Romans 3 1 8 God Is Faithful Despite

Romans 3: 1 -8 God Is Faithful Despite Israel’s Sin by Eric Douma Gospel of Grace Fellowship February 7, ggf. church 2016 Gospel of Grace Fellowship 0

The Contrast Between God and Israel Romans 3: 1 -8 Vs. 3 Vs. 4 Vs. 5 Vs. 7 Israel unfaithful liar unrighteous “my lie” Gospel of Grace Fellowship God faithful true righteous “the truthfulness of God” ggf. church 1

The Jews Had the Scriptures! Romans 3: 1 -2 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. § “Then what” = Τί οὖν – Paul uses a diatribe style to raise objections to his doctrinal teaching (cf. 3: 9; 6: 15; 7: 7; 11: 7). § Paul’s answer assures his audience that the O. T. remains as God’s word even if it is superseded as a covenant. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 2

Israel’s Unbelief Doesn’t Negate God’s Faithfulness Romans 3: 3 -4 NET What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged. ” Paul answers this hypothetical with the strongest possible denial (μὴ γένοιτο). § Paul’s quotation is from Psalm 51: 4 where David has just acknowledged his sin and God’s justice in judging. § Paul’s point: God’s righteousness extends to both His salvation and judgment of His people! § Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 3

God’s Wrath Is Just and Right Romans 3: 5 -6 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms. ) 6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? Paul’s logic: 1. If Israel’s inability leads inexorably to unrighteousness, is God unjust in pouring wrath on Israel’s sin? 2. No, otherwise God could not judge the whole world! 3. The Jews affirmed that God would judge the world. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 4

God Is Glorified, But Woe to the Sinner Romans 3: 7 -8 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just. Two Aspects of God’s Will: 1. Moral will: Thou shall not sin! 2. Decretive will: God will be glorified even in the exercising of His wrath. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 5

Applications 1. Paul’s proclamation that Israel had received the Scriptures refutes claims that the apocryphal books were inspired. 2. We must understand that God is faithful and will be glorified in both the salvation of His people and the judgment of His enemies. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 6

1. The Apocryphal Books Are Not Inspired Apocrypha = “hidden” 1. Fifteen books written during the intertestamental period (400 years). 2. Accepted by Rome at the Council of Trent 1545 -1563 3. Rejected by the Jews: “After the latter prophets Haggai, Zechariah … and Malachi, the Holy Spirit departed from Israel” (Tractate Sanhedrin, Babylonian Talmud, VII–VIII, 24). “It is true our history hath been written since Artaxerxes very particularly but hath not been esteemed of the like authority with the former by our forefathers, because there hath not been an exact succession of the prophets since that time. ” (Josephus) Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 7

1. The Apocryphal Books Are Not Inspired Romans 3: 1 -2 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. Roman Catholicism: The Jews had the wrong canon. Apostle Paul: The Jews had the right canon. Who do you believe? Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 8

2. God Is Glorified in Salvation and Judgement Romans 9: 22 -24 NKJV What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Prepared = katertismena - middle or passive? § 9: 18 God has mercy on whom He wills and hardens whom He wills (Examples of Pharaoh and Esau) § 9: 21 God makes one vessel for honor and another for dishonor. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 9