Up until now Paul has talked about the sin of the Gentiles and the sin of the Jews. The Gentiles who knew God not only didn’t they worship God as God, but also they weren’t thankful, and more than that they thought all was in vain, and as the result of their ignorant hearts, they began to do things that they weren’t supposed to do. The Jews judged the Gentiles. The Jews felt that they were the chosen people of God. Paul tells them clearly that Jews are not Jews by outside appearance. They are not Jews by circumcision. It is not by circumcision or outside things that makes a Jew a Jew. It is by circumcision of the heart by the Holy Spirit that a Jew is really a Jew. This is true circumcision. Therefore, Paul is saying that both Gentiles and Jews are both sinners. After this Paul explains what man has to do to become righteous. In other words, how man can be saved. However, first before doing so, in today’s passage Paul while dealing with several questions about the value of the Jews, Paul tells us that God is truly faithful. Today let’s look at 3 aspects of God’s faithfulness.
I. The advantage of the Jews (vs. 1,2)
In chapter 2 Paul says that both Jews and Gentiles commit sin. In the case of the Jews, even though they know the law, they broke it. That is worst than the Gentiles who didn’t know the law and sinned. Paul is telling us what the advantages of being a Jew are and what the meaning of circumcision is. There may not have been such a question, but Paul may have heard such things being said so he deals with these issues. Here Paul uses the form of speech where he asks himself a question and then answers it. It was used a lot in Jewish doctrinal dialogue.
First Paul asks a question about the advantages of being a Jew, God’s chosen people and the value of circumcision. Paul answers, “Much in every way!” (2) That is because “they have been entrusted with the very words of God.” (2) This means that God personally spoke to Israel. This refers to the event on Mt. Sinai.
Deut. 4:12
God spoke personally to Israel. There are no other people like this. For Israel, this was the greatest advantage. Israel was given the Promised Land, Canaan. Also in Solomon’s age; Israel was abundantly rich and was the most glorious country at that time. They built the most beautiful buildings at that time. However, for Israel their greatest advantage and blessing was not this, but that “they have been entrusted with the very words of God.” (2)
In verse 2 when it says “First of all,” doesn’t mean that there is a “Second of all”. It means this is the greatest thing. Other nations have not been entrusted with the Word of God. Other nations have to hear the word of God through Israel. Israel has the advantage of being a priest, a bridge between God and man. This is an advantage because only a priest can come near to God. God gave the priests, Israel, His word. They didn’t become a great empire like Babylon, an empire like Persia nor did they have an army like Rome. Israel’s greatest advantage was God’s Word. Maybe there were some people who thought they would have liked to have received the glory of Solomon. However, to receive the Word of God is a greater blessing. Before God said to Solomon, “Ask whatever you want me to give you.” (II Chron. 1:7) Solomon answered, “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (II Chron. 1:10) He thought that in order to lead the people of God, he needed the wisdom of God. Because Solomon did not request riches, wealth, or honor, or for a long life for himself, but requested knowledge and wisdom so that he could lead the people of God, God not only have him wisdom and knowledge, but also riches, wealth and honor. These were blessings given by the Word of God. In Israel’s long history, if you were to summarize all of Israel’s blessings into one word, it would be the country that received the word of God. There is no greater blessing than knowing the real eternal God so there is no other country that has been as greatly blessed as Israel. If the knowledge of God is a brighter and enlightening truth, then Israel has a greater treasure than the Greek philosophers or the Roman law, the wisdom of the Chinese politicians. Israel has been put up above all other countries. There are no other people who have had such a great advantage and blessings.
We too have been given the Word of God. The Bible is the Word of God. 150 or 200 years ago the Japanese didn’t have the Word of God. When the Gospel first entered Japan there was no Japanese Bible. To read the Bible you had to read it in English or Latin. Now we can read the Bible freely in Japanese. That is a real blessing.
Until 1450 there was no printing machine. Books were extremely valuable. The church had Bibles, but the believers couldn’t freely have their own. The Bibles were huge and were written by hand. They were chained so they could not be stolen. The Church used to chain the Bible so it wouldn’t be stolen. Now the church passes out the Bible saying, “Please read the Bible” and there are some who receive the Bible and throw it into the garbage.
The only time the Christians could read the Word of God was usually during the Sunday Worship. Therefore, the Pastor read long passages. Therefore, when you go to traditional churches, they often read a passage from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Since the members had no Bible or chance to hear the Word of God, long passages of the Bible had to be read on Sunday. This is how the believers could hear the Word of God. That’s how valuable the Word of God was. When it was read, everyone stood. Worship was 2 or 3 hours and during that time everyone was standing. There was no place to sit. The churches were made out of stone so winters were very cold. When there were no Bibles, the believers really desired to hear the Word of God.
We have the Bible all the time. We can read it anytime we want. Most people have more than one Bible. It’s been translated into many languages. There has never been an age where the Bible was as readily available as now. However, now there is no great desire for the Bible. However, the fact that we have been given the Bible is a greater blessing than it was for the Jews. We may look into our wallet and think we’re poor, but we have enough to live on. Also we have a greater blessing than any other age in human history; we have the Word of God. The advantage of the Jews was they were given the Word of God.
II. God is faithful (vs. 3,4)
The advantage of the Jews was that they were given the Word of God. However, if the Jews didn’t follow it, “will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?” (3) Paul answers, ”Not at all.” (4) That is because even though all Jews are unfaithful, God is faithful. Behind the words “faithful” and “unfaithful are the promises of God and the covenantal relationship. God gave the promised Word of God and promised if they followed the Word of God, they would be God’s treasured people.
Exodus 19:5,6
However, Israel didn’t follow the Word of God. They continued to break the promise. Then did the covenant have no meaning? “Not at all!” (4) That is because even though they were unfaithful, God is faithful. Among human relationships when we break promises that’s the end of the relationship, but with God this is not so. No matter what happens, God never breaks his promise. God is faithful to his covenant. This is a promise of a one way blessing of God. Our lack of faith or lack of truth does not bring an end to the covenant.
Mat.. 24:35
Isaiah 46:3,4
Romans 11:29
God will never leave you. Even if you are unfaithful, the Lord is faithful. Therefore, never give up or be discouraged.
III. Responding to God’s faithfulness (vs. 5-8)
We need to respond to God’s faithfulness. When Paul said this, there was someone who responded, “But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bring his wrath on us?”(5) then shouldn’t we sin all the more? Paul disagreed and said, “Certainly not!” This type of thinking is trying to bring God down to a human level. Such thinking comes from not realizing that God is absolute, and the Lord of judgment. Our God not only made this world, but moves this world. And in the end is the Lord that will judge this world. Before such a Lord of judgment, there is no way that this argument will stand. Not only that but in this human society too, it will never stand. For example, we have police because there are thieves. By this thinking the police shouldn’t arrest thieves, by this thinking we should be thankful to the thieves, but this argument would never stand. This is the same. If we are saved by the one way grace of God, by God’s faithfulness, then we should live a life that responds to God’s faithfulness and God’s grace. If we think that it doesn’t matter what kind of life we live, that it’s o.k. to continue living a life of sin, then Gods grace will not be there. It is only natural for people that argue that way to be ordained as a sinner. If we really understood the faithfulness and grace of God towards us, we could never live such a life.
Romans 5:15
The grace of God overflows to many people. God’s grace is more abundant than we could ever imagine or expect. David describes this is Psalms 23:5 as “My cup overflows.” Peter when he had fished all night and hadn’t caught even one fish, was told by Jesus to go out into deeper waters and put his nets out. When he did so the nets became so full that they “began to break”. (Luke 5:6) At the wedding in Cana Jesus didn’t just turn a couple of pitchers of water into wine. He turned six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from 20 to 30 gallons” (John 2:7) into wine. Jesus took 5 loaves of bread and 4 fish and fed over 5,000 people until they were full. Not only that, but there were 12 baskets of leftovers. This is the grace of God. Those who believe in Jesus Christ and who are in that grace, no matter where they go, their cups are overflowing. If the grace of God is that large, we shouldn’t take the attitude of “Then, let’s sin”, but fear God and respond to God’s faithfulness.
Psalm 150:6
Psalm 63:3
Isaiah 46:3,4
Psalm 71:18
Psalm 48:14
My friend once encouraged me by saying, “For the rest of your life continue to stand in the battlefront.” May we keep our eyes on the Lord’s faithfulness and love. This is a life of responding to the faithfulness of God. The grace of God is overflowing. Before God’s faithfulness, the rest of our lives let’s serve Him with faith and love and faithfulness. This is what God desires of us.