Law accomplished its purpose to perfection. Back at 3:20, Paul taught that knowledge of sin comes through the Law. From the perspective of redemptive-history, the Law was delivered to the Israelites to reveal their wickedness; therefore, every time a Jew believed the gospel, he acknowledged the usefulness of the Law. As the apostle will explain later, if the Law had not prohibited coveting, he would not have been aware of his sinful desires (7:7). The Jew experienced his dire need of righteousness when he tried (and failed) to keep the Law. The Law pointed to the hope and need of the Messiah (10:4); therefore, the gospel proves the Law's success.