Do you parents remember the moment your first child was born? Do you remember how helpless they were at that moment? They needed you for everything. Their survival was dependent upon you.
Paul is setting up his Jewish readers to understand where true righteousness comes from. His point will be that righteousness doesn’t come from us. Like newborn infants, we are helpless to produce the righteousness needed to pay the price for our sins.
A couple of weeks ago, I gave you this illustration to help you understand what Paul is doing in these first few chapters of Romans:
When you go into the jeweler and ask to see a beautiful piece of jewelry, the jeweler lays out a piece of black velvet fabric to show off the spectacular beauty of the jewelry; that is what Paul is doing. Paul has been laying out the black velvet background to show off the beauty of the gospel message.
Remember, the word gospel means “good news,” so Paul is making a case for the good news about what Jesus has done, why that is important, and why that message should be the one thing the church rallies around.
Last week, we saw that God is way more concerned with what is going on inside your heart than with what everyone sees you doing on the outside.
Outward expression means nothing if not accompanied by inward experience.
At the beginning of chapter 3, Paul anticipates some of the pushback he will get from the Jewish Christians. He begins addressing some of their questions.
Rom 3:1 (CSB)—So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
Is there any value to being a Jew and is there any advantage to being a part of the covenant that God made with the Jews?
Rom 3:2-4 (CSB)—First, they were entrusted with the very words of God. What then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Absolutely not! Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar, as it is written: That you may be justified in your words
and triumph when you judge.
Paul says, “Even though you don’t understand that the reason the law was given to you was to show you your sin and your need of a Savior, that was the purpose of the law, and you missed that. Even though you don’t understand, the fact remains that because you had the law to guide you, you have been uniquely blessed.” In other words, even though, throughout history, the Jews missed the reason for the taw, they still experienced the benefits from the results of keeping the law.
The law has benefits and blessings.
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 because of the hygienic and dietary regulations that were a part of the law.
Also, throughout history, the Jews have always done well financially. 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.
You have benefited from the wisdom of the Words of God.
Even though you may be unfaithful in keeping the law, Paul says, God will always be faithful. Your unfaithfulness does not nullify God’s faithfulness.
If that’s true, then why not just continue to sin? If God will be faithful even though I am unfaithful, why not continue to be unfaithful? Especially if my unfaithfulness shows off God’s faithfulness. What’s the point the point of being faithful?
Paul says, don’t be stupid! Try that, and let’s see where it gets you. Whoever thinks that way deserves what they get.
Then look what he says in verse 9:
Rom 3:9 (CSB)—What then? Are we any better off? Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin,
Are we Jews in any better position for following the law and being circumcised? Have we gotten any bonus points?
Paul says no. We are all under sin. It is not just that we have all sinned, which Paul has been making a case for since chapter one, but we are all under sin. We all carry the burden of sin. We all are under the dominion and the influence of sin.
Paul then quotes several passages from the Old Testament, showing us what it means to be under sin.
The Paul says:
Rom 3:19 (CSB)—Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.
This problem of sin, Paul says, is universal. The entire world is under sin.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus clarified that keeping the law was not about external regulations but internal attitudes. Because of this, we are all murderers, all liars, and all adulterers because even though we might not exhibit those behaviors externally, they take place in our hearts inwardly.
Rom 3:20 (CSB)—For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
After laying out the black background and showing us the universality of the problem of sin, Paul now begins to introduce the beautiful idea of justification. It will sparkle like an incredible diamond when shown against the background of sin.
Justification is a legal term that carries the idea of being much more than forgiveness or a pardon.
Justification means being declared righteous—as though we never sinned at all.
An English gentleman bought a Rolls Royce in England and shipped it across the English Channel so he could drive through France. In the middle of his tour, however, the Rolls broke down. So the man called the dealer in London and said, “The car I bought is broken.” “We’ll take care of it immediately,” the dealer replied. And, sure enough, within the hour, a team of mechanics flew to France, took the Rolls apart, and repaired it.
When his trip was done, the Englishman returned home and waited for what he thought would be a large bill to repair his car. But the bill never came. So finally, he called the Rolls dealership and said, “I’ve been back for several months, but I haven’t received a bill for your services.”
“A bill for what?” asked the voice on the other end. “A bill for the repairs you did in France on my Rolls.” “Sir,” insisted the dealer, “we have no record whatsoever of any repairs being done on any Rolls Royce at any time. Thank you.”
That’s justification—just as if it never broke down!
God doesn’t say, “I’ve been bearing with you and putting up with all of your sin, but I’m such a good God that I’ll overlook it.” No! Once I have faith in Jesus, God sees me as being justified—as though I never sinned.
Like a newborn infant, I am powerless to justify myself, but our Father in Heaven, who loves us with an everlasting love, made a way.
Rom 8:1-2 (CSB)—Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
This idea of justification has many implications for those who follow Jesus, and we will discuss those implications next week.
Every week I preach justification by faith to my people, because every week they forget it.
—Martin Luther
As you go this week, remember that you have been justified by the blood of Christ, shed on the cross for you.
Chris Hankel 
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