Paul speaks as a man

"But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)" - Romans 3:5

Paul speaks as a man (and after the manner of men such as in Romans 6:19 and Galatians 3:15) for the benefit of teaching those who are learning from the book of Romans. He forms the question: "Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance?" going back to what was being said in Romans chapter 2 concerning the circumcision being made as the uncircumcision, and their punishment regarding their failure to uphold the righteousness of the law.

The question Paul forms then is "But if our (our being Israel, not the Body of Christ which is the church today) unrighteousness (that's the unrighteousness concerning the failure of law obedience with Israel) commend the righteousness of God (The righteousness he has concerning his actions towards Israel's blessings and cursings....as it is written in Joshua 8:34..."And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.") what shall we say?

Which brings us back to where we are at the top. Paul speaks as a man and forms the question "Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance?" Is God unrighteous to follow through on cursing Israel, if they're disobedient? Should he let them slide? Should he let Gentiles slide? Should he grade sin on a curve? Should he let sin slide at all?

Paul answers all of these questions with the first two words of the next verse in Romans 3:6. God forbid. He's not going to grade impartially, or show respect of persons. God will not let sin slide.

Concerning when God takes vengence it's always righteous on his part. "The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say,Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth." - Psalm 58:10-11

"O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud." - Psalm 94:1-2

If however you are of a mindset that God has taken vengeance on you for that one time you stole a pen from your job by giving you a flat tire, there are other matters, other doctrines that need to be worked out and solved as God is not altering the circumstances of daily life today to cater to you nor to punish you. Is this new to you? Let us know.

Paul speaks as a man to draw up the question, to which the only answer can be: God forbid. "Let God be true, but every man a liar" - Romans 3:4