Eternity Daily Bible Study: No. 510 Romans 1-8 - A Righteousness That Is By Faith Verses: Romans 3:1-4 Topic: What Advantage Has The Jew? Date: 20th September 2005 Romans 3:1-4 MKJV Then what is the superiority of the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? (2) Much, by every way! Chiefly, indeed, because they were entrusted with the oracles of God. (3) For what? If some did not believe, will not their unbelief nullify the faith of God? (4) Let it not be! But let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, "That You might be justified in Your sayings, and will overcome when You are judged." Romans 11:28-29 HCSB Regarding the gospel, they (the Jews) are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of their forefathers, (29) since God's gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable. Yesterday we saw that salvation is inward, spiritual and by faith alone and that ethnicity and sacramental acts – such as circumcision, baptism, conformation and ordination make no prior and absolute claim on God. That is you cannot say “I am saved simply because because I am Jewish and circumcised, that is all I need” or “I am saved because I was baptised and that is all I need”. So salvation does not depend on ethnicity or religious acts but on living faith working through love. This of course raises the question of whether these things (ethnicity and sacramental acts such as circumcision) are of any spiritual advantage at all. Paul's answer is that they are of considerable advantage because they expose us to the gospel and to the working of God.. The Jewish race was entrusted with the “oracles of God” or the “spoken words of God” through Moses and the prophets and are beloved because of the forefathers. A Jew was thus far more likely to hear the truth about the nature of God, than a non-Jew and be brought up with a better theology and ethical guidelines than a non-Jew. It is a bit like the advantage of being raised in a good Christian home rather than in a non-Christian home, especially if that non-Christian home contained some dysfunctional elements. In the first century the Jewish world-view was vastly superior to the idolatrous and superstitious pagan world view. Thus Jews were automatically born into a better understanding of God and all the chosen apostles were Jews and all the Scriptures were written by Jews, and of course Jesus Himself was a Jew. No pagan could come remotely close to the sophisticated and deep monotheistic view of the Jewish faith. Thus being Jewish was a huge spiritual advantage. However Jewishness was not a guarantee of salvation. Salvation was by faith for both Jew and Gentile for there is no partiality with God. Similarly today there is no guarantee that those from Christian homes will be “more saved” than those from non-Christian homes. You are not saved by your parent's faith but by your won faith. Both people from Christian homes and people from non-Christian homes can freely come to Christ as Lord and Savior. This is complicated by the fact that God made certain solemn covenant promises to the Jews – and God is faithful to His promises even if we are unfaithful. Indeed Paul says there will come a day when “all Israel will be saved”. Romans 11:25-27 HCSB So that you will not be conceited, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery: a partial hardening has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. (26) And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Liberator will come from Zion; He will turn away godlessness from Jacob. (27) And this will be My covenant with them, when I take away their sins. Even if every person in the whole world denies this, it will still happen - “But let God be true, and every man a liar.” God will be true to His Word – and this does not depend on us or on our faithfulness or truthfulness. God will work out His destiny for Israel no matter how many people are in opposition. The fact that God will be true even if every man is a liar means that God is above all human speech and human consciousness. The whole combined weight of human though and action are but a drop in the bucket. God is not a projection of the evolved human mind but the primal Creator of all that exists – and was existing and moving in ancient times before humans existed. Isaiah 40:13-17 MKJV Who has directed the Spirit of Jehovah, and what man taught Him counsel? (14) With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and made known the way of understanding to Him? (15) Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the scales; behold, He takes up the coastlands as a very little thing. (16) And Lebanon is not enough to burn, nor the beasts of it enough for a burnt offering. (17) All nations before Him are as nothing; and to Him they are thought to be less than nothing, and vanity. "That You might be justified in Your sayings, and will overcome when You are judged." The absolute truthfulness of God means that He prevails in every court. God is impeccable and unimpeachable because all He says comes to pass, every single word and every single promise! Indeed God's gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable! God's faithfulness to His Word and His covenant promises means that we will not cease to exist. He will not revoke our eternal life at some point in the future. It will be ours forever! Praise the Lord! It also means that when God has given us a special promise that we are sure is from Him, that it will come to pass in its time, though that time may seem to be a long way off. Joseph saw God's faithfulness deliver him from prison and Daniels aw God's promise deliver him from the den of lions. What God has purposed will stand and even your sin and unfaithfulness is unable to stop it. “For what? If some did not believe, will not their unbelief nullify the faith of God?” But there is a holy limit to God's patience with us: 2 Timothy 2:11-13 HCSB This saying is trustworthy: For if we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; (12) if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us; (13) if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. Here is the “fine line” - God is faithful to the unfaithful but denies those who deny Him! 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