Romans 3a

Today - 5/2/2009

Rom 3:1-9 ESV
(1) Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

[After hammering the Jews so hard, it sounds like all these precious covenants that God gave to the Jews were pretty useless, and that they never really had any special position as they had always believed.

But of course, they were entrusted with the oracles of God when everyone else were lost and some others (I say others because I do think there are the rest of them who actually believed in this God, ie king of Salem) distorted the image and identity of God (and thus become futile in their thinking and darkened in their hearts, Rom 1:18-32)]

(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?

[But again, there are Jews who were unfaithful to the Covenant and oracles of God, that of which God faithfully gave and revealed to them - does this nullify the faithfulness of God?

Does that mean God's faithfulness have failed in bringing the Jews to His presence?

God hence argue with the example of truth and lie.]

(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."

[What is truth, 1 may ask. Is it relative or is it absolute?

If it is relative, then no one really is a liar, since he is more truthful to a more blatant liar; but then again, that blatant liar is NOT really a liar, since it's relative.

Paul suggests that it is absolute, and 'God be true'.
Consider that we have always live in happiness, there's no sadness or grief or whatever that is not happiness (please don't consider the chaos due to this condition, just assume that it is possible that everyone is happy all the time). We kinda know what happiness is, but suppose when 1 crawls out of this happiness and becomes sad, in his sadness, he'll truly appreciate what this happiness is about, and in a sense, this guy understands happiness better than anyone else.

In other words, our lies becomes the contrast for God's truth, so why should God judge us?

Duh...cause we lied. For if God did not judge our lie, then can he be just? It is like a judge aquitting a murderer because the murderer caused an enlightenment of how important life is.]

(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?

[Again, if our lie actually cause us (or others) to appreciate God's truth even more, 'God, come on la, I did you a favour, didn't I?'

God didn't really need my lie to abound God's truth to His glory, His truth was already abounded in His glory!

(continuing in the same logic that our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God)

Hmm... you know, it's good to put others 1st, I want the best for others, so I should do evil... muahahaha

again, Paul doesn't need to repeat himself, 'By no means! For then how could God judge the world?' - since everyone is a sinner...]

(8) And why not do evil that good may come?--as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
(9) 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,

[In this sense, Jews aren't more righteous nor unrighteous than the Gentiles, they were special for by God's grace He chose to reveal Himself to them, and in a way the Jews had a head start.]