What this world's religions do not take into account, is who Paul is speaking about in Romans 1-3. Specifically those Pharisees who had been given the Oracles of God, but many didn't believe them. These men slandered Paul, "who damnation is just" and Asked the question, "Are we better than they"? To which he replied, "by no means" as he has already taught before, men who engage in this behavior are "Still under Sin". He tells us that he and the Body of Christ are no better, that if they engaged in the same behavior as the Jews who Jesus said, " Full well reject the Commandments of God that they might promote their own traditions", they would be subject to the same judgment from God. Paul quotes David to make his point in Psalms 5 and 14 and also already declared in Rom. 2 the righteous Judgment of God,
"Who will render to every manaccording to his deeds:"
Paul understood that he was no better than anyone else, and would also be judged according to his deeds. You can see Paul's understanding of the Righteous Judgments of God, concerning their slanderous behavior in Rom. 2. "for we have "before proved"
both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;" Please see below, where he "before proved".
7 To them who by patient continuance "in well doing" seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 "But unto them" that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, (men who full well rejected God's Commandments) indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon "every soul of man" that "doeth" evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, "to every man" that "worketh" good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Paul understood he was held unto the same standards as everyone else, "
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: For God is no respecter of persons.
Paul goes on to quote David's judgments against those men who were persecuting God's Church.
Ps. 5:
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
This is really important to understand, as "many" who come in Christ's Name, preach that Paul is talking about the Body of Christ being no different than the Pharisees who persecutes the Body of Christ. That isn't what Paul is saying at all, as can be easily seen by reading David's Words that Paul used to make his point.
Keep in mind also Isaiah 1, which defines the Pharisees perfectly. Here is a religion who professed to know God, but rejected His Commandments, Judgments and Statutes to the point of God calling them "Sodom". Yet every week they would show up with the Blood of Animals, as prescribed by the Priesthood Law "After the order of Aaron", to justify their lawless religion. As you can see when you read Isaiah, these "Sacrificial Works of the Law", didn't not Justify their willful rejection of God's Judgments and Commandments. Paul understood this, that the mainstream preachers of his time, still promoted the same Priesthood "Works" to justify them, even though these sacrificial "works of the law", were only a temporary "ADDED" Law, given after the Golden calf, that was only to be in place "till the Seed, (Lamb of God) should come". (Gal. 3)
The Prophesied New Priest had already come, these sacrificial "works" were prophesied to end "after those days". (Jer. 31) But the Jews were still promoting a corrupted version of them, still selling calves, turtle doves and goats for justification of sins.
Paul speaks to this New Priest, and the "Better Ministry";
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith "in his blood", (Not the blood of animals as per the Old Priesthood Law) to declare his righteousness "for the remission of sins that are past", through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Here is the two Laws part.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? "of works"?
(Lev. 4:
27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. 29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
This was the "Law of Works" for justification "Till the Seed should come".
Nay: but by the "law of faith".
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. As it is written: "The Just shall Live by Faith".
The lesson here from Paul and Isaiah is for me at this time in history, is the same as then. That a man can't live in rejection of God's Commandments, Judgments and Statutes, then show up each week with the Blood of an unblemished Sacrifice, as required by Law, for justification of willful rejection of God's Laws.
For by the "Works of the Law" shall no Flesh be justified.
I am going to try and outline the main points of your argument and add a rebuttal. If I have misunderstood any of them, please clarify.
1. Claim:
Romans 1–3 speaks only of unbelieving Jews (Pharisees), not all humanity.
Response:
Paul is very clear that his argument in Romans 1–3 encompasses
the entire human race, not just the Pharisees.
- Romans 1:18–32 describes Gentiles who reject God’s revelation in nature.
- Romans 2:1–3:8 condemns Jews who boast in the Law but break it.
- Romans 3:9 draws the conclusion:
“What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.”
The phrase “both Jews and Gentiles” shows that Paul’s point is
universal guilt, not merely Pharisaic hypocrisy.
He later sums it up in
Romans 3:23 — “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Supporting texts:
- Romans 5:12 — “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men.”
- Ephesians 2:1–3 — All were “by nature children of wrath.”
Paul’s point:
everyone needs justification through Christ, not just corrupt religious leaders.
2. Claim:
Paul says we are judged according to our deeds, therefore salvation depends on obedience.
Response:
Romans 2:6–11 is not teaching salvation by works; it describes
God’s perfect standard of judgment that no one meets.
Paul uses this to lead his readers to the conclusion in
Romans 3:20 —
“By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight.”
The “judgment by works” principle shows that God’s judgment is righteous and impartial — but it also proves that
no one can attain eternal life through good deeds (Romans 3:9–12).
Supporting texts:
- Romans 4:4–5 — “To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
- Titus 3:5 — “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.”
Thus, Romans 2 is diagnostic, not prescriptive — it shows why grace is needed.
3. Claim:
Paul’s quotations from David (Psalm 5, 14) apply only to the persecutors of the church, not to all mankind.
Response:
Paul quotes Psalms 14 and 5 to demonstrate
universal sin, not to identify a single persecuting group.
He says:
“There is none righteous, no, not one.” — Romans 3:10–12
Psalm 14 originally lamented the corruption of
humanity as a whole (“The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men…” v. 2). Paul cites it to show that
sin pervades every heart.
So his use is not narrow; it’s universal.
Supporting texts:
- Psalm 14:2–3 — “They are all gone aside… there is none that doeth good.”
- Romans 3:19 — “That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
4. Claim:
Isaiah 1 condemns Pharisees who used sacrifices without obedience — just as Paul opposed “works of the law.”
Response:
Isaiah 1 indeed condemns hypocritical worship, but Paul’s critique in Romans and Galatians goes further.
Paul isn’t only denouncing corrupt ritualism; he’s declaring the entire
old covenant system powerless to justify.
Supporting texts:
- Hebrews 10:1–4 — The law and sacrifices were “a shadow… [that] can never… make perfect.”
- Romans 3:21–22 — “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is manifested…”
Isaiah’s point and Paul’s differ in scope: Isaiah called Israel back to sincere obedience
under the covenant; Paul proclaims
a new covenant where righteousness is imputed through faith in Christ, not maintained by law-keeping.
5. Claim:
There are two laws — the moral law (permanent) and sacrificial law (temporary).
Response:
Scripture never divides Moses’ law that way; it treats it as
one unified covenant.
Supporting texts:
- Deuteronomy 4:13–14 — The Ten Commandments and statutes are both part of “the covenant.”
- 2 Corinthians 3:7–11 — The law “engraved in stones” (Ten Commandments) is called “the ministry of death” that was “done away.”
- Galatians 3:24–25 — “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ… but after faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”
Therefore, all aspects of the Mosaic law — moral, ceremonial, civil — belonged to one covenant now
fulfilled in Christ(
Romans 10:4).
6. Claim:
The “works of the law” Paul condemns refer only to sacrificial rituals.
Response:
Paul uses “works of the law” to mean
any attempt to earn righteousness through law-keeping, not just sacrifices.
Supporting texts:
- Romans 3:20 — “By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
- Galatians 2:16 — “A man is not justified by the works of the law.”
In Galatians, Paul rebukes circumcision (a moral-identity marker, not a sacrifice), proving “works of the law” include the whole system of observances.
Thus, the problem isn’t merely temple rituals — it’s trusting human obedience instead of Christ’s finished work.
7. Claim:
Faith replaces animal sacrifice, but believers must still obey the Ten Commandments to be justified.
Response:
Faith in Christ does not supplement the law — it
supersedes it as the ground of justification.
Obedience is the
fruit, not the
basis, of salvation.
Supporting texts:
- Ephesians 2:8–10 — “By grace are ye saved through faith… not of works… for we are His workmanship.”
- Romans 8:3–4 — The law’s righteous requirement is fulfilled in us through the Spirit.
- Hebrews 8:13 — “In that He saith, A new covenant… He hath made the first old.”
Believers are now under “the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2), living by the Spirit who writes God’s moral will on the heart — not by trying to keep Sinai’s covenant code for justification.
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