Romans 3:31 - Does Conversion Destroy The Law?
Rom 3:31 (KJV) Do we then make void the law through faith? God
forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Rom 3:31 (NIV) Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not
at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Rom 3:31 (TEV) Does this mean that by this faith we do away
with the Law? No, not at all; instead, we uphold the Law.
Rom 3:31 (EAV) Do we then by [this] faith make the Law of no
effect, overthrow it or make it a dead letter? Certainly not! On the:
contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law.
Rom 3:31 (CWB) Does this then give us license to live without
regard to the written law? Can we ignore God's law because we trust in
what He has done for us? Certainly not! The opposite is true. As
never before, we live by what is written.
Rom 3:31 (TLB) Well then, if we are saved by faith, does this
mean that we no longer need obey God's laws? Just the opposite! In
fact, only when we trust Jesus can we truly obey him.
The law reveals to man his sins, but it provides no remedy.
While it promises life to the obedient, it declares that death is the
portion of the transgressor. The gospel of Christ alone can free him
from the condemnation or the defilement of sin. He must exercise
repentance toward God, whose law has been transgressed; and faith in
Christ, his atoning sacrifice. Thus he obtains "remission of sins that
are past" and becomes a partaker of the divine nature. GC467,8
The law continually reveals mankind's need for Christ and
reminds them of their forgiveness and perfection in him. [New Bible
Companion]
God's Law reveals my need of grace, and God's grace enables me
to obey the Law. [Wiersbe Expository Outlines]
Faith works by love, and love is the principle of obedience: and
whosoever receives salvation through faith in Christ, receives power to
live in holy obedience to every moral precept; for such are God's
workmanship, created anew in Christ Jesus, unto good works; (Adam Clarke
Commentary)
The fact that Christ endured such sufferings to show the evil of
violating the Law, is one of the strongest motives prompting to obedience.
We do not easily and readily repeat what overwhelms our best
friends in calamity; and we are brought to hate what inflicted such woes
on the Saviour's soul. (Barnes' Notes)
Now a man must try to be good and keep God's law, not because he
fears God's punishment, but because he feels that he must strive to
deserve that amazing love. He strives for goodness, not because he is
afraid of God, but because he loves him. He knows now that sin is not
so much breaking God's law as it is breaking God's heart, and,
therefore, it is doubly terrible....
It is not the law of fear but the law of love which keeps him
right... We are rid forever of the terror of God, but that is no reason
for doing as we like. We can never again do as we like for we are
now for ever constrained to goodness by the law of love; and that
law is far stronger than ever the law of fear can be. [Barclay
Commentary]
We are not under law as a way of salvation (6:14), but we are
always under law as a way of life. [College Press NIV Commentary]
Rom 3:31 (Gibbs) Set your mind and whole being to seek God and
in that relationship you will establish the law in your life.
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