Summary: Paul has just argued that God cares about what’s taking place in our hearts rather than the externals. If this is true, the Jewish audience is wondering what benefit is there at all for the Jews whom God set apart. So Paul explains how through their shortcomings the Jews have a frontline view of God’s faithfulness in spite of our sinfulness. Are the Jews in a better position when it comes to judgment? No, every human is equally sinful and under God’s judgment. But they have been given a clearer picture of God’s graciousness. This graciousness is made clear at the end of the chapter when Paul plainly states the gospel. We’ve all sinned. But Christ in his great love came and died for us. It’s his righteousness that’s given to us. We have nothing to boast about in ourselves, but a great God to boast in instead.
Read Romans 3:1-31
Q: God has blessed the Jewish people will a clear vision of himself, but they turned it into self-righteousness. What blessings does Christ give us that we similarly turn into occasions for self-righteousness?
Q: In verse 4, Paul says that the faithfulness of God perseveres through our unfaithfulness. If you are willing to share, have there been moments in your life where you felt you had wandered from God but He showed His love towards you anyway?
Q: Verses 10-18 provide an extreme and almost “over the top” view of the sinfulness of humanity. Do you think of everyone you see as being this type of sinner? Is this even true of all people? Why or why not?
Q: Verse 23 is a famous verse used to remind us that each person in the world is a sinner. It’s a remedy for the self-righteous. But verse 24 reminds us that each person in the world can be freely redeemed by God’s amazing grace. It’s a remedy for self-pity. You’re not so good that you don’t need God and you’re not so bad that he can’t save you. Which error do you see yourself leaning towards? Do you tend to think you’re pretty good or that you’re too bad? And what truth can cure that error?
Q: Paul says that living by faith in Christ provides us no opportunity to boast (vs. 27). Why does boasting have no place in the Christian life? And why are we still so tempted towards pride?
Q: Twice in this chapter Paul asks the question if God’s great grace towards us should result in a license for us to sin (vs. 8, 31). If God freely forgives every single sin we have simply because we ask him, then what motivates us to do what’s right at all? What’s to stop a Christian from living like a pagan and just asking for forgiveness?
To learn more about what the Bible means by the word “sin” which is an enormous theme in Romans 3 watch this video from the Bible Project on Sin.