Romans 3:1-8

1: Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
2: Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
3: What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
4: May 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.”

5: But 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.)
6: May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?
7: But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?
8: And 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.

*** 

Paul asked the question of whether there was any advantage to being a Jew in light of what he had just said. His answer was, yes. First, because the oracles of God—His word and revelations—were entrusted to them. But before he addressed any other advantages of the Jew, he asked another question. Did the unbelief of some Jews nullify the faithfulness of God? Absolutely not. A person’s unbelief does not change reality or truth. All mankind would be proven liars before God would.

Paul referred to Psalm 51:4 where David acknowledged his sin before God and said that He was justified and blameless in both His judgement of others, and their opinion of that judgement. Paul went on to consider what some might foolishly say—that if our sin reveals God’s righteousness then is He wrong to punish us for our sin? If He shines brighter compared to our darkness, then isn’t that darkness a tool used to glorify Him and therefore we shouldn’t be punished for it? Absolutely not. God does not use sin as a tool to glorify Himself. He is holiness and love, and calls us all into His same glory.

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