In our passage for study, Paul continues to contend with Jewish believers and their Gentile disciples ("the weak", 15:1) who see their righteousness maintained and progressed by obedience to the law of Moses. Paul's thesis is that right-standing before God is by grace through faith, irrespective of a person's standing under the law. This has prompted two major objections against Paul's teachings, namely that he devalues God's covenant with its divine law and that he promotes libertarianism, that free grace allows, even promotes, free sin. Paul now raises these two objections and gives a summary answer. He will deal with both these issues latter in his letter. He then returns to his core argument: all humanity is without excuse before God, for all have sinned and therefore all face the condemnation of God, and this includes those who submit to the law of Moses, for the law was never intended as an instrument for right-standing before God, rather, it was designed to expose sin and thus our need for a savior.

v1-4. The first objection: Since Paul makes the argument himself, we are not sure of the exact wording of the objections, but they would go something like this: "In your teaching, Paul, you suggest that God's righteous judgment, of blessing or cursing, is irrespective of submission to the law. In arguing this way you devalue Jewish heritage, undermine the value of circumcision." Paul agrees with the Jewish believers that there is value in their Jewish heritage. They have received the Old Testament covenant, but it comes with responsibilities. The covenant promises both blessings and cursings, and they need to understand that God is true to his word, he is a faithful God. If a person places themselves under the law of Moses, but then fails to keep the law, they, like everyone else in the world, will face divine condemnation.

v5-8. The second objection: "Your teaching, Paul, implies that our failure to obey the law promotes God's faithfulness, promotes his mercy and forgiveness, which of course means it would be unjust of God to judge our failure. In fact, the implication of your teaching is, let's sin that grace may abound." In verse 8 Paul actually quotes the words used by his detractors and describes their argument as very "human" - shifty to say the least. Free grace (although it wasn't free for Jesus) doesn't mean free to sin. By proclaiming a righteousness that comes as a free gift of God through faith in Christ apart from submission to the Mosaic law, the law-bound believers in the church at the time ("the weak", 15:1) felt that Paul was undermining the law's role in sanctification. They argued that the logic of Paul's position served only to promote licence, for young believers would end up thinking that sin is good because it shows up the grace of God. As Paul puts it, "those who promote such a stupid argument are deservedly condemned."

v9. So, do Jewish believers and their Gentile converts, have an advantage over Gentile believers who do not submit to the law of Moses? The answer is "not in every respect", but when it comes to sin, they stand equally condemned before God. This is all that matters in end.
      v10-18. Paul now quotes the Old Testament to support his contention that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, including those who submit to the law of Moses.

v19. Jewish believers may feel that their submission to the law blesses them (maintains their standing before God, progresses their holiness), since they are somehow exempt from the condemnation of the law. Yet, as the "law" make clear to those "under the law", God's judgement begins with his household. There is no exception for sin.

v20. In reality, no person can claim righteousness in the sight of God, or progress that righteousness, by submitting to the law's requirements. The only thing the law does is to expose our sinfulness and thus, our state of loss.

A letter appeared recently in a local newspaper attacking those who supported the views of a right-wing politician. The letter came from a "Christian" who expressed disgust at the "racist" views expressed by many who had written to the paper over the preceding weeks. As far as she was concerned, God would "judge" all of them.

She was right to be offended, but the trouble is, God will judge every person, and every one of us will be found wanting. Yes, even churchies who are sure that their commitment to Biblical ethics gives them a superior standing in the sight of God, compared to the unwashed hoards of those who are less committed than they, those who are not regular at church, don't attend Bible study or prayer meetings, who don't tithe, or even worse, are divorced. The trouble is, Biblical ethics can only do one thing for us, and that to remind us that we are sinners and in need of a saviour.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Switch Paul's argument from the pious godly Jewish believer to the pious godly believer in the church today. Remember, all of us are, to some degree, that person. Discuss the results.