Romans 3:1-8
1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
2Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
3What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
4May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.”
5But 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.)
6May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?
7But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?
8And 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.
I must say folks, today when I read this passage, I had no clue what to say. I had to read it a few times and ask God to help me see His message for me. I had to work at it. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Often times I find myself blind to God’s purpose, still trying to see it on my own. It’s not until I “give up” and ask God for help that he shows me. I’m hoping I get better at this.
Continuing Paul’s sermon of why we need God, he exemplifies the difference between Jew and Gentile. Although Jews (at that time) were blessed to have been imparted God’s will, they still could not live up to it. Their obsession with the letter of the law blinded them to the message of the Law.
Verse 3 really sticks out to me. It makes me think of people who rebuke God. If we don’t believe in Him, does that make him powerless? No. Why not? God isn’t a belief, that’s why.
Sometimes we get caught up in “us” and “them” and we forget to realize that 1) we are sinners just like everyone else in the world, past, present and future. 2) God loves us all, not just those who believe, but the unbeliever as equally. How does that make you feel? We do all this work: go to church, give to the community, pray, read, tithe, etc. and God’s love remains equal amongst us all.
This is proof that God is steadfast. God’s love and grace is a gift, not a paycheck. You can’t earn God’s love. You can’t do enough to get overtime pay on grace. All you can do is receive it or reject it. Think about that next time you get a paycheck. Why are we so eager to receive that paycheck yet so reluctant to receive grace?
