Romans 3:1-20 (Bridge Bible Church 03.19.2023)
Notes
Transcript
Assuming Privilege
Assuming Privilege
There is a lot of talk about privilege today. This idea that some people are given access to special privilege simply based on their ethnicity, economic status or birth family seems to saturate many of the discussions people are having today. Take the Alex Murdaugh murder trial. A jury found Mr. Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and son. There were many arguments made by both sides during the trial. Some of the arguments that led the jury to vote the way they did seemed to be based on the amount of privilege that Alex Murdaugh enjoyed. Arguments were made that he took advantage of his family history and business connections as a means of covering up his actions. Whether you agree with the verdict or not… there is a certain amount of assumed privilege that became part of the discussion as the jury deliberated.
This idea of assumed privilege isn’t a new discussion. As you read through the pages of Scripture there is a group of people who allowed their sense of privilege to get in the way of their ability to truly see and understand what was right in front of them.
Imagine yourself in Jerusalem.... and seeing this man named Jesus standing in front of you… you’ve heard all the stories about the miracles he performed… you’ve even seen some of them yourself… but your sense of ethnic pride and loyalty to the Law keeps getting in your way… stopping you from truly believing. As you read through the Gospels, you see that very thing happen to many of the Jews, especially those who were part of the religious elite.
As Paul addresses the believers in Rome, focuses some of his arguments towards members of the Jewish community who believe in Jesus… but seem to not be able to let go of their sense of privilege and entitlement.
As you read through Romans there are certain parts that seem to generate a certain tension that is then resolved once the argument comes to its climax.
Whenever I read Romans I always imagine a courtroom scene. Paul is the prosecutor and he is going to town building his argument before the jury… leading them to agree with the conclusions of truth he is presenting. (A few good men… Paul is like Tom Cruise… exposing error and revealing truth).
When you look at the letter so far, there have been a few arguments given and a good deal of tension built.
Paul has been addressing the condition of the Jews. Overall the Jews saw themselves as being clothed in righteousness… just because they were ethnically Jews.
Some of Paul’s readers were misled by their sense of privilege and religious confidence… The Jews believed that since they possessed the Word of God, they were safe. They saw themselves as those who were to lead the blind… correct the foolish, and teach the immature.
Pastor Dave brought some of these truths out when he preached through chapter 2. He pointed out that God does not play favorites (Week 3) and that some of Paul’s audience had unfortunately slipped into the habit of trusting in the wrong things to justify themselves before God.(Week 4)
Today we are going to look at chapter 3 where Paul continues to build his argument. While you are finding your place, I’d like to remind you of how Paul chose to end chapter 2. He totally deflates many of the Jew’s pride and ego with these words…
Romans 2:24 (ESV)
For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
ouch!
Romans 2:28–29 (ESV)
For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
Remember that many of those reading Paul’s letter have grown up in a context where they have been taught to assume privilege and advantage. Yes, the Jews has been oppressed… and forced to submit to various rulers over the years.... but they were chosen!!!.... they were God’s people… and it was taught (assumed) that based on their ethnicity alone… God would give them the final victory over their enemies.
Even though they were living in oppression… their assumed privilege… led many to become prideful in their pedigree… which led them to pursue religions activity rather than spiritual relationship.
As Paul walks his readers through the arguments he will share in chapter 3, he is proclaiming that anyone who prides themselves in their pedigree and privilege needs to wake up and realize that your spiritual condition (righteousness/ salvation) is not based on all that you do.... but on whom you believe.
Our righteousness (Salvation) is not based on (result of what we do (actions/ associations)) but on whom we believe.
It doesn’t matter who you are… Jew, Gentile.... true righteousness is a matter of the heart!
Paul is getting ready to deal with several objections to the information he has presented in chapter 2. How he deals with them is interesting.
Paul uses a teaching technique called a “diatribe”. It is basically a debate that the teacher enters into with an imaginary opponent. When the teacher uses this teaching tool, they are basically anticipating the questions that will come… and answering them for the audience. Kind of like in a courtroom scene… when the lawyer makes concessions and answers questions that he knows the jury is already thinking.
As we read verses 1-8, listen as Paul instructs his audience to...
I. 3:1-8 — Stop trusting in “all the things”!
Romans 3:1–8 (ESV)
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 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.”
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.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
Paul has completely devastated his Jewish readers with his argument. He has disarmed them… and left them feeling spiritually naked before the Lord. In this section, Paul leads his audience to come to a conclusion about two overarching questions: Is God truly faithful? and Is God really righteous?
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
To put this verse in a modern context, one author expressed it this way. “If being affiliated with God’s people through baptism and church membership will not save us, and if having access to God’s Word is not enough to ensure our salvation or holiness, then what is the advantage to of being part of the Church… and Christianity?” (Hughes)
For those of us who had the benefit of growing up in Church… you might say.... there are a lot of advantages… or privileges that come with being raised in a church and/or Christian environment.......
There are also a lot of distractions… and privileges that are assumed… which tend to lead us towards being distracted from our relationship with Christ… because we are so busy doing “all the things” for Christ. It is so easy to get caught up in doing “all the things”… that we neglect the importance of growing in relationship…
The first question being asked/answered in this section is:
Is God truly faithful? (Will God do what He says He will do? Is God faithful to His people?) (1-4)
Paul is trying to get his readers’ attention by proposing an objection to his argument, and then giving a response. The first is found in verse 1.
Is there an advantage to being a Jew? Absolutely!!! Of course there is an advantage.... there is a privilege that comes with being part of God’s chosen people! But, it is probably not what you are thinking.
In chapter 2, Paul pretty much proclaimed that the Jews had failed in taking advantage of their position of privilege.... but then starts chapter 3 by stating that the Jews have an amazing advantage.
(Some people are responders and others are reactors.) My guess is that the original audience were probably reactors. As you can imagine, the Jews reading this letter are probably reacting pretty hard right now. Paul knows this would happen, so he addresses it.
So where is the advantage? The advantage comes with having access to God’s Word.
We are told about God’s eternal nature.
God’s Word teaches us that God is the all-powerful Creator who sustains the universe and that He is perfect in holiness, righteousness, love, justice, majestic, transcendent, and beyond human comprehension. We learn that there is an infinite gap between God and us. Knowing all of this about God is very helpful because it corrects our natural way of thinking about God. The unbeliever will always wrongly try to close this gap between God and man by either trying to bring God down… or by trying to raise man up. Having God’s Word is a huge advantage… because it takes all the guess work out of it. God has clearly communicated to us!
God’s Word gives us a description of the nature and purpose of man
By being able to see God’s eternally majestic nature, we are able to see ourselves as we really are. Scripture explains our corruption and fallenness and allows us to see ourselves as lost sinners. A reality that we would not see clearly without the Word of God. Having God’s Word gives us written directions… telling us exactly what is required of mankind. Love God with all our being. (Mark 12:30, 31)
The power of God’s Word is not in the pages, binding, or possession of it. Having God’s Word in your possession doesn’t change you. It’s not some object of power… or good lunch charm.
The power of God’s Word is imbedded in the words, the content, and in the digestion of it. You have to read it, study it, meditate on it, internalize it… and most importantly… believe it and be changed by it!
Having God’s Word is a huge advantage. We know what God is like. We know what we are like. We know exactly what He requires for salvation. There is no guessing! God has faithfully given us all that we need!!!
Another objection that Paul raises in relation to God’s faithfulness is found in verses 3-4. “What if some were unfaithful?”
People were probably offended that Paul would say that the Jews and Gentiles are basically equal in their relationship with Christ.
Paul seems to be correcting this reaction: ‘If we have truly failed in our position of privilege then its not our fault… we’ve done all the things…It’s not our fault! It must be that because God’s Word is powerless… and He is the one who has been unfaithful.’
Paul responds with an emphatic.... Not at all!!! May it never be!!!!
Ever experienced that with your kids? (Illustration?) It’s never their fault… it’s always someone else's fault… Blame Shifting like our father Adam. “It’s the woman you gave me...”
The reality is: God is always true. He is always faithful. It is His character. He cannot … not be true… he cannot not be faithful. No matter how much man falls short, it does not change the nature and character of God.
When life seems to be crashing in all around you. Things are happening that you don’t understand.... you have emotions that you can’t explain..... situations are taking place that make you afraid… remember God’s character.
He is faithful! He is true!
Paul reminds his audience of this by paraphrasing the words of David’s from Psalm 51:4… “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”
David uttered these words after being caught and confronted with his own sin. Instead of trying to justify his actions… instead of blame shifting (well Bathsheba shouldn’t have been taking a bath on her roof so that I could see her!), he acknowledges his guilt… repents before the Lord… and acknowledges God’s justice. David teaches us that God will remain faithful and true no matter how many times we sin. Don’t ever forget that.
Is God truly faithful? Absolutely! Yes! He is and will always be faithful! He will always do what He says He will do… He will always be faithful to His people!
Next in verses 5-8, Paul answers the question,
Is God really righteous? (Can God be righteous if He punishes the wicked?) (5-8)
In verses 5-8, Paul addresses a few more objections that are rooted in a faulty understanding of God’s character.
The objection that Paul raises in verse 5 is that God had used the Jews to His advantage by showing His righteousness through their failure. If you carry this line of thinking to its conclusion then God would actually be unrighteous in His actions and cannot judge those whom he has used.
Paul initially quiets this suggestion by his response in verse 6. “God forbid!!!” And You know better!
The idea of this objection speaks to the view that God has given us an incentive to sin. If being bad makes God look good, then we should be bad so that God looks good.
This is a ridiculous objection that does not acknowledge the difference between good and evil. Notice that Paul doesn’t even answer. In verse 8, he just says.... Their condemnation is just.
If people think that way… then they deserve the punishment that will come.
As odd as some of these objections sound, they pretty accurately represented the thinking of those who had grown up with an assumed privilege… having access to the Word of God, but rejecting it.
Paul encourages all who will hear him to stop trusting in all the things that they can do (actions & associations) to earn them the favor of God and His salvation and start believing in the faithful character of God and His righteousness to save them.
Yes, God is really faithful. Yes, He is totally righteous. Trust in God’s Character!
The tension in this courtroom is getting more intense. People who have trusted in their ethnic association and actions are getting very uncomfortable....
Imagine if you were trusting in the fact that you were born in the USA as one of the means of grace in your life… and then someone came and said… yea… its great and all. You have access to so many things that are super helpful… but its not enough… being an American citizen won’t save you… and oh yea… all the religious things you've been doing all your life? Going to church… giving offering… singing the choir or worship team.... teaching Sunday school.... cleaning the church.... all those things are great too… but none of them will save you either....
If you are trusting in all those things to provide you with righteousness and favor with God… at this point in Paul’s argument.... you are getting pretty upset. Just wait… it gets better!
Verses 1-8 instruct us to Stop trusting in our affiliation and actions to provide us with righteousness and salvation and urges us to begin truly trusting in the character and Word of God!
Now, in verses 9-20 Paul adds even more tension to his argument by helping all of us to understand the reality of our condition.
II. 3:9-20 — Understand the reality of our condition!
He begins this section by pointing us to the truth that...
Scripture proves that all are under the power of sin. (9-18)
Verse 9 begins with a familiar phrase, (What then?). Where have we heard something like that recently? Right, the first objection Paul shared back in verse 1. “Then what advantage has the Jew?” Remember that argument?
Here is the other half of it…
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
Paul doesn’t leave anyone out here. He indicts the entire human race. We are all under sin. Paul is not saying that we all sin… But we all do by the way… he is saying that we are all under the power or dominion of the dynamic of sin!
It is the condition we were born into. What does that look like? If sin were the color green, then every aspect of us would be some shade of green. Sin permeates every aspect of our lives.
Jesus put it this way in Matthew 7:15-20. “A diseased tree (at the roots) cannot bear good fruit.” We are all infected with corruption. We are morally ruined all the way down to our roots.
If you came here for a feel good sermon today… then you are probably pretty disappointed. But don’t worry, in verses 10-18 it gets even better when Paul gives us what is probably the most explicit description of the total depravity of mankind in all of the Bible.
What Paul does next is interesting. He takes 6 quotes from the Old Testament and strings them together to make a series of striking statements. Kind of like a string of pearls…
Paul first points out our corrupted character...
Romans 3:10–12 (ESV)
as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one; No exceptions…
no one understands; What? The depth of God’s character. Sin makes this impossible.
no one seeks for God. No one in their fallen nature wants to know God. This is concept that many people just don’t want to believe. The word “seek” implies a determined search. Mankind does not search for God… or the truth… He suppresses it. Paul reminded us of this back in Romans 1:18-23. !!! There is one exception. If the Holy Spirit is truly working in someone’s heart… then there is a genuine seeking!
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; — Logical outcome of previous statements
no one does good,
not even one.” This is not talking about a good deed that you did as a boy scout helping someone across the street. Paul is speaking about habitual good deeds that conform to the commandments of God and flow from a heart committed to honoring God.
Next Paul points out our corrupt conduct...
Romans 3:13–18 (ESV)
“Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” — The words of those without God are like the odor from an open grave… Sometimes they are deceiving… and sometimes deadly.
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.” — Feet are frequently used in Scripture as a metaphor to describe one’s approach to life. Here Paul describes how the depravity of man is seen in his rush to violence. I read this past week that in the last 3, 421 years only 268 have not seen war.
Yes, while we have the advantage/ privilege of access to God’s Word… it does not change the reality of our fallen condition.
Paul adds one last pearl to his string in verse 18 that leads to his overwhelming conclusion that:
No one will be declared righteous because of their own merit or effort. (18-20)
Why?
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
The fear of God is completely left out of man’s thoughts. This is the root cause of our corruption and depravity. In our unbelief… in our fallen natures… we place ourselves at the center… and have no regard for God’s plan, purpose, and intentions.
With this overwhelmingly thorough indictment hanging out there.... Paul moves to his conclusion that does point us to a glimmer of hope.
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Yes, we are all under sin. But… those of us who have the Word of God do have an advantage. Look at verse 20 again. “… through the law we became conscious of sin”. The word “conscious” means an intimate knowledge.
Through the Word of God… we are exposed to the reality of our sin.. our intimate knowledge of sin is exposed… The Word of God has unmasked us and shown that we are sinners. While this is super hurtful… and embarrassing… making us feel spiritually naked and vulnerable before our holy God... it is also our biggest advantage!
By stripping away our sense of privilege and advantage… God reveals our own self deceit and spiritual nakedness.
This is the moment when true repentance takes place. That moment when you realize that all the “things” you do, don’t earn you anything. All the religious associations you belong to, don’t earn you any salvific merit with God. It doesn’t matter how much you prepare for what you think might be coming.... if whatever you are doing or trusting in distracts you from.... or replaces your faith in God’s Character and His Word.... then it is all for nothing.
Each of us here today must come to the place where we see our true condition. We must stop trusting in all the things that we do.... we have to stop trusting in all the associations and memberships that we have.... we have to see our own spiritual depravity and nakedness before God....
Today, God has given us the second greatest gift imaginable. The firsts is His Son, Jesus Christ. The second is the Word of God made alive through the Spirit of God.... so that we can know Him… who He is… who we are in relation to Him… and what He requires from us....
Conclusion/ Application:
The feel good sermons keep on coming, right!
While none of Paul’s arguments are made to make us feel good… they have been given to us for our advantage… to help us truly become good. That can never be accomplished on our own terms, in our own way, or by our own strength.
As we walked through this passage of Scripture today, I hope that you were convinced that (Main Idea): Our righteousness (Salvation) is not based on what we do (actions/ associations) but on whom we believe.
(True spiritual advantage and privilege is a matter of the heart… not a matter of ethnicity.... affiliation… self-preparation or membership.)
Intended Response:
Stop trusting in the false sense of safety that comes from personal accomplishment or religious affiliation.
Start believing (& trusting in) in the (promises of God based on the) character of God…
The tension continues to build… but it has not yet come to its climax.
Paul’s audience is growing more uncomfortable with the tensions created by Paul’s arguments. They are under sin. They cannot trust in the comfort of their good works. They cannot trust in the comfort of their privilege. While there is an opportunity for advantage.... there is nothing that we can do to earn true spiritual privilege…
If we were to stop our study in chapter 3 verse 20, we would be left with all kinds of unresolved issues. Thankfully, God does not leave anything unresolved.
I wish I could tell you the really good news!!! But, that won’t come until next week.
If you are feeling the uncomfortable tension that comes with trying to earn God’s acceptance...
If you are feeling the weight of your own sinfulness… if it is becoming unbearable...
If you are tired of trying to earn your righteousness by doing “all the things”…
Great! Praise the Lord! That is exactly where God wants you to be.
That tension you are feeling is good… that tension you are feeling is what the Spirit of God is using to draw you closer to him.
Next week, the tension being built by Paul’s courtroom styled argument will be resolved and Paul will get to the Good News that his arguments have been building towards!
I would suggest that you don’t wait until next week to hear how the tension is resolved.
Read ahead.... pray that God would draw you closer to Himself… not by what you can do… not by what your ethnicity is… but by His Spirit… through HIs Word.... lived out through your total dependance on Him!