Romans 3:5-8

Romans 3:5-8 - Daily Devotion - 16 June 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 5 But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms. 6 Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world? 7 However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner? 8 Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!REFLECTIONSWritten by Charis OuldToday’s passage follows on from Paul’s reminder to the Jews in Rome that God is not false or unfaithful, but the righteous judge. But they now have another question for Paul. If their unrighteousness shows God’s righteousness, then isn’t it unrighteous for him to inflict wrath on those who glorify him? It would be unjust to judge them because their unrighteousness has a good result! So they should just keep sinning because it glorifies God, right?Paul’s answer is clear. Certainly not! He shows us how foolish this thinking is. God is the judge of the world. He cannot be unjust. We can’t use God’s grace as an excuse to keep on sinning, and say that he should change his judgement. God would not tell us to sin to glorify Him. That goes against His very nature. We have a responsibility for our own actions, and if we encourage sin because of the grace of God then we have misunderstood the gospel. Paul says if we “do evil that good may result”, then our condemnation is deserved.This argument may seem a bit backward, but I think it is an easy trap to fall into without realising. Like a parent doing their child’s homework because they want them to get good grades – which really just stops the child from learning anything at all. They think if their action has a good outcome, then it is justified. But this is flawed thinking. It would be the same saying, “I receive more grace if I’m more sinful, so I should sin more.” This thinking doesn’t reflect a repentant attitude towards my sin! Nor does it reflect the fact that grace is a free gift, but I still need to count the cost of turning away from my sin. God calls us to repent, and gives us His Spirit to work in us as we seek to live for him. Thank God for his grace to us, and ask him to help us to live lives that reflect this grace we have been given. ABOUT THE AUTHORCharis is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.