Romans 3

Romans 3:1

What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

What privilege then hath the Jew above the Gentile? or what profit is there of circumcision, more than of uncircumcision; if all the praise and advantage thereof be inward, which may be as well incident into a Gentile as into a Jew?

Romans 3:2

Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God.

Yes, doubtless, there are great privileges, in many respects; but chiefly in this, That unto that nation and people were the Oracles of God committed, with them was the Covenant made, to them was the Law delivered, and unto their trust and custody were the Holy Scriptures deposited.

Romans 3:3

For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

But, Alas! you will say, What are they the better for these Oracles of God, if they have rejected them carelessly through their unbelief, and have made themselves unworthy of these favours? But, I say again, Grant that many of them did not believe; shall their infidelity be any hinderance to the performance of the faithful promises of God? Shall not he make his word good to his chosen ones, because some of the nation have failed of their duty to him?

Romans 3:4

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar, as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

God forbid: yea, whatsoever become of men, who are all falsehood and vanity, let the truth of God and all his words and promises stand firm and inviolable for ever; according to that of the Psalmist, That thou mayest be declared to be most true and just in all thy sayings; and, whensoever any of thine actions are scanned, mayest go away with the glory of a perfect and irreprehensible justice.

Romans 3:5

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man.)

But, if this be all, that God looks to be glorified by men; and, as he pleases to order matters, he turns the wickedness of men to the praise of his justice, since his justice doth most appear in punishing the wickedness of men; what shall we say? Is God unrighteous, in punishing men, for that, by which his justice is glorified? (I speak after the carnal manner of men’s reasoning.)

Romans 3:6

God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

God forbid, that the judge of all the World should be unrighteous: No; far be that from the least of our thoughts; for how should he order and compose all the affairs of the earth and heaven, if he himself were not absolutely righteous?

Romans 3:7

For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

For, saith the wicked man, if the truth of God be more magnified and made more conspicuous, and so more glory accrues to his Name, by my lie, in that my falsehood and injustice is the matter for his justice to work revenge upon, what reason is there, that I should be punished, who have occasioned this further glory to God, and should be proceeded against as an offender?

Romans 3:8

And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

And why should we not rather take up that resolution, which some have slanderously cast upon us, by lewd and false reports; affirming that we say, Let us do evil, that good may come of it: so that the event be good, it matters not what our actions be? Such wicked calumnies are cast upon us, by the depraving tongues of false accusers, who shall receive just damnation for this slander of the Gospel.

Romans 3:9

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.

What then, if there be prerogatives that we Jews have above the Gentiles, are we better than they? or have we cause to pride ourselves, as being in a happier condition? No; in no wise; for we have before proved, that all, both Jews and Gentiles, are in the state of sin, and thereby liable to the wrath of God and everlasting damnation.

Romans 3:19

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the word may become guilty before God.

But ye are now ready to say, that these accusations and reproofs are not meant to you Jews, but to other profane and wicked nations. Be not deceived: whatsoever the Spirit of God saith in the Scriptures, it speaketh to them unto whom that word of God was given; and therefore more especially to the people of the Jews; intending, that, by these general taxations of man’s wickedness, every mouth should be stopped, and that all the world should be convinced as guilty before God.

Romans 3:21

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

But now, if any man would know how he may come to stand righteous before God, the case is fully cleared: there is an Evangelical Righteousness, which consists not in the Works of the Law; which is confirmed by the testimony of God’s Spirit, both in the Law and the Prophets;

Romans 3:22

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Even the Righteousness, both given and accepted of God, which is by Faith in Jesus Christ; which Faith is that effectual instrument, whereby we receive, apprehend, apply Christ, who is true and perfect Righteousness unto all them that believe, whether Jews or Gentiles; for, herein God maketh no difference at all:

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

For, both all men have sinned, and come short of that perfect obedience whereby they should glorify God, and of that justice which God accounts only and truly glorious; and therefore have need of a Saviour:

Romans 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.

And, being in this case, have no way to be justified, but by his gracious and free acceptation and acquittal, wrought and obtained by the redemption that is in Jesus Christ:

Romans 3:25

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Whom God the Father hath ordained and set forth, to be that Mediator, who should make a full atonement for mankind, through Faith in his blood; and who should make known and apply that his all-sufficient satisfaction, for the remission, even of those sins, which were committed before his coming in the flesh; the expiation whereof could not be made by any legal sacrifices, but only by his oblation and death, which was prefigured thereby: this was the means to do away those sins, which God, in his mercy, would not take speedy revenge of, but graciously reserved them to be purged by the blood of his Son.

Romans 3:26

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that, he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

And not only to make known this mercy to those that are gone and past, but also, to declare unto us at this time, and to all that shall come after us unto the end of the world, what is the only means of our standing righteous before God, even Faith in Christ; that thus he might be approved, to be both most just in himself in accepting of none but those that are righteous, and also a justifier of every one (and him alone) that believeth in his Son Jesus.

Romans 3:27

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

What cause of boasting then can any of us have in ourselves, whether Jews or Gentiles? if Gentiles, in our civil justice; and if Jews, in our just works? Surely, none at all. All boasting is utterly excluded: but how, or upon what ground, is our boasting excluded? Surely, not upon the ground of our Works: for, if by our Works we could fulfil the Law, we should have cause of boasting in ourselves; but, upon the ground of Faith, for now that we are justified thereby, upon the free acceptation of God, we have no cause at all to boast in ourselves, but in him alone.

Romans 3:28

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Let this conclusion therefore be firmly set down, That a man is justified, not by the Works of the Law, but by Faith only. III. 29, 30. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Neither is this Justification proper and peculiar to one nation only, but is common to the believers of all nations through the world: never think therefore, that this mercy is confined to the Jews only: no; the grace of God is not limited to them only: God is not the God of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one and the same God, whose goodness extendeth and enlargeth itself to all; and makes no more difference betwixt Jews and Gentiles, but that he justifies the Jews by Faith, and through Faith the Gentiles, which as they are all one in effect, so his merciful act of Justification is one and the same in both.