Romans 3:31

Paul was not saying that the Law is valueless. The absence of the definite article "the" before the first occurrence of "Law" in this verse in the Greek text does not indicate that Paul was only thinking of law in general, as the context makes clear. Even though he believed in salvation by faith Paul saw the Law as having an important function. [Note: See Femi Adeyemi, "Paul’s ’Positive’ Statements about the Mosaic Law," Bibliotheca Sacra 164:653 (January-March 2007):49-58.] Probably he meant that its function is to convict people of their inability to gain acceptance with God by their own works (Romans 3:19-20). Another view is that Paul meant the Old Testament (law) testifies to justification by faith. [Note: Godet, pp. 166-67; Henry Alford, The Greek Testament, 2:346; Cranfield, 1:224; et al.] A third view is that faith provides the complete fulfillment of God’s demands in His Law. [Note: Moo, pp. 254-55; et al.] The Law is not something God has given people to obey so they can obtain righteousness. Man’s inability to save himself required the provision of a Savior from God. The Law in a sense made Jesus Christ’s death necessary (Romans 3:24-25).

The point of Romans 3:27-31 is that justification must come to all people by faith alone. Paul clarified here that this fact excludes boasting (Romans 3:27-28). It is also logical in view of the sovereignty of God (Romans 3:29-30), and it does not vitiate the Mosaic Law (Romans 3:31).