Romans | Lecture 6 : BC303-Rom-20260825

Welcome back after break. Just before we went for our break, we were looking at studying We were studying chapter 2 verses 7 and 8. Okay? So, in verse 7 and 8, Paul is basically contrasting two groups. One group who patiently continues in doing what is good. Uh those who live by faith that produce obedience, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. And the second group is those who are self-seeking or rejecting the truth, whether Jews or Gentiles. Okay? So, this continues the point where Paul says that Jews cannot hide behind the law or they cannot, you know, say the law is there and they can be, you know, they can they are defended by the law. But the Gentiles and also the Gentiles can't plead ignorance because God looks at the reality of who they are and what they do and not just their labels. Okay? Any questions so far? Verses 1 to verse 8? No? Okay, there are no questions or no doubts. We'll move on to verses 9 and 10. So, can somebody please read verses 9 and 10, please? Online students can also read. >> Tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jews first and also of the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jews first and also to the Greek. >> Amen. Thank you. So, here in verses 9 and 10, Paul is stressing the universality of the judgment. Okay? What is the universality of the judgment that both Jews and the Gentiles will face their consequences or they will face the judgment for the choices they make. And what is the order? Jew first >> First for the Jew and for Gentiles. >> And for the Greek, which matches to Romans chapter 1 verse 16 versus the gospel is to the Jew first and then to the also for the Greek, okay? So, what is Paul saying here? Same privilege order, same accountability order. Okay? Gospel first to the Jew gen for the Gentile, okay? So, privilege order, accountability order is also Jew first and then the Gentiles or the Greeks, okay? And but he says in verse 11, for there is no partiality with God, okay? So, this drives home the nail, so to say. God is impartial, right? Romans 1 he says Gentiles are guilty. Romans 2 he says Jews are guilty. And Romans 3 verses 9 to 10 he concludes that no one is righteous not one. And what is the result? The result is what? That we all need the righteousness of God. And how do we receive the righteousness of God? It comes by faith in Christ Jesus. Romans chapter 3 verses 21 to 24, okay? So, that is what he's trying to say here. So, Romans chapter 2 verses 5 to 11, okay, which we are looking at isn't just moral advice, it's not just saying do good or get life, but part of Paul's uh you know, uh argument or you can say co- so to say courtroom argument. And what is a courtroom argument? Everyone, whether Jew or Gentile, will be judged by their deeds. And but all have fallen short of the glory of God. All have sinned. That showing that how desperate we are for the gospel or it's showing the desperate need for the gospel. Are you able to understand? Showing the desperate need for the gospel. Okay? Okay. We'll move on to verses 12 to 16. So, can somebody please read verses 12 to 16? >> All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law. And all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in the God's sight, but it it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. >> Uh 14 to 16 as well. >> Indeed, when Gentiles who do do not have the law do by nature think required by the law, they are als- they are a law for themselves even though they do not have the law. >> Written in verse 15. This uh this they show that the requirement of the law are written on their hearts and their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts same times accusing them at the other time even the defending them. And this will be take place on the day when God judge people secret through the Jesus Christ as my gospel declares. >> Amen. So, see here in verses 12 to 16, he basically talks how everyone will be judged. Okay? How will the Jews be judged? Yes, they have the law and the law will judge them. The Gentiles, what does he say? Do they have the law or not? No, they are without the law, but what will happen? They too will perish. >> Conscience. >> They too will perish without the law. They don't have the law, but they too will perish without the law. And look at what verse 13 says. He says, you uh he says, you just cannot, you know, uh just hear the law, but you need to keep the law in order to be justified, okay? So, he's telling the Jews, you just cannot hear the law, but you also have to keep the law and then only you will be made just You'll be justified means what? You will be made right or just before God. So, what about we can say the Jews have the law, they'll be judged by the law. What about the Gentiles? We can ask this question. What about the Gentiles who don't have the law, okay? Look at what verse 14 says. For when Gentiles who do not have the law, by nature do things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to them selves, okay? So, what is he saying? He's saying the Gentiles, by nature, they do things pertaining to the law, okay? So, he's saying that the way What is he saying by then Gentiles by nature do things pertaining to the law? What is he saying? He's saying that the way people are designed, we're all designed with something inside of us. And what is inside of us? What has God given to us? Conscience and reason. So, inside of us we know what is right and wrong. So, what is he referring to? He's saying the the Gentiles don't have a law, but there is something within themselves, okay? Now, come to verse 15, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them, okay? So, verse 15, Paul is saying the Gentiles don't have they've not given the law, but the law is where written where? They have a law written in their heart. What is this law that is written in their heart? Their conscience. Yes, their conscience. So, he's saying their conscience, the Gentile have the inbuilt law that is written in them, and what is the inbuilt written law? Their conscience, okay? So, he says every man is born with a conscience, and that is a law that is written within their hearts, and it gives them the capacity to know what is right and wrong, and that is built within every person. Can the Can our conscience be damaged? Yes, okay? Our ability to do know right and wrong can be damaged, okay? But, we need to remember that even though the Jews have the law, and the rest of the Gentiles have the inbuilt law written in their hearts, judged by the gospel of Jesus Christ, okay? So, we need to remember that conscience does not replace the gospel. The law does not replace the gospel, and the conscience is uh yes, the conscience is an alternate law, but it does not replace the gospel, okay? Do you understand what I'm saying? The Jews have the law, the Gentiles have the inbuilt law written on their hearts, and what is that? Their conscience, but it does not replace the gospel. Verse 16, in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. So, Paul is making a conclusion here. He concludes, "How is God going to judge the secrets of men?" According to my gospel. So, the judgment of God, which is a righteous judgment, which is then which is he which is already said it's a righteous judgment, which is an impartial judgment, and which is a judgment according to the truth, will all be done according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, we will not be judged according to the law or the conscience, but we will be judged according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, the question you can ask is, "What happens to those who do not hear the gospel? How will they be judged?" Because Paul is saying, "You will not be judged by the law, you will not be judged by reason or conscience." Then, how will and everybody will be judged by the gospel of Jesus Christ. But how can everyone be judged by the gospel of Jesus Christ when they do not hear the gospel? Then, if they do not hear the gospel, how will they be judged? So, answering that, Paul has explained so far in chapter 1 and chapter 2 that there are people who have the law, and there are people who have the don't have the law, but they have the inbuilt law written on their hearts. And he says that is their conscience. That means in in within every human being, there are two things that telling them there is a God, and telling them what is that what is telling them to seek the truth, telling them to seek what is right. And what is that? He's saying that every person has the reason. Through reason, through creation, every person can look and say that there is a creator because we already saw the invisible attributes of God are seen in creation. And he also says that every person has a conscience, whether they are Jews or Gentiles, okay? So, these two things in every person is directing them or is convicting them and telling them, "Hey, there is a God." Right? Your reason and your conscience is telling you, "Hey, there is a God." How is your reason telling you when you look at creation, when you see order, you see perfection, you see the invisible attributes of God, you see the Godhead, you see the eternal power? Your reason tells you, "Hey, there is a creator. There is somebody powerful. There is a God." Right? So, these two things are directing people or convicting them and telling them there is a God and it's telling them, "Hey, you should seek and find out the true and living God." Okay? And what does the Bible say? Everyone who seeks after this God, God would What does the Bible say? Everyone who seek God would Those who seek me will What? Jesus God says in the Old Testament, "Those who seek me will find me." Yes. "Those who seek me will find me." So, he's saying, when people see all of these things, the creation and they know there is and you know, in it's a reflecting the invisible attributes of God, his divine power, the Godhead, they should do what? They should seek after the truth. They should seek the living God. They should say, "God, reveal yourself to me." And every person who seeks after this God, God in some way will bring the gospel to this person. So, can you see how beautifully he's building it up? Right? From chapter one, how he's saying creation, he's talking about law, he's talking about reason and conscience, and he's saying everyone will be judged by the gospel of Jesus Christ. And how will you be judged by the gospel of Jesus Christ when you can say that some people don't even hear the gospel? Creation itself reveals their reason, tells them. Okay? Creation shows them, and they seek after God, and God in some way will bring the gospel to that person. So, you're seeing how salvation is the work of God, but also it requires our cooperation with God, right? Because Jesus died on the cross doesn't mean everybody are saved. What did each one of us do? We put our faith, we believed in what Jesus has done on the cross. We accepted him as our Lord and savior. So, every person who seeks after this God, God in some way will bring the gospel to that person. Okay? But we can ask this question, if a person dies without hearing the gospel, what would happen to them? What is the answer? We can only state according to verse 16, what the Holy Spirit revealed to Paul, that everyone will be judged according to the gospel. No excuse. So, you can ask this question, will God have another way to judge people who have never heard about the gospel? I don't know. Scripture does not mention, hence we cannot come up with an alternative. We cannot come up with an alternate option. All we know is what we have in verse 16, in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. So, God will judge everyone according to the gospel. Okay? So, there is we cannot come up with another alternative. We cannot come up with another alternative option. All we know is what is revealed to us in scripture, verse 16. That God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to the gospel or my gospel. So, the question is what is the gospel? Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. So, without Christ there is no salvation. Scripture says there's no other name given by men to men by which they can be saved, okay? So, we cannot say that God will use the conscience to judge people who have not heard the gospel. That's a wrong con- conclusion. We can only say what is revealed in verse 16 that they would be judged according to the gospel. That is why we need to share and proclaim the gospel. Right? Everyone is excited and saying, "Oh, Jesus is coming soon. Jesus is coming soon. When is Jesus coming? When is Jesus coming?" But what is Jesus What is God doing? Romans chapter 2, verse 4. His merc- His In his goodness, mercy, forbearance, long suffering, he's waiting for all of them to repent. So, instead of us being rushing to say, "Okay, come fast. Come fast. We got the ticket to go." We also have to give the ticket to others, right? So, we need to share and proclaim the gospel. Yes, please give him the mic. Yes. >> Ma'am, how can our conscience be destroyed? >> How can your conscience be smeared or how can your conscience be um distorted or, you know, um your um What is the word I use damaged right how can your conscience be damaged now for example You are doing assessments right So in the assessments The teacher is not there So you can your friends can say hey let's discuss right let's discuss and you know let's find out the answer all of us will work together and we'll do the assessment is that right the voice telling you saying inside you saying Don't do it Or You are saying you do one question one I'll do question two whatever is all the right answers you got you tell me question two I will help you so We'll help each other But your conscience is saying No don't do that right Or you can use some tools online and get all the answers and Do very well but your conscience is telling you Don't do that right or in your place where you are in a businessman or in a job where you're getting you are in a place where you can get a lot of bribes money under the table and every time you do that your conscience is saying don't do it So the first time when you your conscience when you're doing something wrong in that specific area telling a lie or cheating or looking at something that is you know dirty on you know on internet you know your conscience says the whistle blows like loud don't do it But You hear it you know you shouldn't be doing you still do it the second time when you are in the same place your conscience will tell you don't do it but the voice comes lower and lower and lower and lower and lower to an extent where your conscience becomes dead in that area See so some people you you see them they can just say tell lies at the drop of a hat. You won't even be able to catch them. Some people, they open their mouth, they're just talking normally to somebody, but they will have all the bad words. Okay? You think how can this person even use these words when they're just talking normally, not even angry, just normal conversation? Their conscience is dead to that. Like I told you, I was I work with drug addicts and alcoholics, right? They come to the de-addiction center, young boys like you wearing jeans, but when they pull up their jeans a little bit, their legs are like elephants leg because they're you know, they are their their leg is called gangrene. They have to amputate it, cut it off. They know it, but they come they come for treatment, they'll go back and they fix it in the same place. Why? Their conscience is so dead. They know they're going to die, they have to cut off that leg, amputate it. There's nothing that they can do. So, first time terrorist takes a gun to shoot somebody, what happens? He might not sleep for, you know, days together. But then after some time, he will not even bother whether he's killing, shooting a infant, a baby, a pregnant lady, an old woman, he'll just go on a killing spree. His conscience is dead. So, that is why when your conscience tells you the first time don't do it, don't do it. Otherwise, your conscience slowly becomes dead to that part of you. Yeah. It's like Paul says, your conscience is seared like a hot iron. What happens when you keep hot iron on certain part of your thing, your nerves die, you know, uh your nerves at that point gets burnt and becomes dead. So, even if I take a very, very hot, red hot iron bar and keep it on that place, you will not feel any pain because your nerves in that point is basically dead. The the with your conscience. Yes. Any other questions? No? Any doubts? Yes, Akash. Where's the mic? >> He's saying how we can make the conscience alive. >> How can you make your conscience alive? Good question. Very important. So, how can you make your conscience alive? You tell me. What is the first thing you need to do when your conscience is dead? What should you do? Yeah, what what you pray? What is that prayer called? Prayer of repentance. You repent and ask God. And you, you know, tell him that you're sorry and ask him to revive your conscience, you know, and next time when you're going to do the same thing, you'll be mindful of it and you don't do it. Right? And the whole ask the Holy Spirit to enable you and to help you. Yeah. Meditate on scripture passages for that area of your conscience. Okay? Some some things are very very hard. Pray in the pray in tongues which will help you overcome your weakness. Yes. And ask the Holy Spirit to help you. And basically flee from those situations. So, if you're if it is, you know, smoking or drinking, then you don't go for parties and with friends who are doing that. Right? If it is, you looking up you know, sexual perverted things on internet, have somebody sit with you when you are, you know, doing surfing the net or you know, or don't even do that. Just go to, you know, sites which you want to and then shut down the laptop or computer, whatever. Yeah. Okay, any other questions? If not, we'll move on to verse 17. Can somebody read verse 17, please? >> Now you, if you call yourself a Jew, if you rely on the law and boast in God. >> Okay, verse 17 is Uh thank you. He's strongly rebuking the Jews. And he's telling the Jews he's coming back to the same thing, okay? So it's basically a repetition. He's coming back to the Jews. He's rebuking the Jews and says, "Jews, you're resting. That means you're relying in the law and boasting in God." Verse 18? Verse 18? >> If you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law. >> Okay. So here Paul is actually building up the case here. Okay? In verse 18, he's telling them you know his will. That means he's telling the Jews you know his will. You know what is right and wrong. You're teaching it yourself, but you yourself are not doing it and you're also breaking the law. He's basically repeating the whole thing again, okay? Now let's move on to verses 19 to 24. Okay? And he's saying the same thing again in different ways. So anyway, we'll just read 19 to 24. >> If you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth. Amen. >> 19 and 20, ma'am. >> Uh 21 to 24. >> Uh you then who teaches others, you do not teach yourself. You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written, God's name is blemished among the Gentiles because of you. Amen. >> Amen. Thank you, Sriraj. So, here he's repeating the same thing. He's saying, "Okay, you're teaching the law, you're doing the same thing. You're saying don't commit adultery, you yourself are committing adultery, you know, and all of those things. You You're saying no one should steal, you yourself are stealing, you know, and you you boast in the law, and you dishonor God when you break the law." And he's saying verse seven, he says, "The name of God is blasphemed." Okay, what's the meaning of blasphemed? It's It's being used like a cursed thing, curse word, okay? And he's saying, you know, or you're dishonoring the name of God, and you're doing exactly When are you dishonoring the name of God? When you're doing exactly what the law does not require you to do, okay? When you are doing opposite of what the law says, and when people are seeing this, especially the Gentiles, what is happening? The name of God is being blasphemed. So, he's basically repeating the same to the Jews, "You're not keeping the law." Okay? Yeah, we'll move on to verses 25 to 29. Can somebody please read verses 25 to 29? >> Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become You have become as though you had not been circumcised. So, then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who even though you have the written code and circumcision are they are a law break. A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly nor is circumcision merely outward and physically. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly and circumcision is circumcision of the heart by the spirit not by the written code. Such a person's praise not from the from other people but from >> Amen. Thank you. So, verses 25 to 29, he goes on to talk about the issue of circumcision. Why is he talking about circumcision here? Why? I already told you. >> It was a regulation in the Old Testament and it's been followed by the the generation of Abraham's children. >> Okay, the Jews keep it but why is he talking about circumcision here? In this context. What is the context he's talking about here? In chapter two. What is the context? >> The Jews are guilty. >> about keeping the law. Okay, keeping the law. What are the the what are the Jews how are the Jews feeling? >> Jews are guilty. They're feeling guilty. >> They're feeling guilty? Are they really feeling guilty? >> No, they're feeling secure because of the law. >> Yes, they're feeling righteous. Righteous. They're feeling self-righteous whites. >> Because they have their covenant. >> They have the law and also they are saying that you know, they have been given the circum- circumcision because of which the Jews are very proud. Circumcision is what? A sign of a covenant with God. Okay, so circumcision is a sign of the covenant of God. So, he's saying, "Look, even if you have circumcision or you are circumcised and are breaking the law, you are not doing the right thing." Okay. So, he's saying you have the circumcision, that means you have the sign of the covenant with God, but you're breaking the law and you're not doing the right thing. Okay. Then, the circumcision which is your physical sign of your covenant with God amounts to nothing, right? So, he says, "You have the law, you don't keep the law, you break the law, then the circumcision which has been given to you as a sign of the covenant amounts to nothing." Okay. And then he says, "If the uncircumcised, who's the uncircumcised? The Gentiles. If the Gentiles keep the law or the Gentiles do things that are right, then should we not say that it is un- that his uncircumcision is good as being circumcised? Yes or no? Yes or no? He's uncircumcised, but he's you know, keeping the law, that means he's doing what is right, then shouldn't we say that the uncircumcision is good as being circumcised? Okay. Because he's doing what is right before God. And in verses 28 to 29, Paul says what really matters is not circumcision or uncircumcision. You know, what really matters is not circumcision of the flesh, physical circumcision, but the circumcision of the what? Heart. What is he meaning? Saying what really important is not physical circumcision that, you know, you do as children of Abraham, okay? The the circumcision of the flesh, but what is important circumcision of the heart. That means what? Circumcision of the heart means what? >> Being right with God. >> Being right with God, a change of heart. Okay? It means a change of heart. God takes a heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. So, the understanding here is of no is not just of outward rituals, but of an inward change that is in that is important and not just physical circumcision. So, what is he actually telling the Jews? You are feeling very self-righteous. You have the law and the sign of the covenant which is circumcision. You try to keep the law. You cannot keep it. You're doing this physical circumcision makes you feel very self-righteous, but that is not what is outwardly done as a ritual is not what makes you righteous before God. What is important is a change of heart, not the physical circumcision. Okay? Did you understand? Yes, no? Okay, so let's go on to our notes now. Okay? Uh can you give me the notes? 1 minute, please. Yeah. So, in the notes, uh of course, I've not been If you notice, I've not been following the notes, but we can just look at a few things in the notes here. Okay? Uh most of page 21 has been covered. Uh we also saw how God judges. So, look at top of page number 22. How does God judge? We also looked at this. According to the truth, verse two of Romans two. Verse five, according to righteous judgment. Verse 11, without partiality. Verse 16, according to the gospel. Okay? So, what does God judge? Romans chapter two verses 6 to 11, what does God judge? Look at your notes. It's there. What is he going to judge? Page number 22. Our deeds. >> He will judge the secrets of men. >> He will see the secrets of men. He will judge our deeds, verses 6 to 11. He'll judge the obedience to the truth and to righteousness versus disobedience. Uh, what else will he judge? Verse seven. Romans 2:7. It's said in your notes. Our seeking or our desire. Our own glory, honor, immortality versus self. Okay? Romans 2:16, what does he judge? Our motives, the secrets of the heart. Okay? When will God judge? Look at top of page number 23. When will God judge? Verse five of chapter two, on the day of wrath. Verse 16, when the day when God will judge. That means that's a a day when God has appointed to judge all people. Okay? Yeah. If you turn to page number, uh, 24, you see about conscience there. There are different conscience, uh, different conditions of conscience that is mentioned in the Bible. What are the different conditions of the conscience. Good conscience, without offense, pure conscience, weak conscience, seared conscience. What is this First Timothy chapter 4 verse 2? What is seared conscience? I told you when you take the iron box, right? And you keep it on any part of your hand, finger, or your skin, the nerve endings die and it's a smeared seared conscience. Uh you know, defiled conscience and an evil conscience, okay? Yeah, the other things is just explained. So, any questions in chapter 2 before we move on to chapter 3? Thank you. Yeah. Any questions? All of you with me? Okay. Okay, so if there are no questions, let's move on to chapter 3, okay? Now, in chapter 2 Paul has already told a Jew that having the law and having circumcision does not really profit if you end up breaking the law or not keeping the law, okay? So, in chapter 3 he builds on the same thought, but he actually softens the blow, so to say. He's been very hard on them, but he's making things a little more softer and lighter for them. He says, so the Jews when they're reading this, they're saying, "Okay, you're saying, you know, the law is not important, circumcision, which is a sign of the covenant, is not important. You'll be judged by the gospel." So, the Jews who are reading this, they will say, "You know, so are we really important, you know?" So, he softens the whole thing a little bit in chapter 3 because he's been very hard on them in chapter 1 and 2. He says, "Yes, you Jews are important." Why? Because you are the people who God whom God has entrusted his word and his law. Okay? Says, you are people who are important. Why? Because God has entrusted his word and his law. Okay? But Paul uh Paul's main point remains clear that neither Jew nor Gentile is perfect before God. Okay? So, it's almost as if Paul is saying, "Hey Jews, don't think I'm, you know, totally dismissing you entirely. You are significant people because God has given you the law, but at the same time, whether you are a Jew or Gentile, you all stand guilty before God, and all of us have sinned. Okay? All of us have sinned. So, by the time we come to the first half of chapter three, this conclusion is something that we cannot overlook or is inescapable, that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Or we have all sinned and there is no one who is righteous before God. Okay? And it's only after he establishes this universal guilt, so far so so to say, that we are all guilty, all of us, that Paul now shifts into the heart of the gospel. So, he's What is he proving? Whether you're Jew, Gentile, whether you have the law, your conscience, or reason, everything will all be judged by the gospel. None of us are righteous. None of us are good. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And once he's proving that we're all guilty, now he shifts to the heart of the gospel. He says, "But God has made a way for the Jews and the Gentiles to be forgiven. Look at how he's building it up, okay? And what is that way? What is the way God has made for all uh to be forgiven? Jews and Gentiles. Through Jesus Christ. Yes. The redemption that is freely offered by grace, okay? And then we see that Paul develops this argument further in chapter 4, where he explains that salvation is received only by faith. And chapter 5, he says it's because of God's grace that we receive it. So, you can see the flow that he is bringing. What is the flow? Chapter 1, chapter 2, chap And coming to chapter 3, the flow is we've all broken the law. We're all sinners. And God has provided us forgiveness through whom? Jesus Christ. And how do we receive it? Chapter 3, by by and chapter 4, by faith. And it's only by his grace, chapter 5, that we receive this. So, you see how he's building up. Chapter 1, all of them have sinned. Chapter 2, you can't say this or that, you know, we've all sinned. Chapter 3, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Then he starts explaining chapter 4 and 5, salvation is only received by faith. And he says, because of God's grace that we receive it. So, you see the flow and how he is building it up. So, Paul is actually building a strong foundation layer by layer to show the fullness of the gospel, right? Isn't it interesting? Yes or no? Okay. So, we will move on to chapter 3. Okay? Now, in chapter 3, the first part of chapter 3, Paul in verse 1 to 8, Paul addresses some common objections that could have could be raised because of God's judgment or how God will judge. So, he's actually when he's writing it, he's thinking of the the the people he's writing to. When they read this, what will they think? And he knows when he says the Jews, you don't have the law, the Gentile, you know, you have the law but you will be judged by the law and the Gentiles, you have the reason and conscience, you know, but all of you will you know, be by the the gospel of Jesus Christ. Uh he knows some of the objections that will they will raise up or will come up in their minds about God's judgment and about how God would judge. So, Paul is asking some questions in this chapter, chapter three. Okay, and he's answering the questions himself in regard to God's judgment. So, he raises up questions and the questions is self-answerable, it answers by itself or he himself is answering it and that kind of questions we call it as a rhetorical questions. Okay? So, we call those questions as rhetorical questions. So, what is his main aim or intent in asking these questions? Is to get his audience who are going to listen to his letter or going to read his letter to think. Okay? His intent is also in asking these questions is to address something that they would be thinking or they would the questions they would be asking and not to get an answer for them, but because he himself is going to answer those questions for them. But he knows those questions will pop up in their minds. So, Paul is basically saying, "I'm addressing some things that you are thinking about." You know, if I was Paul, he's Paul would just be saying, "Hey, I'm writing all of these things, asking these questions cuz I'm addressing some things that you are thinking about and I will ask the questions and I will give you the answer myself." So, even as we study chapter 3, we can just follow Paul's thinking and how it's presented in chapter 3. Or, we can follow how he's unfolding the truth, okay? You know that the progression of truth, right? I already explained to you what is the truth he's been uh progressing and he's trying to explain. Now, then remember we need to remember that the truth is coming from where? Truth is coming from where? >> God. >> Yes, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is saying, "I need to give this truth to the church, but it is being written by whom?" >> Paul. >> Yeah, it's so it's written in his skill, in his language, and in the context that he is writing. So, in this case, Paul is writing the letter, Apostle Paul. So, he's going to be using his language, he's going to be using his words and his thoughts, but the truth is coming from the Holy Spirit, okay? And the Holy Spirit is saying, "Hey, I need to address these truths with the church." So, when you look at Paul's uh you know, letter to the church at Rome, we see that he's a We can see he's a very logical thinker. You see how he's logically thinking, right? First, he's telling the Gentiles, "All of you have sinned." He's telling the Jews, "Don't think that, you know, only Gentiles are sinners, you also." And we have the law, we have the circumcision, but you don't keep the law. That means you will also be judged according to the law. All of us will be judged according to the according to the gospel. So, you see his logical thinking and how he's coming to the place of that we all need the gospel because we are all guilty, we've all fallen short of of the glory of God, we've all sinned against God, and how we can receive righteousness not by our works, not by the keeping the law. We can't keep it, not by circumcision, but we receive it by grace through faith. Salvation is by faith, and we receive it because of grace. So, you see, he's a very logical thinker in expressing this truth in this manner to us, okay? Now, in this chapter, chapter 3, there are two sets of rhetorical question. The first set of rhetorical question is found in Romans chapter 3 verses 1 to 8. So, the first set questions about God's faithfulness and justice, which is in Romans chapter 3 verses 1 to 8. And the second set of rhetorical questions is Romans chapter 3 verses 27 to 31. So, after presenting justification by faith, Paul again anticipates some other objections that he can receive. So, he's bringing out the second set of rhetorical questions in Romans chapter 3 verses 27 to 31. [clears throat] So, coming back to verses 1 to 8 in Romans chapter 3, I said this is the first set of rhetorical questions, questions about the faithfulness and the justice of God. So, he's asking three questions here. In verse 3, what is the first question? In verse 3? Look at your Bibles. What does it say? What is the first question? >> What is the value for circumstances? >> What if some do not believe? Right? Verse 5. What's the next question? What is chapter 5? Is God unjust to judge? Verse 8. Should we do evil so that good can come? Okay. So, Paul is basically anticipating objections from his Jewish leaders when he's writing about the what he's written in chapter 2 about the law and the circumcision. So, he's he knows that they're going to object somethings, the Jews. So, he says in verse 1, "What advantage then has the Jew?" Right? Verse 3, "For what if some do not believe? Will their unbelief make his faithfulness of God without effect?" And verse 5, "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say?" Then after he raises these questions, Paul reaches a major conclusion that is in verse 9. He says, "What then? Are we better than they? Not at all." That means he's telling the Jews, "What then are we?" That means are we Jews better than they, the Gentiles? He's saying, "Not at all." "For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin." Okay. And then he comes to the main conclusion that is Paul's argument in the first part of Romans chapter 3. He says, "Everyone is under sin." That means Jew and Gentile alike are guilty before God. Okay. So, Paul's key truth is in basically in Romans chapter 3 verses 20 to 24. What is the key truth? We are justified by faith in Christ Jesus and not by keeping the law. Justified means we are made righteous by our faith in Christ Jesus and not by keeping the law. So, Paul moves here from all are under sin. He's moving to therefore no one can be justified by their works or no one can be made righteous by by works. And then he's moving to that God provides righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. So that is the progression he is bringing here. Okay? Now, the second set of rhetorical questions, I'm just giving an overview of chapter 3 and then we'll study it in detail. The second set of rhetorical questions is Romans 3:27-31. After presenting justification by faith, Paul again anticipates some other objections. So, verse 29, he says 27, he says, "Where is the boasting then?" Okay, he's asking the Jews, "Where can we What can we boast in?" Verse 29, "Or is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles?" Verse 31, "Do we then make void the law through faith?" And Paul answers each of those questions. And he says, "Boasting is excluded because salvation is by faith. We cannot boast because of the law." And then, the "Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he also the God of the Gentiles?" He answers and says, "Yes, God is the God of both Jews and Gentiles because there is one God who justifies everyone by faith, both Jews and Gentiles by faith." And the third question, "Where do we then make void the law that void the law through faith?" What does it mean to void? Means do we say the the law is nothing? Okay, uh and it's only through faith. He says, "Faith does not destroy the law, rather on the contrary, we establish the law." So, he says, "We don't do away with the law. Faith does not do away the law or does not destroy the law. Yes, the law is there, but faith is also important." So, what is the overall structure of Romans chapter 3? Rhetorical questions, chapter 3:1-8. The main conclusion he comes to is in verses 9 to 20, all are under sin. The key truth is verses 21 to 26 that righteousness comes through faith in Christ Jesus. And then the second second set of rhetorical questions verses 27 to 31. Okay? We'll stop here just the overview of chapter 3. We'll begin studying um chapter 3 in detail uh next week. Any questions? Any questions before we end class? Okay, if not, we'll end class. Thank you all and I'll meet you next week. Have a blessed day and see you all next week. Thank you. >> Thank you, ma'am.