How do we “establish the law” through faith (Rom. 3:31)? Why are the believers “not under the law” (Rom. 6:14)? What does it mean to be “not under the law”? Why is Christ the “end of the law” (Rom. 10:4)?
Romans 3:31 says, “Do we then make the law of no effect through faith? Absolutely not! Rather, we establish the law.” This is Paul’s conclusion. Prior to this he said, “For we account that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (v. 28). Since this is the case, someone may have raised the question: “Is not the law made void by faith?” Therefore, Paul answered, “Absolutely not!” The phrase “Absolutely not!” is a Greek idiom. It is the same as “Heaven forbid!” in Chinese. Paul meant that heaven would not agree with you saying that the law was abolished by faith.
In the first three chapters of Romans, Paul shows that the Gentiles, whom God had not chosen, were sinners, and the Jews, whom God had chosen, were also sinners. Those who served God and had the law of God were also sinners. No one can be justified by keeping the law. Therefore, Paul says, “Because out of the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before Him; for through the law is the clear knowledge of sin” (3:20).
“But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, witness being borne to it by the Law and the Prophets” (3:21). Praise and thank God for “but now.” Now there is a way of salvation.
“Whom God set forth as a propitiation place through faith in His blood, for the demonstrating of His righteousness, in that in His forbearance God passed over the sins that had previously occurred, with a view to the demonstrating of His righteousness in the present time, so that He might be righteous and the One who justifies him who is of the faith of Jesus” (3:25-26). God exercised forbearance toward those in the Old Testament, and He justifies those in this age. In the Old Testament age the Lord had not died, and sin had not been removed. Therefore, God forbore man. But today God justifies rather than forbears. To justify is not only to forgive a man or reckon him to be without sins but, even more, to pronounce him righteous. God gives us this righteousness in Christ Jesus. We can now receive this righteousness because Christ died and resurrected. Therefore, Paul said, “For we account that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (3:28). Paul was afraid someone might think that since man was justified through faith, the law would be abolished through faith. This is why he immediately said, “Absolutely not!” (3:31). Even heaven forbids man to say that.
How, then, do we establish the law through faith? The law has only two requirements: (1) the law commands man to do good, and (2) the law punishes those who do not do good. The law requires one of these two. If you do not keep the law, you will be punished by the law. If you do not follow the law and establish it, you will be punished by the law in order to establish it. Besides the Lord, no other person can keep the law; even Moses the lawgiver did not keep the law completely. The law requires death for those who do not keep the law. We can say, “I did not keep the law; I have sinned; I have died already. In Christ, I have received the judgment of the law and the curse of the law. Therefore, I did not break the law; rather, I established it through faith.” Although we cannot establish the law by keeping it and deserve to die, praise and thank God that we have died in Christ! It is of God that we are in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:30). It is God who put us into Christ. When Christ died, we also died in His death. Therefore, faith does not make the law void; rather, it establishes the law.
Why are the believers not under the law? The believers are not under the law because, on the one hand, they are already dead, and on the other hand, they are resurrected. We can prove this by Romans 7:1-6. Paul uses a parable of a woman and her husband. We need to note what “the husband” refers to in this section. Some say “the husband” refers to the law. Others say “the husband” refers to our flesh. Each group has its own opinions and reasons. However, if we read it carefully, we will see that both implications are actually here. In Romans 7:2, the husband is the law, yet the husband is different from the law. Therefore, “the husband” in this section has two meanings. One meaning refers to the law, and the other meaning refers to the flesh. If the husband referred only to the law, then the phrase “if the husband dies” would mean that law is dead. But how can the law die? Once we are clear about this point, we can conclude that “the husband” in this section refers to the flesh and also to the law.
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