Study 5 From The Book of Romans Is: 3:1-20
1. In verses 1-8 the apostle
answers four objections which he found that men raised against the gospel. (The
objections are stated in verses 1, 3, 5 and 7, 8a; the answers are given in
verses 2, 4, 6 and 8b). These will repay careful study; in particular note how Paul describes the Old
Testament Scriptures, to what two attributes of God he holds fast, and what
kind of conduct the strenuously repudiates.
2. In verses 10-18 Paul gives the
general verdict of Scripture upon man in his fallen condition. What does Scripture say (a) about the general
trend of human life (verses 10-12, cf. Is. 53:6a); (b) about man’s speech (verses
13, 14) and (c) about his conduct and inner attitude to God (verses 15-18)? How
does this witness confirm the verdict of experience already given in 1: 18 -32 and 2:17 -29 and lead to the conclusion of 3:19 , 20?
3. Do you assent to the truth that
it is impossible for any man, by his own efforts, to escape condemnation at the
bar of God’s judgement?
Notes
1. Verse 20. ‘Works of the law’: a
phrase which occurs also in verse 28. It
denotes conduct achieved by a man’s own efforts in obedience to a divinely
given statute. Cf. Gal. 3:10-12.
2. Verse 20. ‘Justified ‘ means
‘declared’ or ‘pronounced righteous’.
