Romans 3:7-8: But If Through My Lie God's Truth Abounds To His Glory, Why Am I Still Being Condemned

Romans 3:7–8
[7] But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? [8] And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. (ESV)

There is an age-old criticism of those who believe in salvation by the grace of God. Man's heart is full of pride. That pride does not want to give God all the credit for the purchase of our salvation. If you doubt me on this just listen to "Christians" talk about their works. They love to tell you about how they spend money helping the poor, donated funds to the church, built things for homeless, etc.

Those who believe in some sort of involvement of works when it comes to salvation look at those who believe in salvation by God's grace and they are incensed. They look at sinful people simply being forgiven as an act of God. They see no human works that purchased that salvation. They focus on the sinfulness of the one coming to God. They feel like these "grace" people are promoting evil.

This was the case for the Apostle Paul. Remember, he was a tremendous sinner. Before God called him unto salvation, he was persecuting the church. Paul was responsible for putting Christians in prison and even putting them to death. Did Paul do any works to pay God back for all the damage he had done? No! He was saved by the grace of God alone. That was offensive to self-righteous people.

Paul was being accused of promoting a doctrine that permitted, or even encouraged to sin so that God's grace could abound to them. Paul describes that attack as slander. Those who have made those charges Paul says deserve condemnation. The truth is the same today. We need to stand for a doctrine of salvation by grace alone. Those who criticize this doctrine deserve condemnation.

When you think of your salvation do you think back to works that you have done? Or do you humbly look to the cross, recognizing that God's grace alone is the source of your right relationship with God?

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