Thursday, June 13, 2013

Journey through the Book of Romans


Paul Presents the Truth about God’s Judgment Part 1
Romans 3:1-4 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.” NKJV

After Paul thoroughly explained that the Jew is in the same boat as the Gentile when it comes to the Righteous Judgment of God, he quickly makes the point that the Jewish people were given the great privilege by God to be the people that received His Eternal Word (Deuteronomy 4:7-8 & Psalms 147:19-20). Paul knew that to be his advantage and privilege during the days that he was one of the top Pharisees in the Sanhedrin even though he and his fellow Pharisees abused God’s Word and added many of their own man-made interpretations that loaded the people down with heavy burdens (Job 40:8 & Matthew 23:4). Paul also now knew that he and all the other Pharisees had miss-interpreted the Old Testament Psalms and Prophets accounts of the coming of the Messiah and in so doing not only led themselves astray, but also many of the common Jewish people. Paul like all of those Jewish men in the Sanhedrin rejected the Messiah as a suffering servant and in so doing did not believe the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. Paul now knew that God had given the Jewish race such a huge advantage and privilege to have His Word detailing His Mind to them as well as telling them what to expect in the future, if they only would have ears to hear what the Prophets wrote as the Word of the Lord came to them over and over painting the picture of the coming Messiah Jesus Christ.
Paul was now so honored by the advantage that God had given to him and all of the Jewish people by having His Word, but then he was humbled by the reality that he and many of the Jews took it for granted for so many centuries (2 Timothy 2:13). Paul before his conversion to Christ did not realize to what degree the Jewish people were fortunate to have in their possession the oracles of God until he observed the idolatrous pagan and demon worship of the many different images by the Gentiles (Romans 1:23 & 1 Corinthians 12:2 & Ephesians 2:11-13 &  1 Thessalonians 1:9). Paul now also knew (from the reality of his own heart) that although the Jew was so fortunate to have been handed down the very Words from the One True God that it still did not permeate the hearts of the majority of the Jewish people (including him). Therefore, many of the Jews did not believe God and were not looking forward to the suffering Messiah to come and die on a cross for their own personal sins. Therefore, though they had the advantage of having God’s Word, their unbelief put them in the same sad case and state as the pagan Gentile bowing before his demonic bird image or the many other things described by Paul in Romans 1:23.

God must be faithful to punish or judge unbelief wherever He may find it because He is the Lord God and He changes not. Therefore, if we see here from the Word of God that even unbelieving Jews will perish in hell for all eternity despite having the Abrahamic Covenant and the very Words Spoken by God in their care for over 4,000 years, this should make every man or woman tremble in miserable fear for their absolute foolish belief in Universalism. As we documented in the last two studies, there were always in every generation of the Jewish people a faithful remnant that God not only knew about, but by His Sovereign Hand preserved for Himself (1 Kings 19:18 & Romans 11:4). Paul uses one of his most beloved expressions when expounding about the Character, Nature, Trustworthiness, or Faithfulness of God and that is “God Forbid.” Paul wanted the Jews and all to know that God will never relent, renounce, or renege on any promise that He has spoken from His Eternal Lips. From the lips of all men proceeds lies of all sort (Psalms 116:11 & Isaiah 6:5), but we can stand firm and count on the Word of God to never return void back to Him (Isaiah 55:11) and His Word will never miss-lead man in any generation (John 3:33). As our Lord Jesus said, Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” NKJV
“The truth of God may well be likened to a narrow path skirted on either side by a dangerous and destructive precipice: in other words, it lies between two gulfs of error.” A. W. Pink

“Believe in Him and not trust in Him? You might as well say, the Jews did love Him when they nailed Him to the cross.” Anthony Farindon (1598–1658)
“God’s truth judges created things out of love, and satan’s truth judges them out of envy and hatred.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Without this heart attitude it is exceedingly difficult for us to accept the circumcision of the flesh. Every affection, desire, thought, knowledge, intent, worship, and work of the flesh must go to the cross.” Watchman Nee
“A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.” John Calvin

“To sin because mercy abounds is the devil’s logic; he that sins because of God’s mercy, shall have judgment without mercy. Mercy is not for them that sin and fear not, but for them that fear and sin not.” Thomas Watson
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...



Sincerely in Christ,

           
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…                             

 

 

 

 

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