# Paul's "May it never be!" phrases



## Pergamum

Paul, many times, utters the phrase that is the equivalent of "God forbid" or "May it never be!"


I am intrigued by this. This seems to say, "Let it never even be considered" or "Don't even let the thought enter into your mind" or "Don't even discuss the possibility!"

This is fascinating.

Can you help me name and describe each of these phases, most of which occur in Romans. 

These in Romans seem to have big theological implications concerning God's sovereignty. Can you help me develop these in greater depth?


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## akennethjr

May it never be! It has the idea of something to which it refers as being repulsive.
Most certainly not! Most assuredly not! May it never be! Under no circumstances!
It is a very strong negation.

"Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid."


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## Brian Withnell

Pergamum said:


> Paul, many times, utters the phrase that is the equivalent of "God forbid" or "May it never be!"
> 
> I am intrigued by this. This seems to say, "Let it never even be considered" or "Don't even let the thought enter into your mind" or "Don't even discuss the possibility!"



I don't know as Paul was saying don't even think about it. In each case it was right after he stated the proposition. That would be near equal to saying: "Don't even think of an elephant with green and blue vertical strips." What are you thinking about right now? Thought so, you're thinking about a weird elephant. 

I love my electronic Bible (14 different versions, including TR) but I think the "may it never be" is the appropriate translation (μη - not γενοιτο - state of being). In each case he shows an argument and demonstrates that it is wrong, but first he states the argument. He has already told you to consider the argument (that is, think about this) and then tells you why it is absolutely wrong.

While many deal with sovereignty, not all of them deal with an attribute of God (Gal 6 is about Paul not boasting).

Rom 3:4 
Rom 3:6 
Rom 3:31 
Rom 6:2 
Rom 6:15 
Rom 7:7 
Rom 7:13 
Rom 9:14 
Rom 11:1 
Rom 11:11 
1 Cor 6:15 
Gal 2:17 
Gal 3:21 
Gal 6:14 

That I believe is the exhaustive list of verses for "may it never be" (except one in Luke ... which is not Paul speaking).


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## Pergamum

Joshua said:


> I'm not really sure what you're looking for, Pergs, insofar as "develop[ing]" them goes.
> 
> *Romans 3:4*
> - Does the fact that _some_ men won't believe make God's work ineffective? By no means. After which, Paul will go on to show _how_ it will not be ineffective. God _will_ draw His people unto Himself. God _will_ harden others unto Himself. In the former He is showing the riches of His mercy, in the latter He is showing the power of His wrath. In both cases He is glorified and the faith He gives is certainly not ineffective.​ *Romans 3:6*
> - Is God somehow unrighteous by taking vengeance upon the wicked? Of course not. For He alone is completely righteous and worthy to judge the world. Paul will go forward to make this case, as aforementioned. ​ *Romans 3:31*
> - Has the Law been nullified because in the New Covenant we understand _fully_ the nature of Justification by Faith Alone? By no means! The Law was _never_ a means of justification in the first place, so simply because we in the New Covenant have a clearer picture of the Object of our Faith and how His imputed righteousness is the measure by which we may stand before the Thrice Holy God is no reason to think that God's Moral Law is somehow any less important or binding. Rather, as men who have been justified by Faith alone, we show why the Law _*is*_ very much still binding, and how it is our delight to obey and follow.​ *Romans 6:2*
> - Shall we sin with the crazy idea that the maximization of our sin results in the maximization of grace? Absolutely not! This is not the evidence of a Christian. Paul has already established that we're dead _in_ sin, now how we should strive to be dead _to_ sin. Such willful sinning is not the mark of a Christian who has been passed from darkness to light, but the mark of someone who doesn't understand the redemption offered to those who would believe.​ *Romans 6:15*
> - Christ has met the judicial merits of the Law perfectly on our behalf. He paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay. Therefore, we are not under the Law in the sense that it is a Covenant of Works; nay, we are under grace. However, that's no license to sin! and this ties in with the previous "God forbid!"​ *Romans 7:7, 13*
> - Is the Law inherently sinful? By no means! It provokes already sinful men to sin, but it's because of the sinners' hearts, not because of the Law. For the Law of the Lord is perfect (Ps. 19). Paul here wants to put to rest any tinge of antinomianism by which people be tempted. ​ *Romans 9:14*
> - Is God unrighteous for choosing some as vessels of mercy and others as vessel of wrath? Absolutely not. He is the Lord God Creator and is perfectly justified in all that He has decreed and will carry out. It is the height of sinful arrogance and foolishness for the creature to make some petty argument about the "unfairness" of his Creator, the very Definer of "Fair."​



You hit the nail on the head, brother. I am studying through each and seeking comments on each occurrence.


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