The Faithfulness Debate
Romans 3:3-4
September 30, 2007
This morning we began listening to Paul
As he answered the critics of his preaching.
They argued that he preached against Moses and the Law.
This was not true.
Paul taught that there is advantage to religion,
Just no saving value in being a part of it.
Tonight Paul addresses a second argument he faced.
“The Faithfulness Debate”
They argued that Paul’s teaching said
That God was not being faithful to His word.
They accused Paul of teaching
That God had broken his promise to Abraham
AND THAT ACCORDING TO PAUL, GOD WAS UNFAITHFUL.
We read it this morning, but listen again.
Acts 21:27-29 “When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.”
Later, look at why they get mad at him.
He is giving his testimony, most of which they listened to,
UNTIL HE GOT TO THE END.
Acts 22:17-22 “It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, and I saw Him saying to me, ‘ Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. ‘And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’ “And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, ” Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!”
DO YOU SEE WHY THEY ARE ANGRY?
It’s not just as though Paul was telling the Jews they were wrong, Paul was also insinuating that the Gentiles were right.
THAT WAS THE ISSUE.
It appeared that Paul was teaching that God had a new people,
That the promise to Abraham was gone,
Now God was selecting some other group of people as His own.
The Jews couldn’t tolerate that notion,
So they attacked his preaching.
They believed Paul was teaching that God had abandoned the Jews
And therefore that God was unfaithful to His word.
So let’s look at this second argument this evening.
Same three points.
#1 THE MISCONCEPTION
Romans 3:3
The argument is simple to see.
If Jews didn’t believe,
Paul says they are lost.
If Jews are lost,
Did God lie to Abraham when He said his descendants would be
saved?
Of course they Jews don’t really think God lied,
They’re just trying to prove to Paul that he is wrong.
So again, let’s look exactly at what Paul did teach.
The tough statements he made in chapter 2.
Romans 2:13-15 “for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,”
Romans 2:26-27 “So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?”
To the Jews that sounded like Jews were out and Gentiles were in.
And indeed, to some degree, Paul had taught that very thing.
Romans 9:30-33 “What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, just as it is written, “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
Romans 10:18-21 “But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.” But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, “I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION, BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.” And Isaiah is very bold and says, “I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME, I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.” But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”
Romans 11:7-10 “What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; just as it is written, “GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.” And David says, “LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. “LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.”
And not only did Paul teach those things,
But some of his decision while in the ministry
Seemed to reinforce that belief.
Acts 18:5-7 “But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue.”
Acts 28:23-29 “When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, ‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, “YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING,BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.”‘ “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.” [When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.]”
Paul taught that Jews were missing out on the salvation of God,
And Paul definitely taught that Gentiles
Were receiving the salvation of God.
PAUL ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT SALVATION WAS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Galatians 3:26-29 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.”
If salvation is by grace, through faith,
Then Gentiles with faith are saved, and Jews without faith are lost.
THE JEWS HOWEVER, SAID THIS CAN’T BE,
FOR GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM.
AND SO THEY TOOK ISSUE WITH PAUL’S GOSPEL
Before we get to Paul’s answer, let’s once again,
Talk about why the Jews were so adamant about this point.
#2 THE MOTIVE
Romans 3:3
The Jews liked being able to rest in the fact that they were secure
Because they were the seed of Abraham.
WHY?
Because that is a secure salvation with no responsibility.
Under that theology, you are saved regardless of what you do.
It was already decided when God caused you to be born a Jew,
And now there is nothing that anyone else could do about it.
We know that is what they thought.
That is why what Jesus taught them floored them.
Luke 13:28-30 “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. “And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. “And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”
If I thought my salvation was automatic because of my parents
I wouldn’t like that sermon either.
Remember the rich man in hades, called Abraham, “Father Abraham”?
And the reason they fought so hard for this
Is because it meant a salvation without effort.
OF COURSE, THIS DOES NOT EXIST.
It is a great mystery when we go to laying God’s sovereignty
Beside man’s responsibility, but the two equally exist.
God’s sovereignty is a fact.
Ephesians 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
And I do believe that means your salvation
Was set before the foundation of the world.
HOWEVER
That does not negate the fact that in order to be saved,
You must repent of your sin, confess the Lord Jesus,
Live in submission to Him, and persevere in your faith.
John 8:31-32 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
WE LOVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW FREE SALVATION IS. (really?)
Matthew 13:44-46 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
(Ask the Rich Young Ruler if salvation is free.)
WE LOVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW EASY SALVATION IS. (really?)
Luke 13:23-24 “And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”
Matthew 10:21-22 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”
(Ask the persecuted Church Peter wrote to if salvation is easy.)
WE TALK AS IF SALVATION COULD ALMOST OCCUR
WITHOUT A PERSON EVEN REALLY KNOWING IT.
Hebrews 2:1 “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.”
“pay much closer attention to” translates PROSECHO (pro-sek-o)
“to hold to”
It was primarily a nautical term regarding mooring a ship to the dock.
“drift away” translates PARARHEO (par-ar-eh-o)
“to flow past”
Also a nautical term of a ship allowed to drift past the harbor.
That verse screams that if you are to be saved,
You must take persistent action towards being saved.
Salvation doesn’t just haphazardly occur.
Listen to the writer of Hebrews again.
Hebrews 4:1 “Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.”
That is heavy on the responsibility of man.
THE POINT IS THAT SALVATION IS NOT CHEAP, OR EASY.
Although God is sovereign ordaining the end from the beginning,
It does not negate the responsibility of man in regard to salvation.
Too many times man is commanded to:
Come, Repent, Trust, Obey, Persevere, etc.
All the while God is
Drawing, saving, changing, and sealing
I cannot rationalize the two,
But only tell you that both are highly biblical.
A JEW WOULD OF COURSE BE ALL SOVEREIGNTY
AND NO RESPONSIBILITY.
(The basis for arguing salvation simply because of a promise to Abraham)
SOME DO THIS TODAY.
They take God’s sovereignty to a point
That Scripture never intended.
Romans 11:17-22 “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.”
Jews thought they were secure, until they were broken off,
Then Paul warns against Gentiles thinking the same thing.
But I think you understand why the Jews
Didn’t like what Paul was teaching.
He was teaching that they were spiritually bankrupt.
He was teaching that their salvation was incomplete.
He was teaching they needed more.
They didn’t like that because it
Pulled them out of their spiritual apathy and laziness.
So they accused Paul of being wrong,
saying his preaching accused God of being unfaithful to His promises.
“What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?”
Let’s get Paul’s answer.
#3 THE MESSAGE
Romans 3:4
And there is that strong, immediate, and forceful answer.
“May it never be!”
If you thought I was insinuating that God is not faithful
Then you completely missed my point.
In all those passages we read,
Did Paul ever say that God was unfaithful to Israel.
PAUL SAID ISRAEL WAS UNFAITHFUL, NOT GOD.
Romans 10:21 “But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”
God has never ceased to be faithful,
In fact, do you want to see how faithful He is?
“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.”
If you are curious where that Old Testament quote came from.
Psalms 51:1-4 “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.”
Of course that is the great Psalm of repentance,
And did you catch David’s point?
God, I am pleading your mercy, I am pleading your grace,
But since there is no doubt about my sin, you are justified in judging me.
David knew God had promised him great things.
But because David was unfaithful to God,
God would not be unfaithful in judging David,
Including taking away His Spirit from David, as He did to Saul.
And that is Paul’s point.
God hasn’t ceased to be faithful, Israel has.
Now God’s faithfulness is not revealed in keeping a promise,
But in maintaining righteousness.
GOD IS FAITHFUL TO JUDGE ACCORDING A RIGHTEOUS STANDARD.
That is what we just read that Paul told the Gentiles wasn’t it?
Romans 11:22 “Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.”
If you think for one second that God is being unfaithful in this,
You are absolutely wrong.
God is more than justified in putting away Israel.
Remember these Old Testament warnings?
Isaiah 50:1 “Thus says the LORD, “Where is the certificate of divorce By which I have sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, And for your transgressions your mother was sent away.”
If God wants to send Israel into oblivion,
He would not be unfaithful in doing so.
BUT NOW LISTEN TO ME
God would be justified in sending Israel away forever,
BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT HE HAS DONE.
These Jews argue that if one Jew doesn’t get saved,
Then God lied to Abraham.
WRONG.
That promise was not made nationally, but personally.
It was also not made physically, but spiritually.
Romans 9:6 “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;”
That promise to Abraham still stands in tact,
Because children of the flesh are not who God was talking about.
Galatians 3:7-9 “Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”
SO IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT IN THAT SENSE.
God didn’t break that promise, they just misinterpreted it.
That promise was to those who had the faith of Abraham.
But let’s go a little further to see the mercy of God at full force.
Romans 11:25-29 “For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery — so that you will not be wise in your own estimation — that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION,
HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
GOD HAS EVERY RIGHT TO SEND EVERY JEW TO HELL FOREVER.
But, despite His right, God will still show mercy, by drawing Israel back to salvation, which is what Paul said right there.
Zechariah 12:10-13:1 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. “In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. “The land will mourn, every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves; all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves. “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.”
That can only be Israel.
SO LET ME MAKE SOME SENSE OF THIS.
GOD WOULD BE JUSTIFIED TO TOSS ISRAEL
1) Because He never promised that national Israel was safe
2) Because even if He did, they are the ones who left
BUT GOD’S MERCY HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL BRING THEM BACK.
BUT PAUL’S POINT TO THIS SECTION IS THIS.
God is not unfaithful to any of His promises.
In fact, God is faithful to judge anyone who rejects Jesus.
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
And God is not required to save one single person
Simply because they grew up in the right family.
Romans 2:11 “For there is no partiality with God.”
God hasn’t broken a single promise, and He never will.
He is faithful.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”
TONIGHT, TRUST IN THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.
Paul put it best.
2 Timothy 2:11-13 “It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
If you trust Him, He promises to save you.
AND HE IS FAITHFUL
If you deny Him, He promises to judge you.
AND HE IS FAITHFUL
