Don Il Chang

21 God’s righteousness was known to everyone by all the laws that God gave us. It shows us how holy God really is. In order to be in line with Him we had to follow all of the laws. Now, the righteousness of God was shown in another way. Through the mercy of Jesus Christ.

22 We can now be righteous before God by simply having faith in Jesus Christ. There is not one person that doesn’t need Jesus anymore.

23 Because, everyone has sinned. Everyone has broken God’s law. There is not one person who is perfect.

24 We have all been forgiven and made righteous by what Jesus Christ has done for us.

25 God gave up His own son to pay the price of our sins by his blood, which we can receive by believing in him. This was to show God’s righteousness, because he passed over “erased” our sins.

26 It was to show God’s holiness and love so that He may be just and the one who shows this justice to those who believe in Jesus Christ.

27 So whats the point of us being prideful of our relationship with God? There’s no way you can do that. What kind of laws did you follow? What kinds of works have you done? None of these things give you any reason. It’s only by having faith in Jesus.

28 We believe that a person is justified by faith in Jesus Christ and not by what he has done by works.

29 Is God only the God of the Jews? At this time in history, the Jews were the chosen people of God. If you read the Old Testament, you will see that had a relationship with God for a very long time. A covenant with God. But now, we Gentiles were accepted into the family of God. Gentiles are people who were not Jewish.

30 Because there is only one God and he made one way, He will justify the circumcised and uncircumcised by faith. The circumcised were the Jews, because they made a promise to God that they would do this. The gentiles didn’t practice this. But Paul is now saying that both circumcised and uncircumcised people can be a people of God.

31 Does that mean that we don’t have to follow the law anymore? Does it mean that our faith has now trumped the law? No way! We must still follow the law.

9 Paul for the first time addresses that he himself is a Jew. This is significant, because the previous chapters coming to this point have all been about how being a Jew on the outside and being circumcised has no power unless if you are a “Jew” inwardly and circumcised on the inside. Paul has defended that everyone, both Jews and Greeks (People of God and everyone else), are under sin. That every single person in the world regardless of your race, color, or creed have sinned. God has every right and can at any moment bring His wrath upon everyone, because there is not one single person who has not sinned. (Those of you wondering, “What about new born babies?” Please google Original Sin.”)

10 Paul quotes a passage from the Old Testament again. We see here that Paul is not rejecting the Old Testament and the Jewish writings. He is actually defending God and His beliefs in Jesus Christ through the Old Testament which is actually a Jewish book.

10 None is righetous, no not one;

11 no one understands; no one seeks for God

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one

13 Their throat is an open grave: they use their tongues to deceive (lie). The venom of asps is under their lips.

14 Their mouth is full of curses and biterness

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood

16 in their paths are ruin and misery

17 and the way of peace they have not known

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 The law has be written for those who are under it. That they may not be prideful and boastful in thinking that they are perfect, but that their weakness may be shown. In the law, the whole world is accountable to God. The law is the word of God. To not do what the word of God says is to sin and Paul in the previous verses has already made the point that if you sin God has every right to judge you and bring His wrath upon you.

20 To try and do everything in the Law is impossible. There is not a single person in the world other than Jesus who not broken a single Law. There is not one person who dies and goes to Heaven and can show God that he has been perfect his whole life. This is because the law not only show us how to live, but shows us how sinful and weak we are.

1 Paul is now challenging Jewish people who are so dependent on their heritage and circumcision for salvation. If you want to understand why Paul is saying this please read “God’s Judgement and The Law” This chapter is building upon that chapter.

2 Paul is reaffirm that the Jews were given the oracles of God. They definitely had a special relationship with God, because they were God’s chosen people. God really did choose them.

3 If God chose them and some of them were unfaithful, does that mean that God has not chosen them anymore? Does it mean that God would actually abandon them? Paul is now engaging the reader about God and his responsibility to this issue. The Jews were God’s people at one time and they had a covenant, special bond, with Him, but not anymore. Does this mean that, because the Jews were not faithful that God no longer was faithful to them?

4 No, it doesn’t! May God’s words be true only and all others liars. He is specifically trying to speak against those who are now saying God has turned His back on His own chosen people, the Jews. He goes on with a quote from the Old Testament. Here is the quote, but a few verses from before and after.

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement. ”

It may be confusing to read this quote by itself, but when you read it from Psalm 51, you can see why it is written. Paul is saying, because you haven’t followed the Law, God has every right to pass judgement upon you. God is not in the wrong for doing what He has done, because what He has done was because of your own sinfulness and unrighteousness.

5 Paul make a distinct statement here, that the righteousness of God and the judgement of God is the same thing. It was through the sins of the Jewish people that brought upon the judgement/righteousness of God. Then we cannot say that this was wrongdoing of the part of God.

6 The wrath of God is not unjust or unrighteous. It is righteous when it comes from God. If it was not righteous then how can God judge the world. Paul is making it clear here that the wrath of God is a holy and righteous wrath which is justified in every way.

7 Now Paul is placing himself in the shoes of the Jews and thinking how they may react to what he just wrote. Well, the logic behind this is Paul just said that God used our sins to show His righteousness. That means our sin cause good. Doesn’t that mean we shouldn’t be punished, because our bad has done good?

8 So why can’t we do evil things that good things my happen? Like some people are blaming us for. Paul ends this with, “Their condemnation is just.” Even though their evil deeds brought about good and showed the glory of God in the end, they still deserve wrath and condemnation. Therefore, there is no excuse to what God has done and God has done no wrong.

12 For those people who have died and where not under a government that had laws, they will die without the law. The people who lived under governing laws and have broken these laws will be judged by the laws.

13 It’s not the people who just listen to the law who are righteous before God, but they are the ones who do them. Paul is saying here that just because you listen and know what is right doesn’t mean you are doing what is right. You must also do these things in order to be right before God.

14 The word gentile means those who are not Jewish. Therefore, they could not have the Law of God, because they were not the chosen people of God at the time. Now, Paul is saying that even those people who are not Jewish, but they by their own nature are following the law are the law to themselves. Their conscience has become the law.

15-16 These people who are not under the Law, but are living them out show that have this written on their hearts. They have a good conscience and it is telling them what is right and wrong. This can either be a good or bad thing for them on the day of Judgement. This is the day that God wrath is shown, which was talked about earlier in this book. God will judge the secrets of men by Christ Jesus, which means even those things that are not public and only known to man themselves will be judged.

17 Paul is now talking to the Jews of this time. For us to understand the rest of the passage, I think it’s important to know the background. The Jewish religious leaders were known to be hypocrites. People who say one thing, but do something else. They were corrupt and their thoughts were no more for God, but for themselves. This will help us understand the coming verses which Paul is directly talking about. Back to the passage; Paul is calling out the Jews. He says that they are depending on the law and they are puffed up in God.

18 The Jewish leaders were professionals with the Torah which is the LAW, so they know what is right and good. They know with their minds what is acceptable to God, because they have studied the LAW of God their whole life. The know God’s will, but they don’t do God’s will.

19-20 Paul is now setting up for his attack. He is actually poking fun at them almost in an accusing tone. If you think your so smart and you know so much. Your so Holy that your teaching others to be the same. You think that you know the Law so wells that it’s one with you. That it’s inside of you.

21 Here is when Paul starts to accuse the Jewish leaders. You then who teach others, don’t you teach yourself? When your preaching against stealing, do you steal? This is not a question, but an accusation. When you tell others not to steal, why are you stealing?

22 When you tell others not to commit adultery, why do you commit adultery? When you hate idols, why do you steal from God?

23 You who are so puffed up and prideful, because you think you know so much of the LAW are actually dishonoring God, because you are breaking the same laws that you teach.

24 This is a direct quote from Isa 52:5. Paul is using it as a prophetic verse to show that is has come to pass by the wicked ways of the Jewish leaders. God’s name is being blasphemed by the Gentiles (People who are now Jewish), because of you (Jewish leaders).

25 Paul now talks about circumcision, because it was one of the things that the Jews had promised to God that they would do. It was a sign of their covenant and their relationship with each other. Paul is saying here that if you are circumcised it is important if you want to follow the law, but after you are circumcised if you break the law, that is it of no benefit. In other words, even if you follow any of the LAWS, if you break one of them then it doesn’t matter if you follow the rest. You have broken the law.

26 Now, he is breaking down the weight of being circumcised, because Jewish people depended so much on  circumcision. It was almost their protection and their sign as being part of God’s people. Paul is saying, “Well if a person isn’t circumcised, but they follow all the law, even his circumcision will be considered a circumcision.”

27 Then Paul flips this on the Jews and says. Now if there is a person who is not circumcised and they follow the Law will then condemn you, because you have been circumcised and do now follow the Law. He is saying, you can’t depend on this outer physical sign as a means of righteousness.

28 This is the driving point of Paul. Being Jewish, a chosen people of God, is not being Jewish outwardly. It’s not about having the physical features of a Jew. It’s not about looking like a Jew. It’s not about all these things on the outside that make you look like God’s chosen people. Also, circumcision is both a physical and symbolic thing. It’s not just something that you do on the physical body. It must go deeper then that.

29 Here is it… A Jewish is one inwardly and circumcision is a matter of the heart… by the Spirit, not by the letter (LAW). This is said so well, I don’t think there needs to be any explanation.

29 cont. His praise is not from man but from God. This person, who is Jewish inwardly and has been circumcised in the heart. This person who is not just an outward shell of what looks holy, but in the Heart is seeking after the things of God… His praise is not from man. He doesn’t seek acceptance from people, but from God. He receives praises from God. Not in the sense that he is worshiped by God, but that God says to him, “Well done, my son… my good and faithful servant.”

1 If we judge other people who do wrong and evil things, we are also judged my our judging. We are not perfect; therefore, we cannot judge other people.

2 God judging is different. He is perfect in every way. He is God and His wisdom is greater than ours. His judgement is right.

3 Just because we look down on people who sin does not mean we are no longer sinners. It is even worse when we are pointing fingers at those who do evil and yet we are doing evil ourselves.

4 Allowing yourself to sin, because you know that God is merciful and just is wrong. God’s mercy is not for our license to sin, but it is a reason for us to ask God to forgive us of our wrong doing and evil deeds. This is abusing what God has given. We are not to take advantage of God’s mercy.

5 Therefore, those of you who judge others who in themselves should be judged for his own sins will on the day of wrath receive his judgement.

6 He will judge everyone by their works

7 For those who do good by seeking after glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life.

8 For those who only look out for themselves and does not obey God and the truth, they will judgement, wrath, and fury.

9 Paul writes here that there is no difference between the Jews and the Greeks. The Jews were the chosen people so they were set apart by God, but now the wrath of God and the blessings of God are open for those of all races. He says that there will be great suffering and trials for those who do evil.

10 On the other side, there will be glory and honor and peace for those who do good. The Jews first and the Greeks. Paul again is saying that whoever does good no matter what their race is will receive God’s blessing.

11 God does not have favorites.

18 God is showing His wrath to those who are sinful and evil. They use their sinfulness as an excuse to not have faith in God.

19 Here Paul is writing that God has made it plain and obvious for all of mankind to know that He exists. This is a huge verse for theological discussion on whether or not people have an excuse to not know God. Paul’s defense is God has reached out to us and made known to us that He is real. Even those are are sinful and do not believe in God is right before their eyes.

20 Here we see the words, invisible attributes, eternal power and divine nature. To simplify this, it means the POWER, yes I meant to capitalize that of God. The infinite POWER of God. I cannot stress enough of how infinite God’s power is. It is beyond even the word infinite. Paul then says that God’s POWER can be seen from the creation of the world. Just the fact that we exist, the world has an ecosystem, we have four seasons, we have night and day… I can go on with this list, but I think you get the picture here. All of nature is a testament and proof of God’s existence and power. Therefore, not a single person and soul has any excuse before God about why they don’t believe in Him.

21 This verse has an even greater statement. It says bluntly that they knew God. It isn’t that they don’t know God or never though about God, but the knowledge of A God is place within every human being. The question then becomes, will you honor that knowledge and give thanks to Him or will you do the opposite. Because they didn’t honor God and thank Him, even though they knew that God existed their hearts became cold toward God. They were against Him.

22 In their evil ways, they thought they were wise. In their foolishness they though they had all the answers.

23 Instead of worshiping the invisible and all POWERFUL God, they created for themselves statues, images, and idols after the things that have been created. So, instead of worshiping the one who created everything. They worshiped images of things that were created. These images are not even real powers behind themselves, but just a piece of wood, metal, or stone crafted into some kind of creature. It was a counterfeit and a cheap one at that.

24 Because God saw that they were evil and would not honor and thank Him, he left them go. He gave them up. Which means at one time they were under God’s protect, but he let that go and let them chase after their own evil desires. Not only did they dishonor God, but they also dishonored their own bodies. I think thats such a deep and amazing verse. They did not honor God so they did not honor their own bodies. If they honored God, they would also honor their bodies as they would understand that it is a gift from God and also God’s temple.

25 This is in reference to verse 24. They exchanged the truth for a lie. Which means at one point they had the truth. You must have something in order to exchange it. So they worshiped the creature and not the creator. They placed God’s creation above God. Even still God is blessed forever. Regardless of these fools worshiping idle idols, God is still blessed forever.

26 Because they rejected God and followed after their own idols God allowed for them to follow into their own evil desires. Woman had sexual relations with other women. This is a crucial verse for standing firm and defending against homosexual marriage. Homosexuality as written in the scriptures was a result of human beings rejecting the knowledge of God.

27 Men also gave up sexual relations with women and they were lustful toward each other. This is because they gave up the knowledge of God. They were functioning in a way that they were not created to function. They were doing things that ought not to be done.

28 Again, because they didn’t accept the knowledge of God and exchanged it for a lie, God gave them up allowed them to live sinfully in their ways.

29-31 Here is a list of characteristics of those who have rejected God. All ways of sinfulness, evil, jealous, and liars. They envy, murder, strife, deciet, and are malicious. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

32 Even though they know that they are sinning and doing wrong. Even though they know that they will be punished for their evil doings, they still do them and they encourage other people to do it also. They are prideful in their sin.

The Righteous Shall Life by Faith

16 The gospel message is the power of God and His ability to save those who would believe in Him. Paul is bold with this gospel, because he believes in it with all his heart. It was first for the Jews which were the chosen people and then for the Greek which is amazing, because God has now opened up His arms and allowed even people who were not part of His chosen race (Jewish) to be included as God’s people. Something that never happened before.

17 The righteousness or holiness of God is shown to us when we believe in God and this also gives us more faith. Faith opens up our eyes to see the goodness of the gospel which in turn gives us more faith. In order to be righteous before God, we must believe in God and have faith in Him. If we do not have faith in Him, it is impossible to be righteous before God, because then it would depend on our works and our deeds. Everyone is unrighteous on their own.