Romans 3:1-31
1 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.
3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?
4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND MAY OVERCOME WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
8 And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written: “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS AFTER GOD.
12 THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE; THEY HAVE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.”
13 “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN TOMB; WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY HAVE PRACTICED DECEIT”; “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”;
14 “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS.”
15 “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD;
16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR WAYS;
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, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
When a child is doing something that is harmful or dangerous, it is definitely something that must be dealt with. They may have a sense that they’re doing something wrong, but until they are told that that action is not allowed, they cannot be held responsible for it, they cannot be punished. This is where someone who cares for them must provide them with an understanding that this action will result in an undesirable consequence. Also, they will probably need to participate in that consequence in some way or other. When that child is made to believe in the relationship with the one who provided the guideline, a desire to please them will effectively influence that behavior. From the caregiver’s side, there is no increase of love or care, just an enabled relationship. As long as there is rebellion against the well-intended guideline, there will be a compromised relationship.
God provided understanding of sin to the children of Israel, not as a way for them to be better than everyone else and somehow earn His love, but for them to believe in Him, His love and His care for them. Their harmful actions had to be dealt with, but the law only made them aware of them. It never really enabled them to believe in the One who was caring for them. In Jesus was a love gesture from the Father that made it possible for belief in Him and His passion before doing anything right at all. By taking our punishment for us, a way was made into the heart, where living right would come from a love motivation instead of punishment fear. Simply believing in Him opens the heart to the life He provides, of freedom from sin and its inevitable consequences. Now, in Him there is a nature of righteousness that responds to a law of love, written on the heart, that will turn from those harmful and destructive ways to a God who’s love has never been altered in the least by our actions. He establishes us in His law as we believe.
I love Romans 3:24-25 in the Amplified, “But [they were written] for our sakes too. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal), [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God].”
We have been reconciled to God through the precious blood of Jesus. His sacrifice completely washed out our debt and unrighteousness, and enabled us to draw near to the throne of God, to be made righteous, and to be an able to live in the life of Christ. Praise God!!