Romans 3:1-8
M. Kelly
May 12, 2013
The Holy Spirit never exalts man. He always humbles man and exalts Jesus Christ and His redemptive purposes. This is how you can tell if something is of the work of the Holy Spirit.
Paul is dealing with the objections of the Jews as he preaches to them. They trust in their religious heritage, ceremonies and rituals.Paul debunks all of this.
Paul preaches that the promises of God are fulfilled in Christ Jesus and they are fulfilled in us when we trust Christ Jesus. All the promises of God point to Jesus and are to the elect for salvation.
God is faithful to His promises when he judges people for rejecting Him.
God always speaks of the remnant of Israel. Rom. 11:2-5
1 Kings 19....a remnant of men who did not bow the knee to Baal.
The Jews are crying out against the doctrine of election because it includes the Gentiles. John 10:30-31 ? You do not believe because you are not part of my sheep....
John 10:14-19 I have other sheep which are not of this fold...
If the Gospel is not met with objection, it may not be the true Gospel because the Gospel brings division.
Amos 3:2 The fact that many of the Jews were condemned doesn't mean God is unfaithful. Rather he it proves His faithfulness because He promised there would be those who would be judged.
Paul is dealing with the objections to the doctrine of grace & election.
Men are condemned because of their sins, not because God didn't elect them.
Seven Lessons:
1. Notice Paul's urgency in preaching the Gospel. What is his motive? He believes man's grand problem is sin, God's wrath, judgement and eternal punishment. If one doesn't think these are man's biggest problem then they are not called to preach!
Paul preaches doctrines that are not popular. He was attacked for preaching. We must take note of this.
2 Cor. 11:23-28
2. Paul is not a mountain top preacher. He writes, "our unrighteousness". He included himself amongst the chief of sinners. He says, "What shall we say?" He includes himself in all of what he has to say. He doesn't place himself above others andask them to come up to where he is. He says he is one of them. He tells them the truth. He is not a super spiritual being.
3. We have no right to change doctrine because it is unpleasant to men.
Paul loves his Jewish friends. How does he love them? Not by being positive about everything toward them, but rather by telling them the truth. Notice how many unpopular doctrines are taught or alluded to in this passage:
Sin
God's soveriegnty over the world
God's sovereignty over sin
God's wrath
Condemnation
Many who claim to preach leave these doctrines out altogether. Many church boards weed out men who might teach these doctrines. They are not popular. We have no right to change or leave out these doctrines because they are unpopular to men.
Remember 2 Tim 42-4, Paul's exhortation to Timothy. Men will heap to themselves teachers who will tickle their ears. They want teachers who will teach what they want to hear. Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel as so many are.
It is first a Gospel of wrath. Man is a sinner but God is wrathful against sinners. Man's biggest problem is God's wrath against sinners....not against sin but against sinners! Sin doesn't get sent to Hell, sinners do! The Gospel reveals the reality of sin, death , judgment and punishment.
Denying damnation will not put out the flames. It is not unloving to proclaim to someone that their views are wrong and they are under the wrath of God!
Matt. 16:23...Jesus told Peter the truth!
It was not unloving to Peter for Him to rebuke Peter according to the truth.
Luke 12:4-5 Jesus said do not be afraid of those who kill the body...fear the one who has authority to cast into Hell...fear Him!
The Gospel is to be proclaimed. It is not a dialogue, it is a monologue...God's monologue.
4. God's righteousness is revealed to us by our unrighteousness. It stands out on the dark background of human sin. Light exposes darkness to be darkness. You can't have darkness without light. Many get all discouraged about their sanctification...but the job of the Light is to expose our darkness so that we can come to His Light.
We should not sin in order to make a greater good. God's glory illustrated through our sinfulness is not our work but God's work. We should not sin that grace would abound!!!
God prescribes in His word how we are to glorify Him and it is not through disobedience, but through obedience to Him.
All the mysteries of God are paradoxes to mans flesh and man loves to attack what he doesn't understand.~Calvin
God does use as an instrument, our unrighteousness to show His glory to His people but this does not make sinning against Him right.
Without criminal activity, a law abiding citizen would be known. Does this mean we should set criminals free because their sin makes the law abiding citizen know? No! Should we sin that God's righteousness would be revealed in a greater way? No!
Men pervert grace, make excuses for their sins. This should never be!
5. There is a day of judgement and God inflicts wrath! v. 4-5 It's not a theory, it is fact. v. 6 God will judge the world! Not an option! It will happen. v. 7 men will be judged. v. 8 their condemnation is just.
This why Paul is urgent to preach the gospel.
6. God will judge righteously. No hiding place. The fairest day will be the judgement day. It will be a righteous judgement. He sees all and knows all. He will not spare unrepentant sinners. Man will not receive a portion of His wrath, they will receive it in full. What will a life of sin bring to the unrepentant on the day of judgement? Wrath!
7. Having the Word is a great blessing from God. Only the authentic Gospel will save. The false gospel will not save on judgment day.
Amos 8:11 famine of the Words of the Lord.
Give all glory to God for His Gospel of His Son and His righteousness!
🌹🌺🌻Marsha🌻🌺🌹
He is the Α and Ω and everything in between. Îστιν ÏŒ Α Ω. (Revelation 22:13)
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