A Study of The Book of Romans

Lesson 22 Chapter 3:19 – 20 - Although let’s read through Verse 26

A. Introduction. (Let’s refresh ourselves on the last few weeks.)

1. Verse 9 “…for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;”

2. Verse 10 “…There is none righteous, no, not one:”

3. Verse 11 “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”

4. Verse 12 “…they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

5. Verses 13, 14 “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: (14.) Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:”

6. Verse 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood:”

7. Verse 16 “Destruction and misery are in their ways:”

8. Verse 17 “And the way of peace have they not known:”

9. Verse 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

10. If we would look at “God’s Law” (the Ten Commandments) we could see how man (both Jews and Gentiles) have broken all ten. And remember verse 9 is the key in that Paul includes both Jews and Gentiles.

11. Let’s also not forget Romans 2:25 “For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.” Works is useless unless we keep the law in its entirety and without fail which is impossible since we are born sinners. Psalms 58:3 “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

12. This means man is born in a “Totally Depraved State” and this is what Paul has described in a very complete way and without fail. There is nothing in man from head to toe that without Jesus Christ will ever cause them to be worthy to God. Nor will their depraved nature ever allow them to “Choose Christ”.

B. Verse 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 world may become guilty before God.”

1. When Paul says “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law:” Which is the entire population and not just the Jews but also the Gentiles.

a. We do know that the law was given from God to Moses and from Moses to the Jewish people; however Moses truly gave it to the entire population when he gave it to the Jewish people.

b. We know also that the law is used as a “School Master” in bringing us to the reality of sin, Galatians 3:23 - 26 “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. (24.) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25.) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (26.) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” - so the argument it was not meant for us Gentiles is a false argument.

c. The law was never, and will never be a part of salvation, salvation is only possible by faith in Jesus Christ.

d. But let’s not just stop at the Ten Commandments, isn’t the entire Old Testament the Law of God? And to continue isn’t the entire Bible God’s law?

2. “…that every mouth may be stopped…”

a. Paul means the argument is over, there is no reason to go on with the questions of argument. Just as he told the Jews their circumcision was worthless as far as justification so is

b. The works of man today worthless. Paul has just stopped every sensible argument.

c. This includes every Jew but Paul also includes every Gentile, “and all the world”.

d. The doctrine of election is not just about Israel and neither is this passage of scripture.

3. “…and all the world may become guilty before God.”

a. This reminds us of verse 10 “…There is none righteous, no, not one:” The entire population of mankind (excluding Christ Jesus) is guilty of sin before God, and let’s not forget while Jesus Christ was not a sinner, He did take the sins of all the elect.

b. The law is not saving factor it is a condemning factor and it and it alone shows us all guilty before God.

C. Verse 20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

1. Since the law I not a saving factor but rather a condemning factor then “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:” Not by the law, not by works of any sort, but only through Jesus Christ.

a. When Paul says "justified" he means to be declared righteous, to be saved, to meet God's standards.

b. The word “justified” here we must also understand is used in a legal sense and is a legal term signifying a guilt or innocence or condemned or acquitted before the Great Judge which is Jesus Christ. In other words the law condemns us but Jesus Christ saves us for penalty and frees us from the condemnation of the law.

2. “…for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

a. This brings us back to what we looked at in verse 19 when we used Galatians 3:23 - 26 as a reference scripture, the law is simply a schoolmaster to bring us to the knowledge of sin, it was never intended to be used as any part of salvation as so many today believe.

b. Paul goes much deeper in Romans 7:7-10 "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. (8.) But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (desire or lust). For without the law sin was dead. (9.) For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (10.) And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death."

c. The law also shows man to be a failure and that man has nothing to boast of in the flesh, it was never a tool for boasting. This reminds me of Ephesians 2:9 "Not of works, lest any man should boast." Boast means to be proud in oneself, beloved in the flesh we have nothing to be proud of except for God’s grace and Jesus Christ as our beloved Saviour.

d. This is why Paul went on in verse 24 to say “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” not the law but by grace that is in Christ Jesus. But more on that next week.