Romans 3

Romans 3:1

You may have seen the results of a report by a group of researchers in England who spent thirty-one years and millions of dollars studying the effects of smoking. Their conclusion? Smoking can kill people. The tobacco industry, however, issued a statement that said the study has yet to be substantiated by their own research. So, too, Paul makes the point that people innately and intuitively know they are sinners. Not the Surgeon General, but the Great Physician tells us that sin pollutes and affects every man. Yet, like the tobacco industry, we put up smokescreens and say, “Wait a minute. I’m not sure I can be held liable for sin. I’m not sure I can be labeled a sinner.” The first two chapters of Romans blow those smokescreens away, for in chapter 1, Paul addresses the unrighteous heathen. In chapter 2, he deals with the self-righteous hypocrite.

And here in chapter 3, he’ll speak to the super-=righteous Hebrew. “Creation around them condemns the unrighteous,” Paul declared in chapter 1. “Conscience within them condemns the self-righteous,” he proclaimed in chapter 2. And in chapter 3, we will hear him say that the commandments given to them condemn the super-righteous. “Wait a minute,” the Hebrew would protest. “If we’re on the same level as the heathen or the hypocrite, then what’s the advantage of circumcision?”

Romans 3:2

“Even though you don’t understand that the reason the law was given to you was to show you your sin and your need of a Savior,” answered Paul, “the fact remains that, because you had the law to guide you, you have been uniquely blessed.” In other words, although throughout history the Jews missed the reason for the taw, they nonetheless benefited from the results of keeping the law. When the bubonic plague swept across Europe, killing one of every three people, the Jewish population was left virtually untouched. Why? Because in keeping the law, the Jews were protected from the plague due to the hygienic and dietary regulations contained within the law. So, too, throughout history, the Jews have always done well monetarily. Why? Because the financial principles contained within the law workregardless of whether those who practice them walk close to the Lord or even believe in Him. There are times when people say, “I prayed and nothing happened,” or, “I had devotions and it’s not working,” or, “I go to church and don’t receive anything,” or, “I’m doing all the things Scripture tells me to, but it’s just not happening.” And I have to respond in love, “You’re a liar because God promises that if we draw close to Him, He’ll draw close to us, (Jas_4:8). Therefore, somebody’s lyingand it’s not God.” Feeling a bit dry in my spirit and a bit distanced from the Lord in my heart, I grabbed my Bible one evening and strolled through Jacksonville, Oregon, reading the books of Amos and Joel as I walked. And you know what happened? Even though Amos and Joel are far from lighthearted reading, I found myself smiling. Why? Because the Lord used His Word to minister to my heart in a beautifully satisfying way. Truly the Lord will meet anyone who will take time to open the Word and seek Him. We’re so fortunate, gang. We don’t have to answer everyone’s questions or solve their problems. But with great confidence we can just tell them that if they seek Him, the Lord will draw near to them. As open as God’s invitation to draw nigh to Him is, He knew all along that not everyone would accept it. Therefore, Paul maintains that the unbelief of the Jews actually verifies what God said would happen.

Romans 3:5

Anticipating the reasoning of his Jewish audience, Paul poses this question: “If our unbelief validates the foreknowledge of God, then why will we be judged for our unbelief?

Romans 3:6

Some believers think that as long as God is glorified, it doesn’t matter how He gets glory. So they’ll “stretch the story and give God the glory.” Paul, however, stands firm against the thinking that says the end justifies the means. In other words, according to Paul, it’s never right to do wrong to do right.

Romans 3:9

Whatever smokescreens have been put up by the heathen or the Hebrew, Romans 1, 2, and 3 blow them away. The heathen are indicted by creation, the hypocrite by conscience, and the Hebrew by the commandments. God has spoken clearly to every generation throughout historyleaving all without excuse.

Romans 3:10

The Great Physician’s diagnosis of the condition of humanity is bleak: All are sinners without exception. This description is not just of the “bad guys"but of you and me as well. Now, if I forget this divine diagnosis and start to think, He’s a pretty good person, I’m setting myself up for disappointment and disillusionment. Therefore, instead of being surprised when someone does something bad, I should be amazed when someone does something good because the divine diagnosis is that we are all depraved. “But what about the guy in the Philippines,” you ask, “who flagellates his body and is hung on a Cross every Easter? Yes, his theology might be askew, but surely he is seeking God.” No, he’s not. Paul says none seeks after God. “What about the Tibetan monks who live their entire lives in simplicity and celibacy? Surely they’re seeking after God.” No, they’re not. The Bible says none seeks after God. “Then what’s the guy in the Philippines seeking?” you ask. Perhaps he’s seeking alleviation from his guilt, perhaps recognition from his peers, perhaps exaltation of his soul. But he’s not seeking God. “What about the monks in Tibet? What are they seeking?” Perhaps they’re seeking peace, perhaps some kind of transcendent emotional experience, perhaps a higher consciousnessbut they’re not seeking God. The Bible says none seeks after God, no not one. Every believer was chosen solely by grace, completely because of God’s unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor.

Romans 3:19

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made it clear that the keeping of the law lies not in external regulations, but in internal attitudes. Thus, we are all murderers, liars, and adulterers because even though we might not exhibit those behaviors externally, they take place in our hearts inwardly.

Romans 3:20

After speaking of our sad situation, Paul introduces the fabulous doctrine of justification. Justification is a legal term that speaks of much more than forgiveness or pardon. Justification means being declared righteousas though we never sinned at all. An English gentleman bought a Rolls Royce in England and had it shipped across the English Channel so he could motor through France. In the midst of his tour, however, the Rolls broke down. So the man called the dealer in London and said, “The car I bought is broken.” “We’ll take care of it immediately,” was the dealer’s reply. And, sure enough, within the hour, a team of mechanics flew to France, took the Rolls apart, repaired it, and returned to England. Following the completion of his tour, the Englishman returned home and waited for what was sure to be a hefty bill for the repair of his car. But it never came. So finally he called the Rolls dealership and said, “I’ve been back for several months, but I haven’t received a bill for your services.” “A bill for what?” asked the voice on the other end. “A bill for the repairs you did in France on my Rolls.” “Sir,” insisted the dealer, “we have no record whatsoever of any repairs being done on any Rolls Royce at any time. Thank you.” That’s justificationjust as if it never broke down! You see, the Lord doesn’t say, “I’ve been bearing with you and putting up with all of your sin, but I’m such a good God that I’ll overlook it.” No! Once I have faith in Jesus Christ, God looks at me as being justifiedas though I never sinned at all. Let’s suppose my daughter Christy ran up a huge bill at Meier & Frank Department Store and couldn’t make the payments. Eventually, Meier & Frank would dispatch a lawyer, who, upon finding Christy, would say, “Miss Courson, pay up immediately, or we’ll see you in court.” Now, if Christy responded, “I can’t pay. Please forgive me,” they would most likely insist that justice be done. Three months later, Christy’s court date would arrive. Eager to face their adversary, Meier & Frank’s lawyers would arrive at the courthouse early and search for her. Seeing Christy arrive on the arm of a handsome young man, they would say, “I hope you’re ready, Miss Courson. The day of reckoning is here. By the way, who’s the man with you?” “Oh, this is my fiance, Mr. Meier. His father is the partner of Mr. Frank. You wanted to talk to me about a lawsuit?” “What lawsuit?” they would say. You see, suddenly, the situation would change if Christy showed up with Mr. Meier’s son. She could never have won the case. Her only way out was to have the case dropped completely. And that’s exactly what happens with us. Satan accuses us. Our sin condemns us. The law convicts usuntil we enter the courtroom on the arm of our Bridegroom. Then everything changes. Because we are justified, all charges are dropped for lack of evidence. In the following verses, note six characteristics of justification.

Romans 3:21

Justification is apart from the law. If you’re trying to relate to the Father on the basis of your own goodness or devotion, your consistency or your Bible study, your do’s and don’tsyou’ll never be justified. The law cannot justify you. It can only bring you to the realization that you are a sinner in need of a Savior.

Romans 3:22

Justification is by faith in the Lord. Our justification comes from our being linked not to God generally, but to Jesus Christ personally. James says the demons have a belief in God, but they’re not saved. They’re not justified. They won’t be in heaven (Jas_2:19). It’s not enough for a person to say, “I believe in God and go to church.” No, he must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ because the source of justification lies embedded in the Person and work of Jesus. Justification is for all mankind. Whether Jew or Gentile, yuppie or hippie, heathen or Hebrewthere’s only one way to enter into salvation: by faith. It’s not in what you’ve done or who you are, but in Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:23

Everyone sins. Everyone falls short of the glory of God. You might say, “I’m doing pretty well compared to my neighbor.” But you’re comparing yourself to the wrong person. The comparison is not between you and your neighbor or between you and your pastor. It’s between you and God. Warming up at the Mount Sac Relays during my senior year of college, I remember thinking, I have a chance at doing pretty well in this meet. It was one of those days when everything was “clicking”: My form was good; the disc was landing well; and from the looks of my opponents’ practice throws, I had every reason to feel confident. Then John Van Rienen emerged from the locker room. John Van Rienen was hugesix feet seven inches tall, three hundred-plus pounds, zero-percent body fat. I watched as this world-class athlete strode across the field, his arms so long (crucial for a discus thrower), his knuckles seemed to almost rub the ground as he walked. In his first warm-up throw, he didn’t even take off his sweats, and he didn’t even spin.

Yet in his standing throw, he popped the disc past the best marks of all of the rest of us. And the pride I had felt only moments before dissipated with each of his successive throws. So, too, when the Lord comes on the scene, He sets the standard. It’s not how you compare with your neighbor, but how you compare with the glory of the Father that counts. And in His light, we all come up short.

Romans 3:24

Justification is by grace exclusively. What is grace? It is unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor. The riches of God climax in justification. And if that isn’t enough, the phrase “being justified” is in the aorist tense, which means it is an action that happens continually. Justification didn’t only take place the day we were saved or baptized, for even this very moment we are being justified and declared righteous. So often we feel that, because of our sin, we’ve forfeited the access and the freedom we once had with God. Not true. Justification is a continual action, a continual declaration of righteousness. In Joh_15:25, the Greek word here translated “freely” is translated “without a cause.” That’s how it should have been translated here as well: “being justified without a cause.” If you’re as old as I am, you know what redemption is… Each December, my mom would take boxes and bags full of S&H Green Stamps and Blue Chip Stamps from out of the hall closet. We kids would sit around the table, sponges in hand, wetting down the backs of the stamps and pasting them in little paper books made for such a purpose. Then we would take the filled books to their respective redemption centers where we would trade them in for items printed in the S&H and Blue Chip catalogs. In other words, we would use them to redeem lamps or bikes or toys. To Paul’s readers, the concept of redemption was even clearer, for in the center of every Greek city stood the agorathe place of redemptionwhere buying and selling took place. Specifically, although not exclusively, this was the place were slaves were bought and sold. Thus, the Greek word for the act of redemption is agorazo. But agorazo is not the word used in this verse. There’s a second word for redemption that the Greek reader of Scripture would readily understand: exagorazo, or “the act of purchasing or redeeming never to return.” You see, oftentimes, a man would buy a slave, use him for a season of harvesting or cultivating, and then return him to be sold again. Exagorazo was the antithesis of this practice, in that it spoke of permanent possession. But exagorazo isn’t the word used in this verse. Apolutrosis, the third Greek word for redemption, is the word used in this verse. Apolutrosis speaks of a man going into the agora to purchase a slave for the purpose of setting him free totally and completelynever to be a slave again. I love it! Yes, for us redemption is agorazofor we have been purchased by the Lord. Yes, it’s exagorazofor we’ll never be sold again. But even more than that it’s apolutrosisfor we were purchased for the purpose of being set free. “I no longer call you servants, but friends,” Jesus said (see Joh_15:15). Undoubtedly the clearest picture of this glorious concept of redemption is found in the Book of Ruth, where Boaz demonstrates the redemptive work of our greater than Boaz, Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:25

Justification comes at an incalculable cost. Jesus Christ left heaven to dwell among us and die for us. “I have tremendous difficulty with that,” you say. “How could He pay the price for all of our sins when He was only on the Cross for a few hours?” He wasn’t on the Cross only a few hours. The Bible says He was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev_13:8). Thus, to a mysterious degree, His punishment for our sin individually, and for the sins of the world collectively, was, and is, eternal. A doctor was on trial because, although he attempted to abort an eight-and-a-half-month-old baby, the baby survived but lost her arm in the process. Yet, as one journalist pointed out, this is controversial only because the abortion didn’t work. Had the doctor been successful, the story never would have surfaced. Certain things on the news or in our community anger us. But imagine how God feels seeing everythingnot only the stories that make the news, but the hidden sins, the tragedies no one cares about. It is impossible for us to begin to comprehend the multiplied millions of sins that have been committed by the people in this sanctuary alone, let alone by the whole world throughout all of history. What if you were God? What if you saw everything every person is thinkingnot just a botched abortion here and there, but everything everyone is thinking and doing? What would you do? Here’s what God did: He took the anger He feels and hurled it on His Son, whose blood flowed redemptively in order that we, the hostages of sin, might be set free. Propitiation! A Topical Study of Rom_3:23-25 A man in Texas had the urge for a midnight snack. So he rolled out of bed and walked down the hallway toward the kitchen. Passing the nursery, he noticed his three-month-old son’s bassinet toppled on the floor. Racing back into the bedroom, he woke his wife to see if she had taken the baby from the bassinet, but his wife was sound asleep and knew nothing of the matter. Panic filled his heart as he ran down the hall, down the stairs, and into the living room, where, much to his horror and shock, he saw his twelve-foot pet python with a large lump in its center. He knew immediately what happened to his baby. In anger and outrage, he went to the back porch, grabbed a splitting maul, chopped up the snake, and ran out of the front door screaming. He was later committed to a mental institution. This true story haunts me and is helpful to me in understanding a biblical concept often misunderstood by people who wrestle with theology. You see, although people do not have a problem when we talk about the love of God, the wrath and judgment of God are things with which people struggle. Yet if the man in Texas was justified in smashing that snake, how much more is God justified in dealing with snakelike people who have devoured others mindlessly and heartlessly. I think of what happened in Somalia. Tens of thousands of babies starved. Why? Because war lords were fighting for territory geographically, jockeying for position politically, and preventing food from reaching kids who were dying needlessly. I think of what happened in Bosnia Herzegovinawhere women were raped and men slaughtered by the thousands, all in the name of ethnic cleansing. I think of Medford, Oregon, where the school board forbids the distribution of Bibles on school campuses as well as the use of any school buildings to be rented to any church group for any reason. I think, wonder, and ponder how it can be that a society that distributes condoms refuses to allow the distribution of Scripture. Why does God allow this insanity? Why does He, who sees not only the tragedy of Bosnia and Somalia, but the utter depravity of even the most seemingly together person, put up with a world so bent on self-destruction? The answer is very simple: Because God made man in His image, He gave him the ability to choose. And when man chose to listen to the hissing of Satan rather than to the Word of God, he unknowingly handed dominion of the planet over to Satan. That’s why Jesus called Satan the prince of this world (Joh_14:30) and why Paul called him the god of this world (2Co_4:4). In the Garden of Eden, man turned this planet over to Satan. That’s why there are diseases and rape, war, death, and sadness on our planet. It’s not a matter of God allowing these things. It’s a matter of man giving Satan the authority to cause them. Meanwhile, God looks down from heaven, and, as He was in Noah’s day, is filled with righteous indignation (Gen_6:5-7). Yet even in Noah’s day, man found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Gen_6:8). God looked at Noah, had grace on Noah, and did a work through Noah. So, too, He will again pour out His wrath in the period called the Tribulation. Until then, however, what’s the solution for the very genuine wrath God feels concerning snakelike creatures like you and me? The answer is propitiation. Why such a big word? Because no smaller word would suffice. The Greek word translated “propitiation” is hilasterion, which means “to appease the wrath of.” We often say, “God hates the sin but loves the sinner.” While that is true, it is at best a shallow understanding because the distinction between sin and sinner is not so easily made. You see, I am not only the baby devoured by the python. I am the python. I am a victim of sin, yesbut I am also its perpetrator. Sin hurts people. It destroys mankind. It’s cruel, vicious, and wrong. And my own sin is no less devastating. Thus, God is understandably filled with righteous indignation, which can only be appeased through propitiation. The people of Israel, having been delivered from Egypt, were on their way to the land promised to thema land flowing with milk and honey and wonderful blessings. But en route, they started murmuring and complaining (Num_21:5). The sin of complaining led to suffering in verse Num_21:6 as the people were bitten by poisonous snakes. Suffering led to sorrow in verse Num_21:7. Sorrow led to salvation in verses Num_21:8-9, when those who looked upon the brass serpent were healed. Who was the Brass Serpent? Jesus (Joh_3:14-16). Propitiation is God wielding a splitting maul upon the snake, the Brass Serpent, Jesus Christinstead of upon me. Am I calling Jesus Christ the snake? Yes, because He who knew no sin became sin for us (2Co_5:21) in order that the wrath of the Father over the sin of the world would be appeased. Instead of smashing a world that is snakelike and bestial, He turned to His innocent Son and laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. Jesus understood this. That’s why in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed with such intensity, “Father, if possible, don’t let Me drink of this cup” (see Mat_26:39). Socrates took the cup of hemlock and drank it bravely. Was Jesus less than Socrates? No. It wasn’t physical death Jesus feared; it was the wrath of His Father that caused Him to break out in a bloody sweat (Luk_22:44). Jesus knew what it meant to be the propitiation, the satisfaction, the appeasement of wrath. “The Father pouring out His anger upon His innocent Son is a form of child abuse,” you say. Wait a minute. What is the name of the Son? Almighty God, Everlasting Father (Isa_9:6). You see, God Himself became a Man and absorbed the wrath of His own indignation. The mystery of the Trinity, the mystery of propitiation is that God actually wielded the splitting maul upon Himself. Hilasterion, or “propitiation"the word we don’t hear much todayis used only five times in the entire New Testament: Rom_3:25; 1Jn_2:1-2; 1Jn_4:10; and Hebrews 9 are four of them. The Hebrews reference, I believe, is a real key to unlocking this understanding, for in describing the mercy seat, the author of Hebrews uses the word hilasterion. The mercy seat, or hilasterion, covered the ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant contained the law. Therefore, through the mercy seat, God says, “I know you’ve broken the law. I know you deserve to be consumed because of it.

But I’m going to put a lid on it through the sacrifice of My Son. He is the helasmos, the mercy seat, the propitiation. It’s not something He gives. It’s who He is, for He has come between you and the broken law. The wrath that I should vent on you was instead placed upon My Son, who died in your place.” The fifth use of the word “propitiation” is found in Luke 18. If you feel offended that I would liken you to a baby-eating python, if you are repulsed by a God who would became a Man and slaughter Himself to propitiate His righteous indignation, Luk_18:10-14 is the passage for you. It is a brief vignette, concerning the prayers of a Pharisee and a tax collector. Look at verse Luk_18:13: “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” It begins with “God” and ends with “sinner.” The middle phrase, “be merciful"the verb form of hilasterionstands between God and sin. Every one of us is in one of two categories. You’re either the self-righteous Pharisee, or you’re the tax collector, grateful that Jesus is standing between God and your sin. What does a correct understanding of the concept of propitiation do? Propitiation blows my mind. Propitiation adds an entirely different dimension to what Paul calls “so great salvation” (Heb_2:3). It’s not just the Father saying, “I’m going to settle mankind’s problem judicially.” No, He deals with it personally. Propitiation warms my heart. That God would love me so much He would actually become the object of His own wrath touches my heart in a profound way. Propitiation weakens my knees. Considering the righteous wrath of a powerful God makes me realize that sin is serious. The Bible says the beginning of wisdom is to fear God (Pro_1:7). And it goes on to say that to fear God is to hate sin (Pro_8:13). The concept of propitiation makes me question my own view of sin. How do I react when I see things on the screen or hear unkind words come from my own mouth? If you’re knowingly sinning today in what you’re doing, or where you’re going, I encourage you to think through propitiation. Propitiation tickles my toes. Jacob was in a place he called Luz, or “separation” After tricking his brother Esau out of his birthright and blessing, he was in the wilderness running for his life. That night, as he laid his head on a rock and tried to sleep, God revealed Himself to him, pouring out a blessing upon him and giving a promise to him. Jacob woke up and said, “Surely I am in the presence of God and I knew it not.” And he changed the name of the location from Luz to “Bethel,” or “house of God.” Then, as we read in Gen_29:1, Jacob “went on his journey.” Translated literally this phrase reads, “Jacob had happy feet.” “I’m a creep. I’m a crook. I’m a criminal,” he said, “but the Lord met me, has a plan for me, and is going to travel with me. Now I have happy feet.” So, too, I say, “Oh, Lord, I know I’m a sinner. But because You absorbed the anger that should have been poured out upon me, I leave here today with tickled toes, weakened knees, a warmed heart, and a blown mind!” May God continue to give us a comprehension of His love through an understanding of propitiation. In Jesus’ Name.

Romans 3:26

Justification solves a divine dilemma. In 1Jn_4:8, John declares that God is love. But 1Jn_1:5 tells us He is also light. Therefore, although God loves us deeply, He also sees our rebellion clearly. And if He said, “I love them so much I’m going to overlook their sin,” He would no longer be light. The eyes of the world were recently drawn to England when two ten-year-old boys were arrested for the death of a two-year-old. Now, if, following their trial, the judge said, “I know these boys beat that toddler to death, but I’m going to let them go because I really love these boys,” the world would be justifiably outraged and incensed. Such is God’s dilemma. He’s love, but also light. The solution? The only solution is justification through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. A seventeen-year-old was arrested for reckless driving in a rural community. As he was brought into court, he was relieved to see that his father was the presiding judge. An hour later, the judge rendered his decision. “Your reckless driving,” he said, “has endangered the people of our community. Consequently, justice must be served. You will either pay one thousand dollars or serve one year in jail.” “Dad,” the boy said. “You know I don’t have a penny to my name.” “Young man,” said his father, “in this court you will address me as Your Honor. I am your judge.” And down went the gavel as the boy stood incredulous before the bench. The bailiff approached. He was ready to take the boy to jail when the judge stood up, took off his robe, and left the bench to stand by his son. “Behind the bench,” he said, “I am your judge. But here beside you, I stand as your father.” And he took a checkbook from his pocket to pay his son’s fine. That’s precisely what the Lord did for us when He left the bench of heaven to come to earth as Jesus of Nazarethto write the check of redemption, to pay the price of propitiation. It’s fabulous. It’s perfect. It’s beyond comprehension that God would have come up with a plan so beautiful that it confirms both His light and His love without compromising either one. Now, if the young man in the illustration, following his dad’s offer to pay his fine, said, “Get out of here, Dad. Why did you have to pronounce such harsh judgment in the first place? I’d rather take my chances in jail than to accept charity from you,” no one would feel sorry for him; no one would shed a tear on his behalf. So, too, no tears will be shed for those who say, “I couldn’t care less that God became a Man and was slaughtered on the Cross for my sin. I’ve got places to go, things to do, a career to pursue,” because the price paid on their behalf was offered so lovingly and would have cleansed them so completely.

Romans 3:27

In heaven no one will say, “Look what we accomplished by our piety and our devotional life, our depth, our study, and our praise.” No, boasting is excluded. Five hundred law school graduates were taking the bar exam, when one of them had a heart attack and dropped to the floor. One of the young men sitting near him rushed to his assistance and administered CPR for thirty minutes. When the paramedics arrived, the young man who had administered the CPR asked for an additional thirty minutes to complete his test. His request denied, he left the room stunned. The media picked up the story and, as a result, the young went on the talk show circuit, received job offers and congratulations for being the only one in five hundred to come to the aid of a dying man. Thus, the savior was honored. The same is true in heaven. All attention presently and eternally is focused on Jesus Christ because He’s the Savior. We’re only the “save-ees.”

Romans 3:28

There are two groups in religion today: those who emphasize behaving and those who emphasize believing. In actuality, James tells us that the emphasis needs to be on believing, since the way we believe will affect the way we behave.

Romans 3:31

Why does Paul say faith in Jesus Christ establishes the law? Because the purpose of the law, according to Gal_3:24, is to bring us to Christ. Therefore, belief in Christ accomplishes the very purpose for which the law was given. The management of a lakeside hotel had a problem. Guests would fish off the balconies of their rooms. With the restaurant located on the bottom floor, many times the fisherman would inadvertently crack the restaurant window with their sinkers as they cast their lines into the lake below. The hotel called in a consultant, and he solved the problem immediately. “The solution is very simple,” he said. “Just remove the ‘No Fishing Allowed’ signs from every balcony.” This done, it no longer occurred to anyone to fish. Truly, whether it be “No Fishing,” “Keep Off the Grass,” or “Thou Shalt Not Steal"the law undermines faith and underlines failure by setting a standard we are unable to keep. Does this mean that, because we can’t keep the law, we are free to break it? Stick around, and we’ll see how Paul answers that very question.