Four Hard Questions

INTRODUCTION

How do you react to hard questions people ask about the Christian faith? How do you answer tough questions about God’s justice? Do you avoid them? Do you run away? Or do you engage in apologetics, lengthy and complicated arguments to defend the faith? We should never avoid or run away. There are times we shouldn’t argue, but sometimes we shouldn’t. We should just state the truth and let it do its persuasive work. Let’s see how Paul does that in Romans 3:1-19.

BACKGROUND

In chapter 1:18-32, the Apostle Paul exposed the guilt of the heathen Gentiles. In chapter 2:1-11, he exposed the guilt of the religious Jews. He then anticipates and answers objections against God’s truth and justice in 2:12-24. His answers lead him to discuss the purpose of circumcision and how mere physical circumcision misses the whole point.He then anticipates Jews reacting against this by saying, “Well what’s the point in circumcision?” (3:1) and other questions that cast aspersions on God’s character.

Maybe you reacted against last week’s sermon with a similar, “Well, what’s the point in baptism, churchgoing, prayer, Christian home, Christian school, catechism class, etc?” Maybe you had questions about God and even accusations against God.

What’s the first accusation or aspersion arising from last week’s sermon?

1. IF RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGES DON’T SAVE, WHY BOTHER? (1-2)

Question

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? (1).

In the previous chapter, Paul rejected the lie that being a Jew and being circumcised was enough for salvation. In fact, Paul went further by insisting that those who had the law and broke it would get greater condemnation than those who didn’t have the law. He then went even further by asserting that inward circumcision is all that matters and therefore uncircumcised Gentile believers can be more Jewish than some Jews.

It’s easy to imagine a Jew listening to this and throwing their hands up in horror: “What’s the point, then? What advantage or profit is there in being a Jew, having the Old Testament, being circumcised, etc. If none of these things are enough, if these things actually increase our condemnation, if those without these privileges can be equally if not more saved.”

The Christian equivalent would be, “What’s the point in going to church, being baptized, learning catechism, and doing confession of faith, if none of these things save us?”

Answer

Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God (2).

We might have expected Paul’s answer to be, “You’re right, there’s no point. There’s no advantage.” But, no, Paul says, “It’s worth it in lots of ways.” But the first and biggest reason is that the Jews were not left to discovering God through nature but were given the very words of God. They were given the Old Testament Gospel promises and asked to manage, steward, and transmit these powerful truths to others.

Paul identified three circles: (1) the uncircumcised, (2) the physically circumcised, and (3) the spiritually circumcised. He argued that being spiritually circumcised was all that matters. Those in group 2 therefore asked, “Is there any advantage in being in the second circle?” Paul’s answer was “Yes, but not in the way that you often think. Being in circle #2 does not save but it shows you the way to salvation and it brings salvation near to you, and that’s a huge advantage.”

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Don’t overuse your privilege. Don’t rest in it, don’t boast in it, don’t think it’s enough. Overusing a privilege is abusing a privilege.

Don’t underuse your privilege. Just because some abuse it by overvaluing it, don’t underuse it by undervaluing it. Baptism and church membership are not rendered useless because some abuse it. Group #1 don’t have a map to the treasure. Group #2 have the map and can see that ‘X’ marks the spot, but they never set out to find it and get it for themselves. Group #3 use the map, go to the ‘X’ and find gold in the cross of Christ.

THE MAP IS NOT THE TREASURE
BUT THE TREASURE IS ON THE MAP

But why do more not believe?

2. IF THE BIBLE IS TRUE, WHY DO MORE NOT BELIEVE? (3-4)

Question

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? (3).

Paul hears an objector protest: “Doesn’t widespread Jewish faithlessness undermine God’s character, especially his faithfulness? Doesn’t widespread Jewish faithlessness say something bad about God’s faithfulness? You’ve got all these promises that God has promised to be faithful to, but not many have believed them. Does that not undermine God’s character and His promises?”

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” (4).

Paul jumps to the defense of God’s faithfulness. He refuses to entertain the possibility that the greatest amount of human faithlessness can put the least spot on God’s faithfulness. (He’ll return to a more detailed defense of God’s faithfulness to the Jews in Romans 9-11). But his first argument is simply: “Just as privileges do not cease to be privileges just because so many do not use them, so God does not cease to be faithful no matter how many people are unfaithful.” However many divine promises are rejected by people, God’s promises still hold true. Even if no one who was given the promises believed the promises, that would not in anyway undermine the promises or the Promise-maker. Even if everyone was a faithless liar, God remains faithful and true.

To prove this, Paul quotes David’s words in Psalm 51. David had received the greatest Old Testament Gospel promises up until that point, and yet went on to commit two of the greatest acts of unfaithfulness in the Old Testament and tell one of the greatest lies in the Old Testament. But David insists the blame is all his and God is not to be accused of anything. God is just in all his words and action.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Let’s confess our unfaithfulness. A lack of faith is never God’s fault. It’s the fault of the unbeliever. Let’s confess, “God you gave me the map, you marked the treasure with an X, and I failed to use it.” Confess not only that we are unfaithful but that our unfaithfulness reflects badly on God’s character. It makes people question God’s faithfulness and God’s truth (map).

Let’s defend God’s faithfulness. Never accuse God, never blame God. Always defend him, even at our own expense. Sacrifice our own reputation rather than God’s. Clear God’s name before our own. Vindicate him and his ways at all times to all people. Never let anyone use your unfaithfulness to cast aspersions on God’s faithfulness.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

God will be glorified, even by sin. God can turn the worst sin against him even into the greatest glory of him, as the cross proved. God will win.

We will be condemned for sin. No matter how much God can glorify himself even through the worst sin, we will be condemned and judged for even the least sin if we remain an unbeliever. We will lose.

YOU WILL GLORIFY GOD
EVEN IF YOU DON’T ENJOY GOD

 Will my privileges get me some advantage in the judgment? 

4. IF PRIVILEGES GIVE US AN EDGE, WILL WE BE SPARED IN THE JUDGMENT? (9-19)

Question

What then? Are we Jews any better off? (9).

Paul has already established that privileges are an advantage, so this is not a question about the Jews having an advantage, It’s not a question about advantages but about favoritism. Does the Jews having special favors entitle Jews to favoritism in the judgment?

Answer

No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin (9)

Paul’s answer is clear. No matter the favors God gives on this earth in this time, there is no favoritism with God when it comes to the judgment at the end. Privileges are an advantage but not a security. When it comes to sinfulness and condemnation, having God’s favors will not result in favoritism. Rather, all, Jews and Gentiles, are guilty before God. All without exception (10-12) are guilty of all sin without exception (13-18), resulting in every mouth stopped without exception (19-20).

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Favors do not mean favoritism. Special help here and now does not mean special treatment there and then. Stop arguing.

“All” means “all.” We somehow hold on to the vain hope that God may make an exception for us. We somehow hope we are not included in the “all.” But there are no exceptions. We are all in the “all.” Stop arguing.

SILENCE NOW OR
SILENCE THEN

SUMMARY

THE NEXT CHAPTER

The human mind has not changed. It was as rebellious and resentful of God in Paul’s day as it is in ours. The same objections are still around. We still excuse sin and accuse God. Human logic is often devilish logic. Questions are often accusations.

God’s mind has not changed. You will never defeat God’s logic with human logic. He will emerge from every court case victorious. We will be silenced (19-20)

The Gospel has not changed. As we will see next week, God has found a way to be just and yet justify the ungodly (21-26). The Gospel is God’s answer to the hardest question.

Prayer. Just God, help me to love your justice rather than question it, and to tell tough truth to help others escape tough judgment.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How have you asked/answered tough questions about God’s justice in the past?

2. What other accusing questions have you heard or asked about God’s justice?

3. How do you know that needs to hear the treasure map illustration?

4. What are the uses and limits of human logic?

5. How do you handle questions that you cannot get satisfactory answers for?

6. How will this sermon change your apologetics or evangelism?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES