Romans 3:5-8 Questions Born from Erroneous Extrapolations

“Why not say…’Let us do evil that good may result’?” Rom. 3:8

As mentioned earlier, Romans 3 begins with 8 questions from an imaginary disputant. The second group of questions (the last 5 questions) deals with erroneous extrapolations of Paul’s teaching.

To extrapolate means “to infer by extending known information…” In math you can take an existing graph containing a curve and extend the curve beyond the set of data used to create the curve. The extended portion of the curve is the extrapolated portion. People were taking Paul’s teaching and extending it out beyond what Paul was actually saying and this extrapolation was filled with error.

The truths presented by Paul were that “our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly…”, and “…my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory…” It is a good thing to see God’s righteousness more clearly. It is also a good thing when the glory of God is increased in our eyes. The erroneous extrapolation was “Let us do evil that good may result.” The darkened nature of man is seen even in his grappling with truth. Paul said those who report that he teaches these things are justly condemned.

What is the accurate extrapolation from the truths taught by Paul? Paul has just concluded 2 chapters in which he thoroughly expounds on the depravity of mankind. No one is left untouched. The fall of man was cataclysmic and horrendous, affecting the nature of everyone. Man’s nature is to trade the truth of God for an image in the form of a cow. Man’s nature is to put confidence in a mark in the flesh (circumcision) while stealing and committing adultery. The darker the picture that is painted of man, the more brilliant is the character of God who is the righteous standard by which everything is measured.

If someone concludes from Paul’s teaching that it is ok to sin, they misunderstand Paul’s teaching. When Paul later teaches on the grace of God, the erroneous extrapolations rain down in a torrent….mainly along the lines that it is ok to sin. Paul teaches us to appreciate the horrendousness of sin and the beauty and magnificence of God’s righteousness and grace.