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Difficult Scriptures
Romans 3:28 - Does this say we don’t have to keep the law because we are justified by faith without the deeds of the law?
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Paul was saying that a man is justified by faith apart from the
deeds of the law. He is not preaching that the law is done away. Being
justified means to be brought into right standing before God.
Romans 3:20 tells us that no man shall be justified by the deeds
of the law. “For by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The law defines
sin – it tells you what sin is – but it does not and cannot take away the
penalty of previous violations. Obeying the law in the future does
not pay for past guilt. If a man commits a crime, his obedience to
the civil law in the future does not make him
ay less guilty of his past offenses.
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Verses 24-25 of Romans 3 explain how we are justified. We are justified by God’s grace
through the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Christ was
propitiation (a sacrifice that reconciles) for us to
God. By His sacrifice our past sins are remitted.
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Once you are reconciled to God, you must keep the commandments if you
want to remain justified (Rom. 2:13).
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Being justified by faith does not mean we do away with (make void) the
law. On the contrary, we establish the law (Rom. 3:31). Once our
sins are forgiven we are able to receive God’s Holy Spirit which He
gives to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32). This Spirit gives us the love
of God (Rom. 5:5) which is the keeping of His commandments (I John
5:3).
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