Romans 3:29-31 - Upholding the Law by Faith

Romans 3:29-31 -  29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. 31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

Message: Upholding the Law by Faith

Time: Paul probably wrote Romans between A.D. 57-58 while he was at Corinth in the home of his friend and convert Gaius. He planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money from the Gentile churches to the poor in Jerusalem. Then he hoped to visit Rome on his way to Spain. His hopes were later realized, but not as he had expected. When he finally arrived in Rome in early A.D. 60, he was a prisoner under house arrest (Acts 28:11-31).

What the Lord is Saying:

Background
The essence of chapter 3 is no one is Good. Chapter 2 was basically that no one gets a free pass. And the latter half of chapter 1 is man left to his own ways will turn from God.

In chapter 3, Paul does point to the Jew and confirm that they are chosen by God, but again, this doesn't mean they are exempt from God's wrath. The Jewish person then asks a series of questions with an attempt to catch the believer in a contradiction so as to show his way is best. For example, is God being God contingent on His chosen people choosing the right way? 

And so what Paul does clearly is describe clearly that everyone is held to the same standard. And everyone is guilty. Everyone is a sinner. The important message here is not that people can be good because they can, but the message here is that people are not good and because of this they deserve a punishment but Jesus can take that punishment in man's place. 

God is perfect and holy and cannot look at wrong. He cannot tolerate sin in His presence. Evil cannot be overlooked and remain unpunished. God loves people. He wants to forgive them so they can enjoy Him forever. Jesus lived a perfect life, and through his death Jesus was killed in place of people. At the cross, Jesus received the Lord's wrath in our place. His blood covers those who trust Him. In this way, God's justice has been satisfied and our sins forgiven. We receive this by faith. Faith is agreeing that we are sinners and Jesus is the only one that can save us. Faith is believing in Christ. And believing is trusting and trusting is more than just agreeing it is a complete life change.

Man has no grounds to boast for he hasn't done anything to earn his justification. Justification is by faith apart from any work. 

Today's Text
Paul does it again. He repeats a message in verse 29 he has said before but uses different phrases. "Is God the God of Jews only?" Where else have we heard this so far?
2:11 - There is no partiality with God. 
3:9-18 - Jews and Greeks are all under sin. No one is righteous.
3:26 - Who is justified? The one who has faith (whether Jew or Gentile). 1:16 - Salvation is to the Jew and the Greek.

Again, is God only for the Jews? No way. Most definitely He is the God of gentiles also. How do I know this? Verse 30 tells me. Whether circumcised or not, God justifies by faith. The condition of man is not important.

So, in verse 31, we have an interesting question. Verse 1 of chapter 3 started with a question to the Jew about wondering what advantage there is in being a Jew since circumcision was shown in chapter 2, at the end, to be of no value in and of itself, and God choosing the Jew, didn't give them a free pass. So, now, after the discourse on the fact that no one can be righteous and no can boast because doing things is not how a person is saved, the question then comes up, "is the Law even of any value?" Faith is the means of salvation, not the Law, so don't we nullify the Law then.

And Paul's response is once again an emphatic declaration of May it Never Be. This phrase was also spoken in verse 4 and 6 in response to some questions that were put forth. So, most assuredly not.

Paul states rather, "We establish the Law." Establish is to stand up. Histemi is to cause to stand. The law is clearer because we are saved by faith. However, what is clear is the law and the doing of it comes after salvation. God accepted His people completely and then gave them a law. He loves them and then gave them a law. I love my children and give them rules. I don't give my children in love in order for them to see if they are worth of my love.

Promise: Without the cross in Romans 3:21-26 and Jesus' work, then the Law can't be fulfilled.