Part 746 (1/2)

3:9. What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For we have charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.

3:10. As it is written: There is not any man just.

There is not any man just, viz... by virtue either of the law of nature, or of the law of Moses; but only by faith and grace.

3:11. There is none that understandeth: there is none that seeketh after G.o.d.

3:12. All have turned out of the way: they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one.

3:13. Their throat is an open sepulchre: with their tongues they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips.

3:14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

3:15. Their feet swift to shed blood:

3:16. Destruction and misery in their ways:

3:17. And the way of peace they have not known.

3:18. There is no fear of G.o.d before their eyes.

3:19. Now we know that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law: that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be made subject to G.o.d.

3:20. Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

3:21. But now, without the law, the justice of G.o.d is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

3:22. Even the justice of G.o.d, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction.

3:23. For all have sinned and do need the glory of G.o.d.

3:24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

3:25. Whom G.o.d hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins,

3:26. Through the forbearance of G.o.d, for the shewing of his justice in this time: that he himself may be just and the justifier of him who is of the faith of Jesus Christ.

3:27. Where is then thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.

3:28. For we account a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law.

By faith, etc... The faith, to which the apostle here attributes man's justification, is not a presumptuous a.s.surance of our being justified; but a firm and lively belief of all that G.o.d has revealed or promised.

Heb. 11. A faith working through charity in Jesus Christ. Gal. 5.6. In short, a faith which takes in hope, love, repentance, and the use of the sacraments. And the works which he here excludes, are only the works of the law: that is, such as are done by the law of nature, or that of Moses, antecedent to the faith of Christ: but by no means, such as follow faith, and proceed from it.

3:29. Is he the G.o.d of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles?

yes, of the Gentiles also.

3:30. For it is one G.o.d that justifieth circ.u.mcision by faith and uncirc.u.mcision through faith.

3:31. Do we then, destroy the law through faith? G.o.d forbid! But we establish the law.