All Means All
Romans Series
CCCAG March 15st, 2020
Scripture- Romans 3 (Shane Reading)
One of the great tragedies of today's culture is that we have lost the ability to talk to one another reasonably.
The reasons are twofold.
The first is a deficiency within our educational system in that we don't teach philosophy and history together. A little bit more about that in a moment
The second is the advent of social media.
We have limited our debate skills to 140 characters or less. If you're not familiar with what that means that's the amount of characters you can have On Twitter to make a point. We have become a people of extremely short attention spans who are easily moved emotionally by every clickbait story or even extremely slanted TV news broadcast that we see.
Much of our society has completely lost the ability to have a rational conversation, and instead largely hide behind our walls and lob single sentences or thoughts at one another instead of sitting down and having an actual conversation.
That’s why we are seeing the chaos in our nation today. We have forgotten how to think for ourselves, and how to communicate those thoughts in a manner that is compelling, honest, and kind. (punched)
Going back to the first point- the failure of teaching history and learning it’s lessons.
Education is not about stuffing facts into your head. Real Education is about giving you a knowledge bases so you how to think for yourself.
There was a slogan a number of years ago that said, “Challenge Everything”. A number of pastors had a problem with that saying because it meant that we encouraged people to doubt the authenticity of our faith.
I don’t see it that way- I encourage you to question your faith. Ask the hard questions. In fact, in many parts of the bible, God encourages honest questions.
A few weeks ago, we lost one of the greatest Christian apologists that has ever lived, Dr Ravi Zacharias. A Christian apologist is not one who repeatedly says I'm sorry for Christianity. The term apologist means that he is able to give an answer for the hard questions at people pose to Christianity both from a scriptural perspective and from a philosophical perspective. His whole ministry was answering tough questions about the faith.
I would hope that all of us would strive to be good apologist for our faith that we can answer those tough questions for people.
However, when we go to answer those questions let's do it with an actual conversation and not do it online or through some sort of technology. That's one of the ways where the world today has lost its way.
If He were walking the earth today, Jesus might have a social media page, but all of his important conversations would still be done in person.
One of the ways that we practice apologetics is through making a statement and then allowing other people to challenge that statement with questions.
I want you to remember that for the next couple of weeks as we delve into Paul’s defense of the Christian Faith in the next few chapters of Romans.
Paul is being a Christian apologist in that he is making a statement and then answering the logical questions that can come from that statement.
That's exactly what a lawyer does in a courtroom. He takes what is considered to be a fact and starts to dissect this “quote unquote” fact an either prove or disprove it depending on which side they're on.
That's where Paul is in the first part of Romans chapter 3 here is that he is answering some common objections that people have with the gospel of grace .
So I just encourage you to keep that in mind as Shane comes up and reads Romans chapter 3 today.
Romans 3
3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written:
"So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."
5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" 8 Why not say — as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say — "Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved.
9 What shall we conclude then? Are we any better ? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10 As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away,they have together become worthless;there is no one who does good,not even one." 13 "Their throats are open graves;their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips." 14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Thank Shane
Prayer
I. Apologetics
Not going to spend a lot of time here, but I want you to see something in verses 1-18. This is not to just fill your head with knowledge, but to help you read your bible for yourself and understand what Paul is doing here.
In particular, we see in verses 1, 3, 7, and 9 a series of statements that Paul uses to frame the defense of Christianity.
In important point about how Paul frames his defense- he knows his audience- they are largely converted Hebrews that are steeped in the Torah and Mosaic law. But, he also has a lot of Greeks in that church, so he uses something called the Socratic method to argue for the faith.
Socrates was an ancient Greek who is considered to be the father of philosophy- the pursuit of truth.
The Socratic method is how apologetics works.
There is a truth statement
Other people challenge that truth statement with questions.
The person who made the statement defends it.
Those who question it agree or disagree with the defense and ask more questions.
Sooner or later, an agreement is reached about the truth claim- it’s true or false.
That’s basics of the Socratic Method
That’s what Paul is using here.
A quick synopsis because I can already see eyes glazing over.
I’m going to paraphrase these a little for clarity.
Verse 1
Question- Is there an advantage to being a Jew
Answer- Yes, but only in that their nation was used to bring the WORD of God to us.
Verse 3- What if these chosen Jews didn’t have faith?
Answer- they are still subject to the same requirements of salvation that everyone else is.
Verse 5- (paraphrase) What if me sinning makes God look more holy
Answer- Paul takes on an almost mocking tone here saying essentially it’s only a hard human heart that comes up with such a ridiculous claim- “Let us do evil that good may result, because the darkness of my evil makes God’s light look that much brighter”
That’s a really dumb argument.
You ever get into a discussion with someone, and they know they have lost an argument, and they try to shift the discussion away from their error onto something you have done that was just like that?
That’s what this answer is like.
Verse 9
Question- Does that mean Christians are better than Jews?
Answer- No, all are alike and all are under sins’s curse.
ALL MEANS ALL. Every single human who has ever lived is under sin’s curse
Paul quotes from several Old Testament verses, mostly Psalms, to prove it. The summary verse is verse 10-
There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
Paul uses these arguments to set up Verses 19-20
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Two major points you need to know-
1. Who is under the law? Is it just the Jew?
No, everyone is under the law.
What does that mean?
The reason that those outside of Jesus are doomed is that they are under the law. All 613 Old Testament laws all come to the same point-
do what God says perfectly or spend eternity in hell. One infraction, one simple act of rebellion, and you are done.
2nd point-
No one can earn God’s favor through following the law.
Why? Because it’s impossible for the imperfect to be perfect.
Men, I know it’s hard, but we aren’t perfect. We all have one or two flaws in us.
If I shatter a mirror, and then use superglue to put the pieces back together, no matter how exacting I am in the repair, you will always see the brokenness.
That’s what sin does to our lives. Once committed, there is only brokenness and us depending on our own goodness to win God’s favor by obedience to the law is like trying to make that broken mirror look perfect again.
After dealing with a few objections, Paul now brings the Gospel. Paul spent the last part of chapter 2, and the first part of chapter 3 proving there is no way to God based on our own efforts, and now he brings it home-
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Let’s unpack this-
Righteousness cannot be found in the law.
Virtually every other religion on earth, particularly in Paul’s day, has personal performance as it’s criteria to make you pleasing to whatever deity they worship.
Roman’s had a huge selection of Gods to choose from, and they closely matched the Greek gods.
Proper sacrifice, done in the right way, at the right time, to the right God.
Enough giving to whatever temple you worshiped at
Ethical conduct with others, and if you messed up, there was a sacrifice or payment given to have your sins forgiven.
This is man made religion.
This is why Paul Emphasized-
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
You can’t get there through religious practice of do’s and don’ts
Religion says do, Jesus says done.
and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus
Look at the key word- freely?
I don’t have to do anything?
Only believe. It’s always been about belief. Whether in Genesis 3, or today in the 21st century- it’s always been about faith and belief that God’s word is true.
God made it simple, humanity mucks it up by adding to what God ordained.
Before Jesus utters the famous words of John 3:16-17, he prefaces it with an example from Israel’s history.
Let me show you something from the bible most people miss-
Way back in the Old Testament, in Numbers 21, Israel is wandering the desert, supernaturally being fed with bread from heaven called manna. Some of them began to complain about it, and God sent serpents among them and they started to die from the serpent’s bites.
God told Moses to make a serpent out of bronze, and hoist it upon a pole, and whoever looked at it would be healed and saved.
Here is the point you may have missed- In order to hold that heavy bronze serpent, that pole had to have a crossbeam.
John 3:14-15
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
It wasn’t the bronze serpent that saved them- it was looking at the cross.
The cross of Christ has always been the answer for us.
That’s why Paul ends with this summary statement for this chapter-
Rom 3:27-28
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law?
No, but on that of faith.
One of the things people say to me that is the most telling that they have no idea of what the Christian faith really means is this-
“You think you are better than I am because you go to church”
No, a billion billion times no!
I go to church because I know I am the worst person on earth, and I have no hope other than the cross of Jesus Christ.
“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand”
If you have any other hope that that of Jesus, you have no hope.
Because all have sinned, and fallen short of the Glory of God meaning you have no other way to heaven other than through the cross.
Prayer/
Altar Call.
