Charles Spurgeon Commentary Romans 3:27

"Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith." — Romans 3:27 (ASV)

It is excluded. By what law of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

The law of works sometimes aids boasting, for a man rejoices and glories in what he has done; yet the law of works ought to stop our boasting because we are guilty in God's sight. The law of faith does stop our mouth, because we are under obligation to God, and do not dare to boast, seeing that we have nothing good except what we have received from God.

It is excluded. By what law?

It is shut out; but by what law is it shut out?

By what law? of works?

No, no, the law of works would have allowed us to boast. We would have merited whatever we earned by our own excellence, and we might have gloried in it.

Where is boasting then? It is excluded.

Shut out, done with.

Of works?

No; for, whenever we think that we have been performing any good works, we begin to boast at once.

Nay: but by the law of faith.

For if we are saved by believing, if we are justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, then there is no room for boasting.

It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (Romans 3:27)

If we were to say God justified man on the ground of law without their perfectly keeping it, we would make void the law. But when we teach that God justifies men by his free grace and mercy on account of Christ's having kept the law and having fulfilled its fullest demands, we do not make void the law, but we establish the law.

Where is boasting then?

By works? No: but by the law of faith.