The truth of the Gospel is that all men have sinned and come under the wrath of God.
• Everyone will be judged by the same measure, for God does not show favouritism (2:11). Both the Jews and the Greeks will be judged for their sin.
• Paul took extra efforts to draw attention to the Jews because of their background.
The Jews considered themselves as the descendants of Abraham, God’s chosen people, because God made a covenant with Abraham.
• The sign or seal of the covenant, as prescribed by God then in Genesis 17, was circumcision. Hence all Jewish males were circumcised.
• They were the covenantal people of God, sealed with the sign of circumcision.
• In addition, God gave them His commandments through Moses, the Mosaic Law, which the Jews have been keeping it judiciously.
So we can see now where their confidence lies. They have the covenant, the sign of circumcision, and the commandments of God.
• Needless to say, these 3 C’s that makes them feel special. They are the favoured ones in the eyes of God, as many of them might have thought.
• To debunk that belief, Paul set forth the truth of the Gospel and the need for them to believe in the Messiah for salvation, just like the Greeks.
God judges all men equally and that includes the Jews. 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…”
• 2:11 “For God does not show favouritism.” Whether you are a Jew under the covenant, circumcised and keeping the commandments, or a Greek without the Law and circumcision, everyone will be judged the same way.
• What way? The Gospel way. 2:16 “This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my Gospel declares.”
• All will be judge according to their faith response to Jesus Christ, the only Saviour.
If the Jews put their confidence in the covenant (lineage), the circumcision (rituals) or their knowledge of the Law (commandments), then they greatly mistaken.
• None of these can provide them immunity from God’s judgment or special status in the eyes of God.
• Faith in Jesus Christ is the only true security they have. And that means their repentance and obedience to God.
With that said, so what is the use of being a Jew? What is the advantage of being God’s chosen nation? Does the Gospel nullify the covenant and the Law, making them useless?
These are the questions Paul would address next in this section – Rom 3:1-8.
• It is like a Q & A time after a lecture when the audience can ask questions and clarify what was said.
• Here of course, we have no live audience; Paul anticipates the questions to what he has just said and answers them.
• They could be real questions that he has been asked during his travelling ministry.
Rom 3:1-2 1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.
If all men are judged by God and being a circumcised Jew makes no difference, then what good is it to be a Jew.
• “There is no advantage or value in that at all, since the covenant, circumcision and the commandments cannot immune us from the wrath of God.”
Paul surprises them with “much in every way”!
• “To begin with” meaning first of all (NIV), among the many blessings they have received, the chief privilege they have is to be entrusted with the oracles of God.
• Paul mentions in Rom 9:4-5 the many benefits: “4They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants [Abraham, Moses, David], the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”
Here he says that the chief blessing among them is that we are entrusted with the oracles (logos) of God! NIV: “the very words of God”, the revelation of God to man.
• It refers to the message of salvation that was made known to them, through the Law and the prophets, the OT Scriptures.
• God has spoken and the record of what He has said has been entrusted to Israel, and Israel only. That’s the awesome privilege they have.
The modern-day version of this will be like those who are born in a Christian family or grew up in a church (as Michael mentioned).
• If growing up in a Christian family does not guarantee my salvation, then what good is that? If attending church from young does not mean I am saved, then what’s the use?
• The answer is, “Much in every way!” We have the privilege of hearing the Gospel right from the start. We attend Sunday School, hear the Bible stories, learn about Jesus; we have access to the Word of God.
• We are not saved by all these deeds but they prepare us for a faith response to Jesus Christ. This is an advantage given to us that many do not have.
• Many of us are blessed with such a privilege, being second or third-generation Christians. We have to treasure it and not take the grace of God for granted.
The Jews have this great advantage because the truth has been made known to them.
• And so are we in Singapore, I reminded myself. Don’t you think so?
• We are blessed to be in a privileged place, where the Gospel can be preached, the Word of God taught, the Bible freely available and we can read and study it anytime, and we can gather for worship and fellowship.
• Look at our world today. Many people in many countries are struggling to survive, spiritually impoverished and without the oracles of God.
Rom 3:3-4 3What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”
What if the Jewish people are unfaithful and refuse to believe the Gospel?
• Does it mean that God’s faithfulness towards them has been in vain? That His work among them has been futile and wasted?
• Everything gone down the drain because of their unfaithfulness?
“By no means!” Paul said emphatically. It is the strongest NO in the Greek language. “No way! Never! Not at all! Certainly not!”
• God’s faithfulness is not being held hostage by the Jewish’s response. Even with their unfaithfulness, God will still remain faithful to His covenant.
• If every man turns out to be a liar, God will stay true to His promises.
• By His sovereign grace, there will still be a remnant in Israel who will believe. Paul expounds on this further in Romans 9-11. In the last days, Israel will return.
Charles Spurgeon: “If God says one thing, and every man in the world says another, God is true, and all men are false. God speaks the truth, and cannot lie. God cannot change; his word, like himself, is immutable. We are to believe God’s truth if nobody else believes it. The general consensus of opinion is nothing to a Christian. He believes God’s word, and he thinks more of that than of the universal opinion of men.”
Paul then quotes from Psalm 51:4 the words of King David: “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”
• Psalm 51 was written after David was confronted by the prophet Nathan for committing adultery with Bathsheba and murder her husband Uriah (2 Sam 11-12).
• Psalm 51:4 “4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”
• David knew that God’s words are justified and His judgment prevails (blameless).
• God is right when He judges.
Rom 3:5-6 5But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6By no means! For then how could God judge the world?
Paul brings in the argument of an opponent. If our sin brings about God’s judgment and thus displays His righteousness, then isn’t it unfair for Him to punish us for our sin?
• Our sin serves a good end. It gives God the opportunity to show how righteous He is.
• It reveals the righteousness of God in a way that we would not have known, had it not been for sin.
• How then can God punish us for something that leads to His advantage? My sin caused His righteousness to shine.
• Even Paul finds it hard to state this line without qualifying it: “I speak in a human way.” NIV: “I am using a human argument.” (3:5) He was apologetic just saying it.
Again Paul’s response was emphatic! NO! 3:6 “By no means! For then how could God judge the world?”
• How can God judge sin ever, if sin is viewed as something “good”? God cannot judge at all.
• Paul reckons that the Jews understand there will be a day of judgment when God judges the world.
• How could such a God judge anyone (the God that you have just painted)?
Paul restates it again in a different way…
Rom 3:7 7But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
Pushing the warped logic further will mean verse 8:
Rom 3:8 8And why not do evil that good may come? — as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
• Then we might as well sin. The greater our sin, the more glorious the Gospel appears to be. The darker the sin, the brighter the righteousness of God shines.
• What a distorted understanding of the Gospel. They twisted Paul’s message of God’s grace.
It doesn’t make sense but to those who insist on their way, 1:28 tells us God gave them over to a depraved mind.
• This is what happens when men try to rationalise their sin and sugar-coat it to make it looks good.
• One of the wisest things I have learned is to never try to justify sin. It is a foolish thing to do. Call it what it is as quickly as you can.
• 2:16 “…on that day when, according to my Gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”
• God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ. Not even outward deeds but the secrets of our hearts, the Lord judges.
Their flawed logic is that the end justifies the means. The good end will never justifies the wrong means. God judges every deed and thought.
• Paul said it in Rom 2:6-10 “6He will render to each one according to his works: 7to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.”
• Evil can never promote God’s glory.
Paul need not have to say more. He concludes: “Their condemnation is just.” (3:8)
• If they think that their sin can be somehow overlooked by God because they are descendants of Abraham, circumcised and abiding by the Law, then they are mistaken.
• They need to repent like anyone else and put their trust in Jesus Christ.
• Otherwise, as said in 2:5 “… you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”
God’s judgment will always be righteous and just.
In Genesis 18 God was about to judge Sodom and Gomorrah for their grievous sin.
• Abraham pleaded with God: “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” (Gen 18:23)
• Gen 18:23-26 23Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
• Abraham: “Will you spare the city if there are 50 righteous people in it?”
• He said, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” ESV
“Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” KJV, NIV
Yes, of course, and God proves it in the exchange that follows.
• The Lord said YES, “I will spare the city for the sake of the 50 righteous people.”
• What about 5 short of 50, what if there are 40, 30, 20, and finally, what if there are 10 righteous people in that city?
• God’s answer was YES, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes, I will spare it. Six times! He would spare the city even for the sake of 10 righteous people.
There wasn’t a NO from God. Abraham could not fault God or blame Him for being unfair. God has answered YES to all his pleas, six times.
• He left for home fully satisfied. No way could he accuse God of being unjust.
• Abraham got the answer to his rhetorical question: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Gen 18:27).
The amazing thing that stands out in this dialogue is this: We see God’s justice and His mercy at the same time. He is righteous and full of grace.
• For 10 righteous people He would spare the entire city. What is that, if not mercy and grace.
This happens again at the CROSS. We see God’s righteousness and justice, and we see His mercy and grace. We see His wrath and we see His love, at the same time.
Paul clarified the Gospel for his readers. He defended it against any misunderstanding or misreading of the Gospel that God has entrusted to them.
• He reaffirmed God’s covenant with Israel (their special privilege) and maintained God’s faithfulness to His promises, even when the Jews failed Him.
• God is the righteous Judge and His justice will prevail. All sinners will face the wrath of God, the Jews included.
• Faith in Jesus Christ is their and our only solution to the problem of sin.
Just over a week ago, a woman was sentenced to 30 years in jail for abusing her Myanmar domestic helper in 2016. She abused, starved, tortured and ultimately killed the 24-year-old helper in a manner that would shock us.
Reading what she did horrifies us. The woman tied her to the window grille at night, stomped on her while she was on the floor, attacked her with a broom and metal ladle, and burned her forehead with a hot iron. She also lifted the helper up by her hair, grabbed it and shook her violently and pulled out a clump of her hair. She was fed only bread soaked in water and cold food from the fridge.
The 24-year old helper weighed only 24kg when she died. They punched her head and kicked her after tying her to the window grille. She did not wake up the next morning.
Anger wells up in our hearts just reading it. There is this cry for justice, for judgment and punishment, that comes from within us.
If we as fallen creatures, flawed and imperfect, can understand this human wrath against evil, then imagine the wrath of God against sin, coming from One who is perfectly pure and holy, good and righteous.
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
• The righteous judgment of God is beautiful, it is good and it is necessary.
• It brings about the right fear of God in our hearts. We praise God for WHO He is.
• We can rest assured that His dealings with us will be perfectly right and just.
Dear friends, God has done everything necessary for us to know Him and to return back to His side.
• Jesus paid the price for our forgiveness. He is our only hope and our only way.
• Open your heart to Him. Put your trust in Jesus today.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, we thank you for your goodness shown to us. You have been the faithful and righteous God. We would not be where we are today without your mercy and grace. We are grateful for the Gospel.
Guide us on the right path and shield us away from evil. May your righteousness shines through us. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
