Romans 3

God Remains Faithful

3Then what's the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?G5101G4053G3767G2453G2228G5101G5622G40612Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.

G4183G2596G3956G5158G4412G3303G1063G3754G4100G3051G23163True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?G1063G5101G1487G5100G569G3361G2673G846G570G2673G4102G2316G26734Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, "You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court."

G3361G1096G1161G1096G2316G1096G227G1161G3956G444G5583G2531G1125G3704G302G1344G1722G4675G3056G2532G3528G1722G4571G29195"But," some might say, "our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn't it unfair, then, for him to punish us?" (This is merely a human point of view.)G1161G1487G2257G93G4921G1343G2316G5101G2046G3361G2316G94G2018G3709G3004G2596G4446Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?G3361G1096G1893G4459G2919G2316G2919G28897"But," someone might still argue, "how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?"G1063G1487G225G2316G4052G1722G1699G5582G1519G846G1391G5101G2089G2919G2504G2919G5613G2688And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, "The more we sin, the better it is!" Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.G2532G3361G2531G987G2532G2531G5100G5346G2248G3004G3754G4160G2556G2443G18G2064G3739G2917G2076G1738

All People Are Sinners

9Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles

, are under the power of sin.G5101G3767G4284G3756G3843G1063G4256G5037G2453G2532G1672G1511G3956G5259G26610As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous—not even one.G2531G1125G3754G2076G3756G1342G3761G152011No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.G2076G3756G4920G2076G3756G1567G231612All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one."

G1578G3956G1578G889G260G889G2076G3756G4160G5544G3756G2076G2193G152013"Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies." "Snake venom drips from their lips."

G846G2995G455G5028G846G1100G1387G2447G785G5259G846G549114"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."

G3739G4750G1073G685G2532G408815"They rush to commit murder.G846G4228G3691G1632G12916Destruction and misery always follow them.G4938G2532G5004G1722G846G359817They don't know where to find peace."

G2532G3598G1515G1097G3756G109718"They have no fear of God at all."

G2076G3756G5401G2316G561G846G378819Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.G1161G1492G3754G3745G3551G3004G2980G1722G3551G2443G3956G4750G5420G2532G3956G2889G1096G5267G231620For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.G1360G1537G2041G3551G1344G3956G3756G4561G1344G846G1799G1063G1223G3551G1922G266

Christ Took Our Punishment

21But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses

and the prophets long ago.G1161G3570G1343G2316G5565G3551G5319G3140G5259G3551G2532G439622We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.G1161G1343G2316G1223G4102G2424G5547G1519G3956G2532G1909G3956G4100G1063G2076G3756G129323For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.G1063G3956G264G2532G5302G1391G231624Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.G1344G1432G846G5485G1223G629G1722G5547G242425For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,G3739G2316G4388G2435G1223G4102G1722G846G129G1519G1732G846G1343G1223G3929G265G4266G1722G463G231626for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.G4314G1732G1722G3568G2540G846G1343G1519G1511G1342G2532G1344G846G4102G1537G242427Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.G4226G2746G3767G1576G1223G4169G3551G2041G3780G235G1223G3551G410228So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.G3767G3049G444G1344G4102G5565G2041G355129After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is.G2228G2316G2453G3440G3780G1161G2532G1484G3483G1484G253230There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles

.G1897G1520G2316G3739G1344G4061G1537G4102G2532G203G1223G410231Well 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.G2673G3767G2673G3551G1223G4102G3361G1096G235G2476G3551