The Theme of the Letter - Romans 1:16-17
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’ ”
After the wonderful declaration that the gospel of Christ - which is the righteousness of God - is revealed, the apostle next writes that the wrath of God is also revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness.
The wrath of God is revealed in man’s wicked suppression of the truth of God that may be known.
And all men, Gentile and Jew are judged by the law that they have; either the law of conscience and nature, or the law given by God to Israel through Moses. There is no partiality with God.
The Jews, at least most of them, thought that because God had blessed them with the law and the rite of circumcision they were immune from God’s wrath.
In our last lesson we examined the argument that Paul makes in order to strip away the last refuge of the Jew; the law and circumcision. Paul makes it clear that the mere possession of the outward signs, even of true religion, has no value unless those symbols are accompanied by obedience from a heart that has been circumcised by the Spirit. Circumcision of the heart is the removal from the heart {in principle} of that which is evil.
This concept of the circumcised heart is not a New Testament concept, look at Deuteronomy 10:12-22. Of what does Moses remind the Israelites? Obedience!
Cf. Jeremiah 9:25-26
And then Paul astonishes his readers with God’s definition of a Jew {2:28-29}
Today we come to the end of the section which runs from 2:1 through 3:8 which is: The Wrath of God Upon the Jew.
I have been teaching the Bible for over thirty years. When teaching a difficult passage or what may be termed a “hard” doctrine, I can predict what questions will be asked. E.g., when discussing the absolute necessity of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, the question almost always comes up: “What about those poor people in the most remote parts of the world that never hear of Jesus? Will God send them to hell if they don’t have a chance to hear the gospel?” Yes, He will! cf 1:20
At the time Paul wrote this great letter he had been preaching the gospel for over twenty years and he anticipates the questions that he knows will come up.
In Chapter Three, Paul asks six questions and answers them for his readers.
We will look at three of the questions in this lesson and the other three questions in the next study.
FIRST QUESTION AND ANSWER (3:1-2)
What are the advantages of being a Jew or of being circumcised?
The probable answer after what he has just explained might be: “NONE!” But Paul says, “Much in every way!”
It is true that God will judge both Gentile and Jew on the basis of what they have done and what they know to be true about God.
But yet, the Jew had many privileges.
Chiefly, mainly, [first of all? there is no second, unless you go to chapter 9]
The most important advantage is that Israel had been entrusted with the Word of God. Cf. Psalm 147: 19-20; Acts 7: 38; esp Romans 9: 4-5
There is a great difference in the privilege of having God’s Word as opposed to not having it. While its mere possession does not work as some “good luck” charm, it has the value of teaching you truth that you otherwise would not have. Take the Proverbs which we have recently studied. Are you not better able to live a peaceful and contented life knowing God’s wisdom?
Does knowing that, “A soft answer turns away wrath,” help you deal with someone’s attack?
What a blessing to know God’s Word. Is it God’s fault when someone ignores what they know?
John Calvin: “If the Lord’s favouring of a nation with the giving of His Word is to be regarded as such a great benefit, we can never sufficiently despise our ingratitude for receiving it with so much neglect or carelessness, not to say disdain.”
John Trapp: “Prize we this privilege, and improve it. You must never expect another edition of the faith once received, once for all.” {Jude 3}
SECOND QUESTION AND ANSWER (3:3-4)
Will Israel's unfaithfulness nullify God's promises? Did God fail?
Paul's testimony (3:4 a): "Of course not! {“Certainly not!” “God forbid!” Do not even think that way!”}
Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is true."
The answer to this objection is treated more fully in Chapters 9-11.
The failure of Israel in no way diminishes God’s faithfulness to uphold His part of the covenant. The fact that the Jews failed to be a blessing to the nations, a light to the Gentiles, in fact, turned to idolatry, does not keep God from being faithful.
With respect to Israel, God will keep His promises to them.
Ah, but who is Israel?
Jewish interpreters, as well as the proponents of Dispensationalism have missed the definition of “Israel.” The most popular view of eschatology today, as evidenced by the success of the “Left Behind” series of fictional books, teaches that Israel is yet to be restored. They teach that God will restore Israel as a nation. That God has a separate plan for the Jews and for the church. They make a hard distinction between the Jew as a race of people and the church. cf Eph 2:11-18.
Yes, there is a national Israel to whom God made promises. But God put conditions on those promises to national Israel. And now Paul is telling us who is the “Israel of God.”
Dispensationalism conveniently ignores the fact that God, in the covenant, promised both to bless Israel if they obeyed but to punish them if the disobeyed. An honest study of “the curses and blessings,” Deuteronomy 28; and the offer of life and death in Deuteronomy 30: 11-20 will convince you that the promises to national Israel were conditional on obedience. Did they obey? Did they wind up in Babylon?
God’s righteousness can have a negative as well as a positive effect on Israel, Cf. Nehemiah 9:32-33.
Try to keep in mind that the apostle is revealing here in Romans, in Galatians, and elsewhere who are the “Jews” and who are the “Israel of God.”
Dispensationalism make the error of interpreting the N.T. by the O.T. instead of using the N.T. to interpret the O.T. Dispensationalism teaches that Jesus came and offered a kingdom to the Jews which they rejected. So God had to come up with the church, which they view as a “parenthesis.” When Jesus returns in a “secret” second coming the church will be “raptured” out and the Jews will be restored as a nation.
Galatians 3:7-9 “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham....”
It is to “those who are of faith” who will be the ultimate beneficiary of the promises.
So, did all Israel fail?
No, Paul writes, “...what if some did not believe?” Cf. 9:6-8
Take a modern illustration: A youth enrolls in college. He comes from a wealthy family, so paying the necessary expenses is not an issue. He is in excellent health, and is even above average in intelligence. The college he attends is one of the best; the teachers are superb. In spite of all those advantages, he never graduates. Why not? He is lazy and does not make the most of his opportunity. He is unfaithful to his trust. Have the parents failed? No, and neither did God fail.
And know also, that God who is faithful to His promises is likewise faithful to His threats.
Parents, you should take a lesson here. When you promise to punish your child if he/she disobeys, you must be faithful to your promise, otherwise you are teaching your child that you can’t be trusted. Being an expert, having helped to raise one son, it was only necessary for me to use the rod on my son three of four times in his young life. But he knew without a doubt that I would do what I promised! Did he grow up to hate me? Ask him sometime.
Will Israel's unfaithfulness nullify God's promises? Did God fail? Of course not!
The second part of Paul’s answer to the question in verse 3 is David's testimony. Paul quotes from Psalm 51:4 to prove his point.
David had sinned grievously. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. When Bathsheba became pregnant, David arranged for the murder of Uriah and married Bathsheba. The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David and by means of a parable about a rich man who stole the poor man’s one and only ewe lamb, he elicited from the lips of David judgement of death for the one who had done such an awful deed. Then Nathan answers: “You are the man!”
Cf. Psalm 51 When we come to that great event of 2:16; when I stand with David and all the human race I want to be able to say:
“I need no other argument, I need no other plea;
It is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for me.”
Has the Holy Spirit convicted you of sin against God? Can you acknowledge your just condemnation?
Can you honestly say that God would be just and right if He sent you to hell?
THIRD QUESTION AND ANSWER (3:5-8)
If our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness, isn't He unfair to punish us?
Paul seems embarrassed to even have to deal with this objection,
“I speak as a man.” Then he refutes the objection with all the force he can find, “Their condemnation is just!”
The argument of the objector to God’s rejection of Israel as a nation is as follows: “On the basis of your doctrine, Paul, since man’s unrighteousness brings out more sharpely God’s righteousness, should not the Almighty be happy about that turn of events? Is He not unfair when, instead, He inflicts wrath on man?”
“What, God unfair?” What a wicked thought!” “God forbid!”
Paul will address this wrong view of the doctrine of grace more fully in Chapter 6, which begins with, “Let us continue in sin that grace may increase.”
Jude warned the church about such men: Jude 4
This passage has dealt with the false security of the Jews who trusted in the mere possession of the law and the outward sign of circumcision. Some people who profess to be Christians are in danger of the same error. They appropriate the promise of blessing and ignore the responsibility of personal faithfulness. In effect, they say, “If attending church does not save you, why bother to go at all?”
Some people think they are “secure” because they have walked an aisle, raised their hand at an invitation, or even been baptized - but they have never truly submitted to the Lord. The Holy Spirit has never convinced them that they are justly under the wrath of God. They have an uncircumcised heart.
We need to help such people understand what real conversion is and encourage those who profess faith in Jesus Christ to make sure their life is consistent with their profession
We have seen, I hope, how the Jews and many people even today misapply the promises of God. I will conclude this sermon with an example of how some people misuse the promises of God.
Many times have I heard someone, perhaps in prayer, call on 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” That promise was to Israel, not to the United States or to the church. There may be an analogy in principle to other situations, but the context is Solomons’ dedication of the temple to the Lord.
So let’s be very careful how we handle the Word of God.
Amen
