How does Romans 3:8 warn against justifying sin for good outcomes? The Key Verse “And why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, ‘Let us do evil that good may result’? Their condemnation is deserved!” (Romans 3:8) Setting the Scene • Paul has been proving that both Jew and Gentile are under sin (Romans 3:1-20). • Some opponents twist his teaching on grace, alleging he promotes moral freedom to sin “so that” God’s righteousness looks even brighter. • Paul labels that charge slander and declares the resulting judgment “deserved.” Why “Good Results” Never Excuse Sin • God’s character is perfectly righteous. Any suggestion that He needs evil to display His goodness insults His holiness (Psalm 92:15). • Sin remains sinful regardless of any claimed benefit (James 1:13-15). The moral weight of an act is determined by God’s law, not by outcomes. • The slanderers’ logic turns grace into license, yet grace trains us to “deny ungodliness” (Titus 2:11-12). • “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). No supposed good cancels that penalty. • Doing wrong “that good may result” is the very definition of calling evil good—an attitude God condemns (Isaiah 5:20). Connected Passages Reinforcing the Warning • Romans 6:1-2 — “What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? Certainly not!” • 1 Peter 2:16 — Use your freedom “as bondservants of God,” not as a “cover-up for evil.” • Galatians 5:13 — Freedom is for serving one another in love, not indulging the flesh. • Proverbs 14:12 — A way may “seem right,” yet its end is death. Outcomes can deceive; obedience protects. Practical Takeaways • Evaluate choices by Scripture, not by calculated benefits. • Reject any plan that requires violating God’s commands, even if it promises spiritual or charitable gain. • Guard doctrine: distortion of grace always leads to moral compromise. • Keep motives pure. God weighs the heart as much as the deed (Proverbs 16:2). • Remember: righteousness is not merely the goal; it is also the path. |
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