“July 19, 2024 - Let God Be True”

Thursday, July 18, 2024

Let God Be True

Reading:  Romans 3:1-8
    
    Paul anticipates some objections here to the arguments he has been making.  Surely some of his Jewish readers are baffled at his claim that circumcision doesn’t seem to matter (Rom 2:25-29).  “Then what advantage has the Jew?  Or what is the value of circumcision?  Much in every way.  To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God”(Rom 3:1-2).  Is Paul arguing that Jewishness is worthless?  Of course not.  The Jews know God and have a special connection with him, including his revelation in Scripture.  This is not his point, as we will see.  But is Paul saying, then, that the unfaithful Jews of chapter 2 have made God’s promises to Israel void?  “What if some were unfaithful?  Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?  By no means!  Let God be true though every one were a liar”(Rom 3:3-4).  God will still keep his word, even when Israel sins against him.  This is also not his point.

     There is one more (rather challenging) objection he wants to head off:  “But 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.)  By no means!  For then how could God judge the world?”(Rom 3:5-6).  If our evil shows God’s goodness, is God somehow unjust to punish us for the thing that shows his goodness?  Paul again defends God’s right to judge the world even if it means doom for us (Rom 3:7).   Paul’s actual point is not to demean the Jews, to argue that God has thrown out his promises, or to encourage sin.  His point is that our sin has caused the need for a new way to be made righteous—fulfilling God’s promises and eliminating national distinctions.

    “Let God be true though every one were a liar” reminds us that God does not change his will based on majority opinion.  There is no “safety in numbers” with God.  He is also not impressed that sometimes he can make our sin into something good, as if it makes our rebellion acceptable.  God will be right even if the whole world is condemned by his righteous standards.  My job is to acknowledge where I stand in this and flee to Jesus for safety from this judgment.

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One Thing to Think About:  Why is it hard for us to believe that many people could be wrong?

One Thing to Pray For:  Deeper appreciation for the righteousness and faithfulness of God 
 

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