Lesson 5: God’s Righteousness Upheld – 3:1-8
1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.
3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?
4 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.”
5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)
6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world?
7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to His glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
Our verses today touch on a subject many people argue over about God. Their argument begins with the words “God is not fair.” And these verses agree – God is not fair when what is fair is determined by human standards. And what we call “fair” often means only that we have as much or more of this world’s pleasures and things as anyone else. What we truly want, humanly speaking, is enough of everything so we think we do not need God in our lives. This is something God will never give us.
It is also our human nature to want to be the favorite of our parents or grandparents or teachers or boss…or even of God, even though this would not be “fair” by our own standards. This form of jealousy has existed as long as sin has been in this world, and this kind of jealousy caused the first murder in human history when Cain killed his own brother (Genesis 4). It is still the cause of murder and hatred today.
God’s love for every human being is the same – He loves each of us enough to die for us. He never has favorites (Acts 10:34). Just because He chose the Jewish people to be “His people” does not mean He loves those of us who are not Jewish any less. And just because He has chosen the Church to be His “Bride” does not mean He has replaced the Jewish people with the Church. All through Scripture God tells us that coveting something someone else has is a sin.
God created each of us to be unique persons. He made each of us to have a special purpose in His kingdom. If we allow Him to complete and perfect in us the person He created us to be, we will find a satisfaction that no other plan of ours could ever give us.
God is not fair; He is just and righteous. We read in Verses 4-6 of today’s Scripture that He will judge everyone with complete justice and righteousness, which is measured by Himself rather than by what we might be able to understand. He cannot be unrighteous or ever tell a lie.
Our verses go on, however, to another level of responsibility. He will receive glory no matter what judgment He gives – whether for justice and righteousness through those who are judged for choosing evil, or for mercy and grace through those who are judged for choosing Him. This glory, however, cannot justify how we respond to circumstances. If we choose NOT to be part of His kingdom, then He will honor our choice and give us what we have chosen. If we choose to belong to Him and become His children, then He will share His glory with us eternally. God will never send anyone to hell – everyone who will go there will have done so by their own choice.
*Are you afraid of God’s judgment? If yes, please talk with me about how you can be sure you have His eternal life.