Romans Chapter Three
Lesson 34
Answer: 3:6 Strongest rejection of these arguments
given.
- If God were unfair, unjust in judging the Jew [3:5] then
it would logically follow He could not judge the world.
- have 2 major judgments of the world, both future; Tribulation; GWTJ;
- If neither of these do not take place, if you could will
them away some how then God is not God and His word doesn't mean anything!
With 3:7-8 Paul strengthens his argument with an illustration;
- vs.7
This is typical debaters technique; Paul assumes a position and
then destroys it.
Since my
sin of lying Paul says, benefits God, by making His truthfulness clearer, how
is it then Paul says I am still being judged as a sinner? How can He judge my sin?
- And then we have their blasphemous assertion in vs:8a; it’s logically
the next step! "Let us do evil that good may come?
What does
that sound like? That is "Let us do
evil that good may come? Sounds like
the ends justify the means! Never a
biblical principle, ever!
Our
attitude should be; Lord, I'm in a
tough situation here and I'm going to do what I know is right, no matter how
hard it is and I'm going to trust you for the results. You'll have to work it out.
Answer: v.8b Their
condemnation is just!
The objectors reply is so ridiculous that Paul sees no
need to refute them, He simply entrusts them to God.
- Their
judgment keeps on being what is right, just, deserved, e;ndikoj
Observations:
1. These verses show the danger of human logic extended beyond the
teaching of Scripture??
2. When we see these things, [extended faulty logic] our response
should be the same as Paul's,
God forbid!
3. Truth may be manipulated to become the basis of error.
4. Paul taught grace so clearly, as we shall see,
that He was accused of promoting sin.
5. Coming up to the summary of this section in verse v:9, here's what Paul
has been leading up to!
a. The
heathen sinned against the light they received from creation.
b. The
moralists sinned against 2 lights, creation and their conscience.
c. The religious type sinned against much light, having the revelation of God,
the "oracles of God."
d. How
many promises and prophecies? Thousands!
6. There is truth that were sin abounds grace much more
abounds.
- One reason that sin and evil is
in the world; is related to revealing how great and glorious God really is;
7. These objectors also demonstrate a defective view of sin in that
they take it lightly.
8. In doing so they also demonstrate a lack of understanding of the
character of God.
9. They need to learn, as we do, that sin is not just breaking or
overstepping an abstract law that God has established but that sin is a
violation of a person, the person of God.
The Scriptures have concluded all under sin. God has
included all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all.
3:9-20
The condemnation of ALL is summarized!
Intro:
- Paul gives us here the divine viewpoint, the answer to
all these apparent dilemmas of man.
Outline:
In 3:1-8
we saw that Paul answered the Jewish counter claims to his teaching in a debate with an objector.
In 3:9 The Charge;
summation of his presentation;
Condemnation of “all”
In 3:10-18
Paul lifts up the mirror of the word, the OT before the faces of all men, all
mankind to validate the charge he has just made. [Have a 14 point indictment]
Then in
3:9 Verse 9 opens just as verse 1; With a question; What
then?
- In vs:1 the question he was
dealing with was, Is there an
advantage in being a Jew? Paul's answer was yes, great in every
respect.
- Here in verse 9 he begins with the question "Are
we better than they?" What is Paul's answer?? Not
at all!!
What he's
asking is this, Are
the Jews in a superior position to the Gentiles? Ans. Not at all!
- Why?? "For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are
all under sin."
- "already
charged" proaitia,omai
legal term to accuse/incriminate
previously; therefore to charge before hand.
This
statement encompasses the whole scope of man's condition as God views them.
It says
that all men, all mankind, are under the guilt, the power, and the penalty of sin and the
condemnation that it brings to them.
- What man must ultimately come to grips with, is the reality that we have no means within ourselves
to deal with this condition, "all under sin."
3:10-18
Paul validates the charge made.
And he
does so by going back to the OT Scriptures and holding them up and says here's
some documentation to prove the universality of what I have just said.
The
fourteen count indictment breaks down this way;
- Paul
first focuses on man's character
- In
- In
Paul
first focuses on man's character
- For those who think they somehow have arrived based on
who they are and what they have done in their lives is sufficient to please God
- this takes them totally out of the picture.
The
perspective in vs:10-12 is that of a judge; God as judge;
Man
motivated by his old nature suppresses the truth about God, he fails to
understand who He is and therefore he does not seek after Him.
"There is none who seeks
after Him" evkzhte,w
to actively seek; implies a
determined search.
Just
what are they looking for?
They are
looking for a god or gods not the God, the God of truth and justice who
created all things.
Does man
naturally choose God's way or do they go their own way?
What is
man's natural reaction to the light of truth?
Jn 3:19-20
- When Adam
fell, did he seek God or did God seek out him?
How does
He seek man? He calls man through the
Gospel, and the pre-salvation convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit.