francisdesales said:
MrVersatile48 said:
You are taking Romans 3 completely out of context, not realizing from where Paul is quoting. Rather than going into detail on that, I ask you to consider the following verses...
Isaiah understood that his righteousness was as filthy rags along with all of the other "chosen" Israelites.
5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. 6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. Isaiah 64:5-7
francisdesales said:
"Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man" Mat 1:19
or better yet:
"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth. 6And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame." Luke 1:5-6
Those who were Jewish as was Joseph and Mary, and also Zachary and Elizabeth, followed the course of the Law as instructed, and they gave animals for sacrifice to atone for their sins. Jesus said that their was no man born of a woman greater than John the Baptist, yet John the Baptist was not worthy in his own eyes. He recognized his sinful, unrighteous condition.
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:11
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: Matthew 3:11
francisdesales said:
Not good enough? What does Paul say elsewhere?
If any other thinketh he may have confidence in the flesh, I more, Being circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; according to the law, a Pharisee: According to zeal, persecuting the church of God; according to the justice that is in the law, conversing without blame. Phil 3:5-6
Paul recognizes fully that all who are without Jesus Christ are lost, and all those who are believers, including himself are sinners. Paul calls himself a "wretched" man.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:14-25
francisdesales said:
Since the Word of God cannot contradict, it appears quite obvious that St. Paul doesn't mean that no one is righteous in the entire world. He is accusing the Judaizers, just as David did to those wicked Jews who pursued HIM! Just because one is Jewish doesn't make one righteous. That is Paul's gist.
"For it is not he is a Jew, who is so outwardly; nor is that circumcision which is outwardly in the flesh: But he is a Jew, that is one inwardly; and the circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Romans 2:28-29.
That is the context of Paul's litany of the supposed righteous Jews that follows in chapter 3. This must be one of Paul's most misunderstood sections in all of his epistles...
Possible, but not all misunderstand Paul's writings. Paul addresses all mankind in the book of Romans, and he specifies that no man has an excuse for the creation tells of God Almighty. He continues to show the errancy of having a false sense of righteousness, and he speaks of all having fallen short of the glory of God.
God's righteousness comes from faith when believers believe whether Jew or Gentile.
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Romans 3:22-31
francisdesales said:
MrVersatile48 said:
Nobody can earn a place in Heaven: that's why everyone needs the Saviour
Even the Jews of the OT taught that... That is nothing new.
Regards
It is new to all generation to generation, until they believe and are born again.
