Romans - January 28, 2008

Section - Two; Condemnation -- Romans 1:18-3:20 continued

XI. {Rom 3:9-20} All mankind knows they are worthy of God’s wrath, including the Jews.

A. Introduction
1. Review — In this section (1:18-3:20 Paul is establishing all mankind has earned God’s wrath. The Jews, knew they were God’s chosen tribe (social division), thus, they rejected Paul’s position they were going to received God’s wrath in the measure as the Gentiles.
2. Preview — Paul gives the Jew the shocking news their having the oracles of God (Law of Moses) did not protect them from God’s wrath.

B. Question For Discussion?
1. Why did having the oracles of God not make the Jews better than the Gentiles, thus, immune from God’s wrath/condemnation?

C. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. What does 3:9 suggest the Jews felt about Paul’s argument they were unrighteousness [cf. 1:18]
a. They alone had received, thus, knew the Law of Moses, therefore, they alone were righteous for they alone knew the mind of God.

2. What is the general source for verses (3:10-18)?
a. The oracles of God

3. What point is Paul making in verses (3:10-18)
a. (3:19) The oracles of God make it clear those having the oracles of God were worthy of receiving God’s wrath if they failed to follow the oracles of God

4. PONDER: Why did the Jew’s having the oracles of God (3:19) close every mouth and make the world accountable?
a. The Jew’s claimed they had the oracles of the True God, thus, the mind of God was available to any (including Gentiles) seeking Jehovah God, thus, all were prevented them from saying, “I did not know.”
(1) Gentiles knew there was a God, and by going to the Law of Moses they could find God, thus, were without excuse [Rom 1:18-19]
(2) Any comparing the oracles the Jews claimed came from the True God with the oracles from other gods could tell what was from Jehovah God and from god’s of mankind [cf. Rom 1:20-27].

5. What is Paul referring to in (3:20) with the word “flesh”?
a. Not physical “flesh” for “flesh” is neutral, neither good or bad.
b. The part of man that enjoys sin, the part of man controlled by physical desires — mankind’s sinful aspect, the outward man {cf. Rom 13:14; 6:6; Gal 5:17,24}

6. What does “works [deeds] of Law” mean [3:20]?
a. Works [deeds] required by an expressed and binding will— i.e. any law of merit of which the Law of Moses is best known.

7. Based on the evidence presented in (3:10-18) why is flesh (the outward man) not justified by doing the works required by any law of merit, be it God’s or man’s.
a. Ones originally being addressed by quoted passages were at that time serving God, via works of the Law, with the outward man but not the inward man — thus, God did not hear them {cf. Isa 59:1-2}

8. Based on what could be seen in nature all could know God existed, but the Jews had something extra what was it and what did it do for the Jew that others did not have?
a. The Jews, having the oracles of God, had a perfect knowledge of sin.
b. After the Gentiles discover there was a God they had to seek Him and His will, not so the Jews for they were the keepers of the oracles of God.

9. PONDER: What makes the “work or deed” of baptism of Christ’s Law [Gal 6:2; 1Co 9:21] different than a work of the Law of Moses or any other law of merit?
a. Christ’s baptism is for the benefit of inward man (conscience) not the outward man [Rom 6:4; 1Pe 3:21].
b. A person refusing to be baptized for it does not make sense or is not a necessary part of salvation is still being controlled by the outward man.

D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — Why did having the oracles of God not make the Jews better than the Gentiles, thus, immune from God’s wrath?
1. Based on the recorded history, known and recited by all Jews, God’s special people, based on their actions, did not respect God’s will as recorded in the Old Testament.
2. The Jew’s desire (all mankind’s desire as seen beginning with Adam) was to please the flesh beyond God’s allow limits, thus, they (some) used the oracles of God only as the means to define sin — not the means to be justified as was God’s reason for giving them the Law of Moses.

A LOOK AHEAD
E. Conclusion

F. Application

G. PONDERING: This is a section establishing all people have earned condemnation {1:18-19}. What are your thoughts, based on this section, about those not hearing the Gospel of Christ being able to use their lack of hearing as an excuse, thus, will not be judged worthy of God’s wrath?

SEGUE: Paul has laid the foundation that all are worthy of God’s wrath, thus, in the next section [3:21-5:21] he establishes how one is justified — i.e., what one can do to not receive God’s wrath.

The Book of Romans
III. Justification (3:21- 5:21)

1. Section Preview — [3:21-5:21] Paul has established both Jew, with the Law of Moses, and the Gentile, without the Law of Moses, have earned condemnation. Based on the evidence Paul has produced the best any person can say is, “My knowledge of right and wrong has informed me I have fallen short of always doing right, thus, I am a person having earned condemnation; a person requiring God’s justification.”...
a. In this section (Rom 3:21-5:21) Paul makes clear God’s means or plan of Justification.
b. Paul’s target audience is for the most part not Jews or gentiles who have accepted the gospel plan of salvation but “Judaizing Christians”, those making the gospel of Christ an addendum to the Law Of Moses...
i. When he dealt with un-believing Jews he used the Old Testament prophets to show Christ was the one the men of old were seeking.
ii. When he dealt with un-believing gentiles he showed them Christ was superior to the gods they worshiped.
c. While the “Judaizing Christians” was the target audience it was important for the Gentiles who were baptized believers to be aware of the problem so they could resist the influence of the Judaizing Christians.
i. Paul’s information also gives the Jews who had accepted the gospel as the “New Law” replacing the “Old Law” tools to know their position was correct (valid).
2. Justification defined — Act of God declaring a person free from the guilt of their sin, thus, acceptable to God — freed of the earned spiritual consequences of their sin (condemnation).

I. {Rom 3:21-26} Justification from God is rooted in God’s righteousness
A. Introduction
1. Review — The “Condemnation Section” is the foundation for “Justification”
2. Preview — Mankind’s efforts produced condemnation, God’s provides justification.

B. Question For Discussion — What specifically (root cause) keeps God’s judicial wrath toward mankind’s ungodliness and unrighteousness in check — preventing it from being poured out on the condemned?

C. Questions For Encouraging Discussion and Understanding...

1. What is the definition of the following words...
a. Law
b. (3:24) “justified”
c. (3:25) “propitiation”
d. (3:25) “righteousness” - The quality or state of being morally sound; the condition acceptable to God.
e. (3:25) “remission” [KJV], “passed over”
f. (3:25) “forbearance”

2. (3:21) To what “law” (law of merit or Law of Moses) is Paul referring?

3. (3:21) What is the significance of “without”[KJV] or “apart”[ASV, NASB]?

4. (3:21) What is meant by “witnessed by the Law and the Prophets”?.

5. PONDER: If God’s Law of merit (e.g., Law of Moses) cannot prevent God’s judicial wrath why do you think God provide mankind with a divine law?

6. (3:21-22) What is the evidence offered that God is morally sound (righteous)?

7. PONDER: What do you think is significance of the contrast between salvation by the way of law (merit) and salvation by the way of faith in Jesus the Christ?.

8. (3:22-25) What reasons are given to support the position “righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ” shows God is morally sound (righteous)?

9. PONDER: Do you think God, by “passing over sins previously committed” [3:25] God was indifferent to sin — i.e., Can a morally pure God tolerated some sin and still remained morally pure? If not why not?

10. What does our passage say is the fruit or consequences of God’s righteousness?

D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — What specifically (root cause) holds God’s judicial wrath toward mankind’s ungodliness and unrighteousness in check — preventing God’s judicial wrath from being poured out on the condemned?
1.

E. Conclusion —

II. {Rom 3:27-30} All are justified by faith not works.