Who are those who believe?
Certainly it is not those who are left to their own discernment. Romans 1 tells us that no one believes on their own. Romans 2 tells us that a person must perfectly keep the law to be justified by works. Romans 3 tells us that no one seeks after God.
So, who are those who believe?
Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
(John 10:25-29)
The bible is clear that it is because of man’s discernment that they can be saved.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of t
he gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For in it
the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS
man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
And we see this further stated in
Eph 1:13 In Him, you also,
after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
I agree that none can be saved by keeping the law. That is why the bible tells us “..
.by grace you have been saved through faith...” Eph 2:8
Salvation can not be earned by keeping the law it is a gift of God to those that believe.
You stopped short in your reading of Romans 3. If you had continued reading you would have found:
The Righteousness of God Through Faith
Rom 3:21 But now
apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22
even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom 3:24
being justified as a gift by His grace through
the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration,
I say, of His righteousness at the present time,
so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
So what we find is scripture is that those that hear and believe the gospel message will be saved. Rom 10:17 So
faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Sure seems like God expects man to seek Him and exercise discernment.