Despite the conclusions that carnal man might derive from Paul’s teaching about God’s decree in unconditional election – that it, ‘takes man off the hook,’ in this new section of his epistle to the Romans, Paul returns the theme of and human responsibility and his pursuit of righteousness – a dominant and recurrant theme in Romans. Paul teaches that the sin of unbelief is the fault of man, not of God, in that man’s faithless attempts to justify himself by his law-keeping is the wrong way to pursue righteousness. This was the way that the Jews believed they were to pursue God’s favor; and it is the way of every religion including most Protestant denominations’ efforts to pursue righteousness. However the Gentiles who represent any sinner saved by grace, obtain an alien righteousness given to them on the account of faith.
