SCRIPTURE: Romans 3:1-9

In 1:18-32, Paul described the moral condition of the Gentiles as corrupt by nature, and desperately wicked, even though God had endowed them with conscience and its law, and revealed Himself to them in nature.

In chapter 2 the moral condition of the Jews is described as no better than that of the Gentiles, over whom superiority is boasted. So, being placed on a level of equal condemnation and guilt with the Gentiles, the Jews are much dissatisfied and a dialogue ensues in these verses.

3:2 the oracles of God: This phrase is a reference to the Old Testament Scriptures, and in particular refers to the prophesies about Christ. This is clear from the unbelief of the Jews in (v. 3) For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?.

They accepted the OT, but the Messianic prophesies they rejected. In (Acts 7:38) This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us, we have the enlightening phrase: logia zônta…living oracles.

Thus, the oracles of God are not dead letters on parchment, but living because operative-awakening the conscience, fulfilling promises, curses, etc.

3:3 the faithfulness of God: The rest of the v. showed that they rightly believed in the immutability of God, but wrongly believed that the covenant promises to the elect Jew were unconditional.

The somber spiritual condition of the elect moved Jesus to say to them: "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me" (John 5:39).

With respect to this testimony, they were in unbelief.

3:4-30 Dikaioo occurs in Rom 15 times, and 6 times in this chapters. (vv. 4, 20, 24, 26, 28, 30).

So, concluding the discussion that the whole world is lost and in need of a Savior, Paul rises to profound heights of revelation knowledge, showing how God delivers man from sin: I On God’s part,

(1) He set forth His Son-an atonement (v.25);

(2) on the ground of the shed blood, God has made the supreme provision for righteousness in fact.

So, legal justification-to declare as just-must, on the ground of the atonement, give way to being made righteous.

Under the Law men were justified in the declarative or forensic sense. Sin was not removed, but passed over (v. 25b), for the blood of the Levitical animal never can completely take away sins (Heb 10:11, cf. v. 4 & John 1:29). And every priest stanbdeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes that same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: (v.4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

(John 1:29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

But the supreme provision, the shed blood of Christ, prevailed, doing what the Law or the blood of the Levitical animal could never do-take away sin and make righteous (dikaioo).

Thus, under the Law, as God "passed over the sins," He was obliged to deal with sin on a legal basis: to justify, to declare persons righteous.

Legal righteousness was simply forensic, as ceremony pointed to reality.

II On man’s part righteousness is by faith-a crisis experience in which regenerative change is wrought-thus life in Christ.

Conduct then accords with the in-Christ life…made righteous (dikaioo).

When the Calvinist and Reformation advocates speak of righteousness by faith, no regenerative change is understood; so with them, there is no quality of life to exceed the unregenerate condition.

The sinner goes on sinning. Accordingly, one cannot be heir to the righteousness which is by faith while in rebellion and unbelief.

This was precisely the problem of the Jews-unbelief. The sinner must, by faith, accept the blood of Christ as efficacious to do what the blood of the Levitical animal COULD NEVER DO-take away sin!

A synopsis of these verses under discussion, with dikaioo in mind runs as follows:

(1) Under the Law men were justified by a forensic act of God or a legal declaration, and so, counted righteous, not made righteous (v.4); (2) the ground for legal justification consisted in the fact that the Law could not make righteous (v.20); (Hebrews 10:4, 11). But God in righteous forbearance passed over sins, until Calvary (v. 25; cf. Acts 17:30);

(3) thus in v. 20, no flesh will be made righteous [not justified] in His sight under law. But now a man is made righteous [not justified] by faith (v.28) on the ground of the shed blood of Christ (v.25), apart from law (v.21);

(4) here we establish the meaning of dikaioo in Rom and, indeed, in the New Testament: Under the Law dikaioo was forensic, to justify, to declare righteous, etc., but in the New Testament it means to make righteous; i. e., on the ground of the blood of Christ, we now have the reality of the "how much more" efficacy (Heb 9:14), righteousness transcendently exceeding the "counting as righteous" under the Levitical animal that never could "take away sins" (Heb 10:4);

(5) Reformation theology, and all forms of Calvinism, have destroyed the salvation vocabulary of the New Testament, by perverting the meaning of dikaioo to a legal status.

The blood of Christ, the Son of God, has been reduced to an EQUALITY with the blood of the Levitical animal-neither remove sin or make righteous in this life

3:4 MAY BE JUSTIFIED: Justified here highlights all that the Law can do-legal declaration, not regenerative.

3:20 by…the Law no flesh will be justified: Wrong. That is precisely what the Law did-justified persons whose sins were "passed by."

Note: 2:13 says that "the doers of the Law will be justified, i.e., forensic or legal justification; but "the hearers of the Law" will not be declared just.

The correct translation is: "by works of law no flesh will be made righteous," because the blood of the Levitical animal could not remove sin and make righteous.

Thus, law brought knowledge of that from which it was powerless to deliver-sin.

3:21This verse reveals a new day in righteousness:

This righteousness is a manifestation-"has been manifested;" it is apart from law (cf. v.28b). Thus, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Romans 10:4).

(2) This righteousness was witnessed by the Law and prophets (cf. Romans 1:2).

They saw the day when, in Christ, declarative righteousness must give way to regenerative change: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you….I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes" (Ezek 36:26-27); cf. (Hebrew 8:8-12).

This is the day of reformation (Heb 9:10-14).

This is the day of freedom from all sin…a day that has provoked more unbelief than any day in the history of mankind!

3:24 being justified: The translation should be: being made righteous…through the redemption…in Christ Jesus.

This is a statement of a new heart, of reformation, of the gospel day, and hence, of the end of law.

This righteousness came to us:

(1) as a free gift (dôrean), as the initiative of God; (2) it came by His grace, favor, delight; (3) it came by way of redemption from sin.

This powerful word, whether in relation to the soul or body, has to do with a return to life consequent upon the destruction of the condition that brought death and separation from God.

3:25 propitiation: Hilastêrion should be translated atonement, the purpose of which is to make provision for the removal of sin that stands between God and man.

Redemption noted above is the removal of sin. Christ died for all; few will be saved. Thus, provision and benefit are conditional. Note that Christ fulfills the typology of the tabernacle: He is Priest, Altar, and Sacrifice. John says of Him: "And He, Himself, is an Atonement" (1 John 2:2).

This is a construction, showing that He is the Atonement and the atonement is He.

Passed over the sins: This is the ground or necessity for justification, legal, or declarative righteousness, as sin could not be removed until Christ came.

3:26 be just and the justifier: Better: "so as to be just Himself even while making a man righteous by faith from Christ."

Forensic righteousness ceased with the Levitical system; believers in Christ are made righteous. Thus, God in justice can no longer pass over sin.

Calvary being the criteria, not the Levitical animal, sin is removed in the here and now, not after death.

3:28 justified by faith: Rather: made righteous by faith, and Paul adds that this is apart from…law. This the Law could not do.

3:30 by [ek] faith…through [dia] faith: There is a difference: By faith implies that the oracles which the circumcision had especially relates to Messianic promise.

By faith in these, "God…will make righteous (dikaiôsei, future tense) the circumcision."

Through faith implies that God will make righteous the uncircumcision through faith in the Messianic promises newly delivered to them throughout the "gospel day."

WORD STUDIES: In vv. 4-30, dikaioo is used only once in the forensic sense and is properly translated justified. In the rest, it is wrongly translated justified.