Romans 3:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

NIV: Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

NASB: Do we then nullify the Law through faith? Far from it! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

CSB: Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

NLT: Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

KJV: Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

NKJV: Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 3 concludes with Paul addressing one more imagined objection from religious Jews who might be reading these words: "So you're just throwing out the law of Moses and starting from scratch, then? The law is out and faith is in just because you say so?"

Paul uses his standard emphatic response to these kinds of questions: "By no means!" This is the phrase mē genoito in Greek. Paul insists that his teaching about faith in Christ does not overthrow or nullify the law. Instead, it upholds or establishes the law.

That statement, of course, raises all kinds of questions from both sides. Does Paul mean that the law is still in effect and we must all, Jews and Gentiles alike, be circumcised and keep its commands? Is Paul going to try to blend the works of the law into faith in Christ as a way to be acceptable to God? That's exactly what some Jewish religious leaders wanted Paul to do. Romans chapter 4, though, will explain exactly what Paul means when he says that his teaching upholds the law.

Romans 3:21–31 finally introduces the ''good news'' part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Up to this point, Paul has shown that even following the law cannot spare us from being judged by God for our sin. Now Paul announces that, through faith in Christ, we can be made righteous in God's sight. Entirely apart from the law, we can be redeemed by the atoning sacrifice of Christ's blood, willingly shed for our sin. This gift of God's grace instead of wrath is available to everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike. This is truly good news!

Romans 3 begins with a question-and-answer scheme. These are responses one might expect from someone opposed to what Paul wrote in Romans 2. Next, Paul quotes from a series of Old Testament passages. These Scriptures show that those writers also agreed that nobody, not one person, deserves to be called righteous. Paul declares emphatically that no one will be justified by following the works of the law. Finally, though, he arrives at the good news: righteousness before God is available apart from the law through faith in Christ's death for our sin on the cross.

The prior chapter explained that God's judgment on sin will come to all men, whether or not they understand the literal law. Faith in God, in the heart, matters more to God than rote obedience. At the start of this chapter, Paul answers a series of questions from an imagined objector to those teachings. Next, he quotes a series of Old Testament passages which support His teaching that human beings are by nature sinful. Each of us turns away from God. Nobody can be justified by the law, Paul insists. Fortunately, it is possible to attain God's righteousness: but only by His grace, through faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice for our sin on the cross. We must come to this by faith, and it is available to Jews and Gentiles alike.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.

Accessed 5/6/2024 4:36:10 AM