Faithful God, Unfaithful Children

I invite you to open your copy of God’s Word with me to Romans, chapter 3, as we continue today in our journey down the Romans Road. We are going to pick up right where we left off, and you’ll remember that over the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about the predicament of sin, how all sin is judged by God the same. We’ve been discussing the fact that there is no favoritism with God, and you cannot fool Him with religious games. God is an impartial judge. He sees through the facade of all the things we say and how we present ourselves, and that all you need to do is to look at the fruit of your life because it will tell you whether or not you truly belong to Christ. Your works cannot save you, but they are the proof of your salvation.

We’ve been talking about what it means to be a Jew, to be one of the chosen of God, and how they have treated this privilege and misapplied it, assuming that because of it they are protected from facing the wrath and judgment of God. And last week, we were talking about the parallels between Israel and the church of today, in that there are many who have been in the church their whole lives, who have had access to God’s Word, who have been raised in families that attended church for generations who think that they are saved, and yet they are lost. They are doomed for Hell, and they cannot see it because they lean on their traditions and a basic understanding of the faith. They live a do as I say, not as I do lifestyle. They are the blind themselves, and yet they lead others to remain blind, and probably the hardest piece is that their lives are uncompelling.

There is nothing in their lives that would compel a lost person to find faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, the lost and dying world around them rejects the Gospel because of them, because they profess to be Christians, and yet their life simply does not reflect that claim. And so as we continue together this morning, we are going to be starting off in Romans 3, beginning in verse 1. As we read together this morning, I invite those who are able, where ever you are, to stand with me in honor of the reading of God’s Word:

Romans 3:1–8 NASB95

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 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.” 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.) May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 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.

Let me pray for us: Holy and gracious Father, I praise You for Your goodness this morning. Thank you for the life and breath that You have given to each one of us this morning. Thank you for drawing us together in this place to worship You, and for giving us each other, that we may lock arms together, helping each other to know You and to make You known. Thank you, Father, for Your holy and perfect Word, that through it we can know You better each day, and how you are calling us to change and to live so that we can be more like Your Son Jesus. Help us as we read it today, Lord. Help us to understand it and to do what it says without any excuses. Would You send Your Holy Spirit this morning, to bring us clear understanding, encouragement, and conviction, so that we will glorify You in our turning to You in all things. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

Thank you, you may be seated. As you get settled in, you might want to go ahead and get your listening guide out this morning, either from your program that you got when you came in or from our facebook feed. Alternatively, you can also follow our presentation at faithlife.com/flochurch.

but while you do that, let me share a story with you that Bethany and I used to do foster care. Some people think that you make money doing foster care, I don’t know how that is possible if you are doing it right. The state gave us a stipend to hep with expenses, but it was no where near what it costs to take care of a child.

But, regardless, we did foster care before we moved back to Florida. We had many children come through our home. Some were there a long time, more than a year. Others were with us just a few months. But in each case, we loved those children as though they were our own. We treated them just like our biological children. For as long as they were with us, we treated them like part of the family. We showed them the same love and affection; we parented them by same rules. In fact, our children were jealous of the foster kids at times because they got spankings, but the foster kids did not because that was against the rules.

But I would always remind our kids that they had the greater blessing in every respect. They are still with our family. They have a strong roof over their heads, and parents that not only love and care for them, but who would never put them in a position like those that were being placed with us. They have a home and an inheritance. And, even if we had been able to adopt one of the kids that were placed with us, their advantage over them would still remain. Yes, they would be equal in every respect of our love, care, and treatment, but our biological children would always have the advantage because they had been ours from the beginning.

Our kids know our family. The know the rules of the house. They know what the expectations are. They know their privileges and responsibilities. In fact, it was their responsibility to help their foster siblings to learn the rules, and to watch out for them so that they would know how the way that they should go. They had the honor and security of having always known me as their father, and that was something that will never change.

And this is not unlike the position of the Jews in relation to Gentile believers. Look at what Paul says in verses 1-2:

Romans 3:1–2 NASB95

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

If you look at our journey through Romans to this point, it may be easy to say that there was no advantage at all in being a Jew, because they had been given the Law and because of it, they stood under greater condemnation when they didn’t do what it says. Moreover, now the Gentiles have been given access to the same grace and mercy as they have through the blood of Jesus Christ. Paul has even said already multiple times that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, their is no partiality with God. God doesn’t play favorites, and judges every single person exactly the same.

So what is the benefit of the Jew over the Gentile? What benefit do the covenant people of God have over the rest of us? Paul tells us right here: they were entrusted with the truth of God. They knew God’s Word before anyone else. The knew His promises. They saw His faithfulness. They understood His kindness, His wrath, His mercy and forgiveness before anyone else; they were given the privilege and responsibility of being God’s ambassadors to mankind, receiving His truth and blessing the whole world in sharing it with us. And there is a lesson in this for us. If you’ve got your listening guides handy, the first thing that I would have you to note this morning, and what we need to take away from is that

The honor in knowing God longer is the privilege of sharing Him with others

The people of Israel will always remain blessed among the people of earth. They will always and forever be the people that God chose to set apart so that He could give them His Word. They are the recipients of the promised land, and of God’s hand of blessing. The descendants of Abraham carry the promise and the favor of God with them, and because of it, they were to be a light on the hill.

And this is the great privilege of Israel-that they were to be God’s ambassadors to a lost and dying world. They were to be those that God used to draw the nations to Himself. The Gentiles were always a part of God’s plan, there is no doubt about it. When you go back, and you look at the design of the temple, you find in the temple complex the court of the Gentiles. Why?

Why would God include a court for the Gentiles in His house of worship? Is it not because God would have all nations worship Him in Spirit and in truth. God set Israel up as a light and a beacon that was to point all of the nations on earth to God. God told Abraham that all the nations of the earth are blessed through them.

Genesis 12:3 NASB95

And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

What is it that God is saying to Abraham here? Is He promising some sort of trickle-down economics? Is He saying Israel will be rich, and will make other nations rich in turn? Well, material wealth is most certainly a part of God’s blessing, there is no question. But there is something deeper here, something infinitely greater, that God was blessing Israel with. There is a way that God blessed Israel that can never be taken away from them. Look at Isaiah 42:6 with me.

Isaiah 42:6 NASB95

“I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations,

This promise and prophecy brings sharp clarity to our passage this morning, because what God says to Israel here is that in His righteousness, in the glory of who God is, He appointed Israel as a beacon that He would guide and watch over, and that they would be a light to the nations. This was true when God called Abraham. It was true as God saved the world from death by raising Joseph up as a prince among the Egyptians. It was true when Moses’ Father-in-law, Jethro, a Midianite, a Gentile, blessed the Lord in Exodus 18:11, saying

Exodus 18:11 NASB95

“Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people.”

Israel had already long been a light to the nations when Isaiah wrote these words in prophecy, and they remained true as God guided His people through the Babylonian exile. It was true as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego inside the fiery furnace. It was true of Daniel as He walked out of the Lion’s Den. God the righteous, just, and wise King of the universe set aside a people that would draw the nations to Himself. And this place of blessing and privilege reached its pinnacle in the person of Jesus Christ.

How could you and I say that we are Christians and not see that Jesus is a Jew, that Israel stands today as the flesh and blood relatives of our Messiah and King? If Israel has ceased to be blessed before us, If there is no advantage or privilege in Israel, then there is no hope for any of us, because it is only through the blessing of God in Israel that we have access to a relationship with the Son of God.

And it is important for us to fully see this blessing towards Israel, because it is the means by which you and I are sitting here today. And in it, there truly is a lesson for us. We live in a lost and dying world as a privileged people. We live as those in Christ, who have received the oracles of God. We have been given the privilege of knowing the truth of the Gospel. And while we do not replace Israel, we are like them in that the privilege of knowing God and the honor of receiving His hand of blessing is so that we can share Him with others. It is so that we, too, can be a light, and a beacon to those that are living in darkness.

Being a bearer of the truth, being a witness to the goodness of God, being an obedient child of the King that daily grows in Knowing Jesus and making Him known, is a blessing and a privilege, and an honor. It is not a seat of status, but of service. And this is where we get twisted up, because somewhere along the way, we get lost. You and I lose focus of the truth. And we start to look at the things God calls us to as a chore. UGH, I have to stop doing this fun thing to read God’s Word. UGGGhhh, I have to get uncomfortable and share the Gospel with others. ARGGHH, I have to give up this sin habit I think is fun, because God’s no fun. I have to do this, I can’t do that. I HAVE to do these things because this is what God NEEDS me to do.

And this morning, can we look and see that obeying the Lord is not a chore it is a privilege and a blessing, because God doesn’t need us. Let me show you what I mean. Look at verses 3-4

Romans 3:3–4 NASB95

What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 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.”

We see this is true, right? Over and over again, we see Israel rebel. It got so bad in the days of Elijah, that Elijah cried out to God in 1 Kings 19:10

1 Kings 19:10 NASB95

He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Paul says “some” rather generously, to be gentile with those He was talking to. But the reality is that most of Israel had come to disbelief. By the time that Jesus came, He called the teachers of Israel white-washed tombs, with empty faith. And we talked last week about the religiously lost, how there are many among us today that believe they are saved, but are truly lost and stand condemned, and what we need to see this morning is that we need God, God doesn’t need us. If you have your listening guide, let me put this another way for you:

God’s righteousness and faithfulness don’t depend on you

God is righteous and He is faithful, and these truths will be proven among the nations, regardless of how you live. I’m not saying it doesn’t matter how you live, it does. We talked last week about God’s name being defamed and diminished in the minds of the lost when we declare His Name, and yet deny Him in the way we live our lives.

But God is righteous and faithful, regardless of how we live. CH Spurgeon said something profound about the church once, when preaching on this passage. He said

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXXVIII God Justified, Though Man Believes Not (No. 2,255)

I almost think that the Christian Church is in the period of the judges now. When the Lord raises up, here one and there another, to preach his Word faithfully, the people seem to take heed to it; but when the faithful preachers are gone, many of their hearers turn aside again.

Spurgeon preached these words some 131 years ago, and yet they ring truer now that when he spoke them. The people of God act as though God’s law, His commands, are not a blessing, but a curse. It is as though they are an albatross around our necks to be thrown off at the first convenience. If no one is there to remind us, to compel us, to push us in doing what is right, we fall by the wayside again.

And when we feel the conviction that would draw us to doing what we ought to again, it is with a belabored sigh, because God needs us to behave. And nothing could be farther from the truth. If every man on earth were a liar, God would be true. If we break every promise that we ever made to God, He would be faithful to His promises. His righteousness and His faithfulness will continue to shine out in the midst of a dark and dying world without you, because that is who HE IS!

These are not virtues that we give to God. God isn’t righteous because you prove it. He isn’t faithful because you are faithful. He is these things because they are the very character of who He is. God doesn’t need you to be righteous to be who He is. He calls you to righteousness for your benefit. He calls to you righteous for the benefit of others. God made you to declare His glory. He made you in His own image so that you could bear His goodness to others.

This wasn’t for His good, but for ours. And the irony of it is that regardless of what you do, God will be glorified. If you do what is wrong, God will be glorified. If you do what is righteous, God will be glorified. This is true. But unfortunately, we get confused. We think that this somehow makes God’s glory contingent on us. And we think that if God is glorified either way, our behavior doesn’t matter. Look at verses 5-8 with me:

Romans 3:5–8 NASB95

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

You know this thought process, right? Don’t we think the best testimonies are the ones with all the horrible sin in them that God washed us clean from? We act, sometimes as though the worst you get, the lower you sink, the greater God will be glorified. And so, we don’t worry about our behavior, not realizing it isn’t God that suffers, but us.

The final thing I would have you to note on your listening guide this morning is this,

God’s righteous glory will be revealed in you; either in your obedience or your judgment

Your life is going to bring glory to God. One way or the other, God will be glorified in your life. We talk about this a lot in our home with our children. It is your choice how you glorify God: you can do it like Moses or you can do it like Pharaoh.

Can the filth of your sin augment the glory of God as you are judged for it? It can, because His judgment will shine through as truly deserved and absolutely righteous. Is God as greatly glorified in the judgment of the lost as He is in the grace and mercy towards the righteous? He is. God is not affected by your response to Him. Nothing changes for Him when you live your life in loving obedience in light of His grace, but everything changes for you. Nothing changes for God when you give Him lip service of commitment, but live your life as those that do not know God, but everything changes for you. God will be glorified in your life, or He will be glorified in your judgment. I’ll say it again: though all of mankind burns in hell as a race of liars and murderers, God the righteous and faithful will be glorified.

And this is the point of the text we have looked at together this morning. The blessing and honor to the Jew is that the privilege of carrying the truth of God to those who are perishing, yet God will be faithful and righteous in their blessing and in their judgment. The blessing and honor to those who claim the name of Jesus is that they carry the privilege of sharing the Gospel with others, living out the truth of God as a city on a hill, as salt and light in a dead and dying world. Yet, God will be glorified in our grace-filled obedience or our well-earned judgment.

And so, again, this morning, we are drawn to the point where I am compelled to ask you, friends, what kind of fruit is growing in your life? You, who are among the blessed. You, who have heard the oracles of God. You, who are image bearers and ambassadors in Christ for the King of Kings, what kind of fruit is growing in Your life? God does not need you, but He wants you. He has chosen you, blessed you, and set His purposes before you, And He will be glorified by you. And this morning, I’m telling you that you can decide today what that looks like.

There are those that are sitting here this morning that, if you are honest, are growing rotten fruit. The fruit of your life is not that of the living God, but of selfish ambition and pride. You have professed Christ as Savior, and yet today He is still not your King. He is still not the one calling the shots. And if you met eternity today, you would find that God’s glory from your life would come in your judgment because there is no fruit of His grace in your life. And if that is you this morning, and you are here, and you are tired of living the lie that you have been transformed, and you are ready to step into the blessing of God’s grace and mercy to be among the called of God, I invite you, wherever you are, to come down and meet me here this morning. I’m going to pray for us, and we are going to stand and sing together, and as we sing, if today God is stirring in your heart to be changed and to repent, and to turn in service and obedience to your King, I invite you to come. Let God be glorified in your righteous obedience as a doer of the Word, so that you will not be among those whose glory is in their judgment. If today you hear Him calling, harden not your heart.

Would you pray with me? Lord, Jesus, I stand before you naked and poor and wretched and blind. Though I have called myself yours, I have not lived as one who stands redeemed. Father, forgive me. Forgive me for the ways I have defamed Your Name. Forgive me for the ways I have continued to live as though my sin were glorifying to you. Lord, Jesus, would You clothe me in white? Would You wash me clean, by Your blood shed for me, that I may partake in the blessing You extend to all nations through the promise You made to Abraham, when You promised Your Savior to us. Would You shape me, and mold me, and fashion me to be Your ambassador, so that I will carry Your truth in the way that You made me to. Lord, Jesus, I desire to glorify You in reflection of Your righteousness, and not in your righteous judgment. This morning, would You come and show me how. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.