His Time - God's Righteousness Upheld

1. Daily Lectionary

Rev. Dr. James Kellerman of First Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Chicago, IL looks at Romans 3:1-18 “God’s Righteousness Upheld“.

2. Matins Sermonette

Today’s sermonette is by Rev. Dr. James Kellerman of First Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Chicago, IL.

"The Bible is cradle wherein Christ is laid." - Martin Luther — “The Bible is cradle wherein Christ is laid.” – Martin Luther

Romans 3:1-18

God’s Righteousness Upheld

3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? ²Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. ³What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? ⁴By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

“That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you are judged.”

⁵But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) ⁶By no means! For then how could God judge the world? ⁷But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? ⁸And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

No One Is Righteous

⁹What then? Are we Jews^[a] any better off?^[b] No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, ¹⁰as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
¹¹    no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
¹²All 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.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
¹⁴    “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
¹⁵“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
¹⁶    in their paths are ruin and misery,
¹⁷and the way of peace they have not known.”
¹⁸    “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”