Glory By Any Means Necessary?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week, many in our family were playing a game. I had to go from point A to point B and could get there in two moves. Normally, it would have taken me ten moves, but I had some advantages over the other players. If I could get to my destination, I would take it from Treye. As far as I could see, it would take Treye three moves to get to the same spot. The rules of the game will not allow someone to turn back once they are on their way. I didn’t need to. I had the advantage. But suddenly Treye pulled out his advantage. He could get there, not in three moves, but in one. He would get to the destination ahead of me. I would not only lose my men, but all my advantages. There was nothing I could do about it; except pout.
For the last couple of weeks, we have been seeing Paul dismantle what seems like every Jewish advantage. In Romans 2:17-18, Paul mentions that the Jews were given the law and were instructed in the law. But they blew it. It was no good to them. Then last week, we saw that what they believed to be their greatest advantage—circumcision—which indicated they were God’s covenant people, was no good if they did not keep God’s law, which he already established they did not. So then what advantage is there!? That’s the question Paul answers in chapter 3:1-8. Paul’s emphasis on the Jew’s disobedience to the law and the nullifying of the circumcision, would certainly leave his Jewish readers distraught. But then Paul wrote something that may leave them confused. As he continued in his explanation, Paul pointed out that God receives glory no matter what our sin may be.
Paul shows this to be true as he gives three clarifications about the advantage of the Jewish people over the Gentile people. To clarify the advantage Paul initially states the advantage: The Jews were given the oracles of God. But then to clarify even further, Paul explains the objective of God in giving those oracles. Finally, in an effort to clarify the advantage that the Jews have, he counters objections that some have made.
1. The Oracles of God
2. The Objective of God
3. The Objections from Some
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.
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, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”
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?
But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
The Oracles of God
The Oracles of God
Paul asked the question that he knew would come up after his stripping away of what seemed to be advantages of being a Jew. In answering the question, Paul then clarifies the advantage of the Jews over the Gentiles. He clearly articulates the advantage: namely, the Jews received the oracles of God.
In essence, God did not leave the Jews in the dark as to who he is and what he’s about. He revealed himself to them. He didn’t do that with the Gentiles. Paul wrote about the Gentiles being left in the dark to the Colossians.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,
the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The Jews had the mystery. Mystery just simply means that which has been hidden. It was a secret. The Jews had the secret. They knew about Adam and Eve and the first promise of the Messiah in Genesis 3:15. They had knowledge about Abraham’s calling and the covenant with him. They had the understanding of Moses and the law and the covenant made with wandering Israel. They had the Psalms of David and the works of the prophets that showed the covenant God made with him. They had the hundreds of prophesies about the coming Anointed One. Ultimately they were given the mystery of salvation of the world-not to the Jew only but the nations as well. The Gentiles were given nothing!
It was a mystery hidden for ages and generations. The psalmist wrote in
He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the Lord!
Have you ever noticed that the way that Peter or Paul or even Stephen, the first Christian martyr, preached to the Jews and how they preached to the Gentiles? They are different. In Peter’s first sermon, we read:
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.
For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
Where did he start? He started with the prophecy of Joel. He started with the oracles of God. When Stephen preached his famous sermon that got him killed, he began similarly.
And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
Where’d he start? With the calling of Abraham. He started with the oracles of God. When Paul preached to the Jews, where did he begin?
So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.
Where did he start? With Moses and the Exodus. He started with the oracles of God. But what about when preaching to Gentiles? How did Paul start (we don’t have Peter or Stephen preaching to Gentiles, only Cornelius who was a God-fearer).
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.
For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,
Where did he start this time? With creation. Paul had to take the Athenians back to the beginning. They did not have the oracles of God. Paul was starting from scratch. What an advantage for the Jews to have the oracles of God! They had a reference point. They had all this revelation at their fingertips!
Beloved, we used to live in a nation in which people had some semblance of the oracles of God. There was a cultural Christianity that at least had influenced the thoughts. People used to know about Noah’s flood and the Ten Commandments and Daniel and the Lion’s Den and who Jesus was. Those days are fading fast. More and more we are starting from scratch. As sad as it is, we ought not be discouraged. We ought not lose hope. Remember what Paul wrote to the Colossians:
the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
God is still choosing to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery. It may be a mystery now, but that does not mean that we cannot reveal it to them. The question is only will we be like Paul,
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,
It will most likely mean afflictions and suffering but it will also mean salvation and hope.
The Objective of God
The Objective of God
This leads us to the second clarification that Paul gave. The first clarification of the Jew’s advantage was to clearly articulate what the advantage was: the oracles of God. But now the second clarification of the Jew’s advantage is to clearly articulate the objective of God in giving those oracles. And this is where my mind was blown this past week. Because the ESV doesn’t get this across very well. The NASB and CSB are a bit better. But Paul asks a question here. In fact, he asks multiple questions. The first one that doesn’t come across well is actually, “What for?” Most translations put incorporate these words into the next question. That’s what ESV does.
What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?
In essence, they drop the “for” but could easily put it at the beginning. “For what if some were unfaithful?” But in fact, it is just as legitimate to say that Paul wrote, “The Jews received the oracles of God. What for?” And then comes the questions about the Jews’ unfaithfulness and God’s faithfulness. In essence, Paul gives the why behind the Jews receiving his oracles, his word. He answers it initially with another question. But the answer is ultimately to show God’s faithfulness. He gave the written oracles to show he is true to his word. We’ll get to verse 4 in a moment, but for now, let’s go back to Deuteronomy. Last week, we looked at Deuteronomy 10 and 30 to see that Paul wasn’t pulling the idea of circumcising the heart out of thin air. Neither is he pulling this idea of God’s faithfulness to his word out of thin air. This time, we go to
“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you.
Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
God didn’t give the land of Canaan to the wandering Jews because they were righteous. In fact verse 6 says they were stubborn. Instead, he indicated that he gave the land to Israel because he promised it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In other words, God’s oracles to the Israelite forefathers and the fulfillment of those oracles, in spite of Israel’s stubbornness, showed something wonderful about God. He is faithful!
The same is seen in Deuteronomy 30. We looked at one passage last week in chapter 30, but before that passage on circumcision of the heart, God reiterates his faithfulness in spite of unfaithfulness. He had just gone through his promises, his oracles about blessings and curses if Israel either obeyed or disobeyed. And then he said in
“And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you,
and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul,
then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.
The oracles were given. They would be disregarded by an unfaithful nation and people. Yet God would be faithful to his word. That’s what Paul says was God’s objective in giving his oracles in the first place: to reveal God’s faithfulness in spite of man’s unfaithfulness.
What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?
Now the interesting thing about Greek is that they have different ways in developing a question. We do too, but it’s a bit different. In Greek, one would use the word “me” if the answer to the question was no. They’d use the word “ouk” if the answer to the question was yes. Here, Paul used the word “me”, indicating from the question itself what the answer would be. We would get it across in English like this: “Someone’s faithlessness wouldn’t nullify God’s faithfulness, would it?” By the way the question is asked, we know the answer. Now if we had said, “Someone’s faithlessness would nullify God’s faithfulness, wouldn’t it?” We’ve changed the answer by the way we asked the question. Paul clearly, just by the question asked, gives the answer, but to stress it even more, he gives the answer.
By 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.”
And then he gives his defense of God and a proof-text as well. Let God be true though every one were a liar. That’s an imperative. It’s like someone at school got in trouble in the hallway. All the students are standing around to see what kind of punishment they’ll get. The teacher says, “Let’s keep it moving, people. Let’s keep it moving.” That’s not a request. It’s not a permission to leave. It is a command to keep walking. Paul commands us to see and know that God is true. Everyone else breaks their word. Everyone else lies. But not God. God is true. God always, always, always keeps his word. He is not afraid to put his word in writing. He will always live up to what he says he will do.
That’s why Paul gives Psalm 51:4 as a proof text. This is that great penitential Psalm of David after Nathan confronted him about his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah the Hittite, her husband. And So David said and wrote,
Against 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.
Paul quoted the Greek translation of this verse and so we see there’s a slight difference in how things are said. Both Paul and David said, “That you may be justified in your words,” but then Paul and David deviate a little. David said, “and blameless in your judgment,” as it is God who is doing the judging. Paul, quoting the Greek translation wrote, “and prevail when you are judged,” as it is God who is being judged by someone else.
Either makes sense, and so both can be correct. If one were to translate the Hebrew literally, it would say “so that you will be pure in the judgment of you.” It would seem that the Greek translators took that to mean that God was being judged and not judging himself. That’s how Paul used it.
It’s easy to accuse God of not living up to his word. It’s easy to cast judgment upon him. This happens especially if we are not reading the Bible at all or are not reading it carefully. We hear the word preached and perhaps the preacher doesn’t do an especially good job as explaining a text or the context in the sermon. Suddenly it seems like God said he’d do such and such and he didn’t. Or that God is such and such, when in reality the whole picture isn’t given of God’s character. Then the accusations start flying. God, you didn’t do this. You aren’t this way. And anger ensues. And yet, the Scriptures, the oracles of God tell us who he is and what he does. He isn’t afraid to have his words written down so that an hour later, a year later, a hundred or a thousand or three thousand years later, we can go back to his word and read what he said and all of our accusations and judgments fly out the window! God is justified in his words and he prevails when judged!
This is why, if you are an unbeliever, you are invited to taste and see that the LORD is good. Look at his word. Look at his faithfulness to his word. Beloved, do you see God’s goodness. When you read God’s Word are you reading it to see God’s beauty? Are you reading it to see God is true and seeing ourselves, then, in relation to his true and faithful self? Are we preaching and singing the oracles of God so that we see his faithfulness in spite of our own faithlessness? In spite of our disobedience, in spite of our disappointments, in spite of our accusations, God remains true to his word and so remains to true to us because he has spoken it to be so and God is true. Are we posting on our social media accounts God’s word in order to show the world that God is always true though everyone else lies?
This is why we must stay away from modern day prophets. People claim that today’s prophets are different than Old and New Testament prophets. But beloved, anyone who says “Thus says the Lord,” and then utters words that are false cannot be called, in any fashion, a prophet of God because God is true.
Objections from Some
Objections from Some
This leads us to the third clarification that Paul is giving. The first is to clarify the actual advantage of being a Jew: they were given the oracles of God. The second clarification was to explain the objective of God in giving the Jews his oracles: namely, to prove he is true to his word, always! But finally, we get to Paul’s third clarification and that is to answer the objections of some. He understands what those objections would be and puts them out there for us. And he puts them in question form.
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?
But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
Paul asks a bunch of questions, some as objections and one as an answer. But the objections amount to the same thing. If, hypothetically speaking, Israel did not see fit to obey God’s oracles, but God was shown to be glorious through their disobedience, then isn’t their sin actually a good thing? In other words, don’t the ends justify the means? So long as God is glorified in the end, does it really matter how he was glorified? The results are the same. Whether walking through door A and gave him glory or walking through door B gave him glory, it doesn’t really matter, does it? So long as he received glory.
Paul asked the question,
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.)
So the objection would be, if God was glorified through sin then should he be thanking sinners and not judging them? Again, here is that question that expects a negative response. No! He shouldn’t be thanking them. Or No! He isn’t unrighteous for inflicting wrath on us! “By no means,” Paul wrote. He argues his negative response with a question: “For then how could God judge the world?”
By no means! For then how could God judge the world?
Ah! There in lies the rub! The Jews wanted God to judge wickedness. At least, other people’s wickedness. But how can God overlook the wickedness of those whom he gave his oracles to? They had more knowledge. They were entrusted with those oracles. In other words, God expected his word to be guarded, kept, obeyed. If we entrust our house to someone while we are on vacation, we naturally have expectations that the house will be as it was when we left it in their hands. Entrusting comes with a measure of expectations. So we see Jesus with many parables of God’s expectations of the Jewish people. One comes from
Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”
And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.
And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
If God cannot judge those to whom he entrusted and therefore expected much from, how can he judge anyone at all? Just because a lie brings God glory, it doesn’t mean that the lie is any less disobedient and in need of judgment. God is at work so that all actions will bring him glory in the end, but those actions which are sinful are just as worthy of wrath as they would be if they did not bring him glory. Just because a bank robber holds a bunch of people hostage and makes them famous so that they are interviewed by all the big talk shows, doesn’t make the bank robber any less of a lawbreaker or less guilty.
But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
Don’t you see what Paul has done? He will do the same thing with grace later on. He has painted such an amazing picture of God’s glory and later of God’s grace that people can’t stand it. “Simmer down, Paul! You’re making too much of God’s glory! To say that God receives glory in the midst of sin will make people say then God owes me. Glory by any means necessary! Get a hold of yourself, Paul.” But Paul says, that is not what it means. Anyone who says that is what he means is misconstruing his words and slandering his name. And those who slandered Paul will be judged for their misrepresentation and misleading words. In essence, they will be judged as liars because God is true and every person is a liar. God’s judgment does not rest on how much glory someone gives but on the obedience they live.
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we finish up Romans 3:1-8, we have dealt with quite a bit. We’ve seen that Paul clarified the Jewish advantage by telling them exactly what advantage they had: the oracles of God. We’ve seen Paul clarify the objective of God in giving those oracles: that he’d be seen as righteous and true. Finally we have seen Paul clarify any objections from some as he answered them with the truth. But we have not seen much grace here. And so I want to finish up by giving some.
Christ Jesus is the Word of God in human flesh. The very oracles of God came as a Jewish person. Like the written word, the living word dwelled with them in order to show God’s glory and righteousness. He did not come to abolish the oracles, but to fulfill them.He not only readjusted the understanding of God’s word back to what it was meant to be, but he obeyed it completely. The oracles of God were obeyed completely by the Word of God in the flesh. He understood fully what no one had ever been able to fully understand. He lived fully what no one has ever been able to fully live. He died because we could never do that and rose again and put his Spirit within us.
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
If you have never put your trust in Jesus, let today be the day you give up your own attempts of obedience. Let today be the day you turn from your sins that inadvertently give God glory and actually turn to Jesus to purposefully live for his glory.
Beloved, you who have received Christ Jesus, understand that God’s Word is about God and was given with God’s objectives in mind. Understand that you and I will fail in living up to those oracles, but God is true always. This isn’t an excuse for us to sin and you know that. But what a comfort to know that God is true, trustworthy, faithful to do all he has said. Don’t let your hearts dictate to your mind that God is anything but true. Search his oracles and see how good and true he is. Fight the temptation to accuse God, but rather fight to trust him, knowing that God is true but our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Beloved, care for one another in these matters too. Love them through the disappointments. Love them through the pain and the sorrow. But lovingly remind them of the oracles of God and his faithfulness in them all. As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:
And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
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