Study Desk

For on the ground of obedience to Law no man living will be declared righteous before Him. Law simply brings a sure knowledge of sin.

for all alike have sinned, and all consciously come short of the glory of God,

Where then is there room for your boasting? It is for ever shut out. On what principle? On the ground of merit? No, but on the ground of faith.

For we maintain that it is as the result of faith that a man is held to be righteous, apart from actions done in obedience to Law.

For if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions, he has something to boast of; but not in the presence of God.

For what says the Scripture? "And Abraham believed God, and this was placed to his credit as righteousness."

This declaration of blessedness, then, does it come simply to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? For Abraham's faith--so we affirm--was placed to his credit as righteousness.

For if it is the righteous through Law who are heirs, then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing.

For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law.

All depends on faith, and for this reason--that acceptance with God might be an act of pure grace,

And, without growing weak in faith, he could contemplate his own vital powers which had now decayed--for he was nearly 100 years old--and Sarah's barrenness.

For this reason also his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness.

Nor was the fact of its being placed to his credit put on record for his sake only;

it was for our sakes too. Faith, before long, will be placed to the credit of us also who are believers in Him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead,

who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed, and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us.

and that this hope never disappoints, because God's love for us floods our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For already, while we were still helpless, Christ at the right moment died for the ungodly.

Why, it is scarcely conceivable that any one would die for a simply just man, although for a good and lovable man perhaps some one, here and there, will have the courage even to lay down his life.

But God gives proof of His love to us in Christ's dying for us while we were still sinners.

For if while we were hostile to God we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, it is still more certain that now that we are reconciled, we shall obtain salvation through Christ's life.