Bullet Point Bible

God's Faithfulness and Jewish Responsibility

¹ Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision?² Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.³ What then? If some were unfaithful, their unfaithfulness will not nullify God's faithfulness, will it?⁴ Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: " so that you will be justifiedin your words and will prevail when you are judged ."⁵ But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.)⁶ Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world?⁷ For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner?⁸ And why not say, "Let us do evil so that good may come of it"?-as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)

Paul uses a rhetorical Q&A style (diatribe) to address potential objections to his argument that Jewish identity doesn't guarantee righteousness.
The primary advantage ("advantage of the Jew") was receiving God's revelation, the "oracles of God" (the Old Testament Scriptures) (Romans 3:1-2).
Human unfaithfulness, specifically Israel's historical unfaithfulness, cannot negate God's own faithfulness to His covenant promises (Romans 3:3).
God's absolute truthfulness is affirmed, contrasting with universal human fallibility, citing Psalm 51:4 to show God is vindicated in His judgments (Romans 3:4).
Paul confronts the perverse logic that human sin serves to highlight God's righteousness, questioning if this makes God unjust in punishing sin (Romans 3:5).
He vehemently rejects this ("Absolutely not!"), arguing that God's role as the judge of the entire world necessitates His justice (Romans 3:6).
The flawed argument is restated: If human sin ultimately brings God glory, why should the sinner be condemned? (Romans 3:7).
Paul dismisses the slanderous accusation that his teaching encourages sinning for a good outcome ("Let us do evil so that good may come"), stating such thinking deserves condemnation (Romans 3:8). This anticipates later discussions on grace and sin (Romans 6).
This section establishes God's unwavering faithfulness as a core attribute, independent of human action.

Universal Sinfulness Declared by Scripture

⁹ What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin,¹⁰ just as it is written:¹⁰ " There is no one righteous, not even one ,¹¹ there is no one who understands ,¹¹ there is no one who seeks God .¹² All have turned away ,¹² together they have become worthless;¹² there is no one who shows kindness, not even one. "¹³ " Their throats are open graves,¹³ they deceive with their tongues,¹³ the poison of asps is under their lips ."¹⁴ " Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness ."¹⁵ " Their feet are swift to shed blood,¹⁶ ruin and misery are in their paths,¹⁷ and the way of peace they have not known ."¹⁸ " There is no fear of God before their eyes ."¹⁹ 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 may be held accountable to God.²⁰ For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

Paul concludes that Jews have no moral advantage over Gentiles ("Greeks"); all humanity is "under sin" (Romans 3:9).
"Under sin" signifies being subject to sin's power, dominion, and condemnation.
To prove universal sinfulness, Paul compiles a series of Old Testament quotations (Romans 3:10-18), primarily from Psalms and Isaiah.
Key affirmations from Scripture include the absolute lack of inherent righteousness ("no one righteous, not even one"), understanding, or seeking after God (Romans 3:10-11).
The passages depict humanity's universal turning away from God, becoming "worthless," and failing to do good (Romans 3:12).
Sin corrupts speech (deceit, poison, cursing) and actions (violence, destruction), stemming from a lack of reverence ("fear") for God (Romans 3:13-18).
The Law's pronouncements were directed primarily at those who received it (Israel) but serve to silence all claims of self-righteousness and demonstrate the entire world's accountability to God (Romans 3:19).
A crucial theological statement: Performing "works of the law" cannot achieve righteousness ("declared righteous," justification) in God's sight (Romans 3:20).
The primary function of the Law, in this context, is diagnostic: it reveals sin and makes humanity aware of its sinful condition ("through the law comes the knowledge of sin") (Romans 3:20).

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ Apart from Law

²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed-²² namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.²⁴ But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.²⁵ God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed.²⁶ This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus' faithfulness.

"But now" signals a major shift, introducing God's gracious solution to the problem of universal sin (Romans 3:21).
God's own righteousness is now revealed independently of law-keeping, although the Old Testament ("law and the prophets") anticipated it (Romans 3:21).
This righteousness is accessed "through faith in Jesus Christ" and is available to everyone who believes, without ethnic distinction (Romans 3:22).
The universal need for this provision is restated: "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "Falling short" implies missing the standard of God's perfect character and presence.
Justification (being declared righteous by God) is not earned but is a free gift ("justified freely") resulting from God's "grace" (unmerited favor) (Romans 3:24).
The means of this justification is "redemption" (Greek *apolutrosis*, liberation through a price paid) found exclusively in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).
God presented Jesus as a "mercy seat" (Greek *hilasterion*), the place of atonement, accessed through faith, specifically referencing His sacrificial death ("at his death," literally "in his blood") (Romans 3:25). This evokes the imagery of the Day of Atonement.
Christ's sacrifice publicly demonstrated God's righteousness, showing that He justly dealt with sins committed previously, which He had patiently "passed over" (not ignored, but withheld judgment from) (Romans 3:25).
God's purpose was to show Himself as both perfectly "just" (righteous in His character and judgments) and the one who "justifies" (declares righteous) those who place their faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26). This resolves the tension of how a holy God can accept sinful humans.

Justification by Faith Excludes Boasting and Upholds the Law

²⁷ Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith!²⁸ For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.²⁹ Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too!³⁰ Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.³¹ Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law.

A consequence of justification by faith is the elimination of human "boasting," as salvation is received, not achieved (Romans 3:27).
Boasting is excluded not by a principle ("law") of works, but by the "principle ('law') of faith" (Romans 3:27). Faith, by definition, looks away from self to God's provision.
Paul emphatically restates his core thesis: Justification comes "by faith apart from the works of the law" (Romans 3:28).
The universal nature of God necessitates a universal plan of salvation; He is God of both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 3:29).
The oneness of God (Deuteronomy 6:4) implies a single method of justification for all people: Jews ("circumcised") are justified "by faith," and Gentiles ("uncircumcised") are justified "through faith" (Romans 3:30). The slight difference in prepositions likely doesn't indicate a different mechanism but perhaps different starting points or perspectives.
Paul anticipates the objection that emphasizing faith undermines or cancels ("nullifies") the Law (Romans 3:31).
He strongly refutes this ("Absolutely not!"), claiming instead that the doctrine of faith actually "upholds the law" (Romans 3:31).
Faith upholds the Law by fulfilling its ultimate purpose: pointing to sin, demonstrating the need for God's grace, and finding its fulfillment in Christ, who met its demands and inaugurated the new covenant reality predicted by the Law and Prophets.
This section solidifies justification by faith as the universal means of salvation, applicable to all people and consistent with God's character and prior revelation.

The Bullet Point Bible

Romans 3