I. What Advantage Then? Vs. 1, 2
A. The Advantage For The Jew
1. Paul had previously said that there was no partiality with God. (Romans 2:11)
a. Paul was formerly a Jewish Pharisee, and he well understood Jewish thinking.
b. His statement about God making distinctions between people would cause a great objection in the mind of the listening Jew.
c. They would have said, “Is there no difference between Jews and Gentiles? Does circumcision and the law not protect us from God’s judgment? Are we not God’s chosen people? Did God lie to us when He made a covenant and promises?”
2. Having the Law, knowing the Law, teaching others the Law of God, didn’t make a person a spiritual Jew. Being chosen as a people group did not guarantee salvation.
3. Then did the Jew have no advantage over other people groups? Yes, they did.
a. They were the first people group to receive the word of God.
i. They received revelation about worshipping God, along with civil laws.
ii. They received special promises that pertained only to them as a nation.
b. They were the people that God chose to use to reveal Himself to the world.
c. They were the people that God entered into covenant agreement with, that covenant being sealed through circumcision.
d. The word of God was committed to them. God revealed Himself first to them, through His presence, and through His word.
e. They had a tremendous advantage. Exposure to God, but not security from judgment. They had more knowledge, but also more accountability.
f. They were custodians of God’s word to the world. They were to tell the nations.
g. Wiersbe- Had Israel believed the Word and obeyed it, the nation would have received Christ and been saved. Then, through them, God would have spread the blessing to the whole world.
B. The Advantage For The Church Goer
1. Church goers who go through religious ceremonies, are church members, and who give money, and who serve at church do not automatically avoid the judgment of God.
2. Knowing the Bible, and believing that it is good, and teaching it, doesn’t allow one to avoid the judgment of God. Attending church doesn’t save a person.
3. What advantage then is there in being a church goer?
a. Having the Bible (hopefully) taught to you teaches us the nature of sin, the hopelessness of salvation through works, the mercy and the grace of God in sending
His Son Jesus to be a payment for our sins. The Bible shows us our sin, and shows us God’s remedy for our sins.
b. Be with people who are born again and have God’s Spirit within them, who will love you with God’s love, and model true Christianity, as opposed to Churchianity.
c. It shows us how to live, to love our spouses, to overcome sin, how to forgive our enemies, how to raise our children.
d. Being in a Bible believing church with born again Christians surrounds us with mentors, leaders, comforters, godly friends.
II. Is God Unfaithful To Those Who Have An Advantage? Vs. 3, 4
A. Was God Unfaithful To The Jews?
1. The challenge of this proposition is difficult to explain here, since Paul presents it in such concise form. He fully explains it in chapters 9-11.
2. Short answer: NO! God was not and is not unfaithful to the nation Israel.
3. Every promise for national blessing will be fulfilled to Israel.
4. Israel disobeying God does not invalidate the promises of God. His promises still stand. His word is unchanging, for God is unchanging.
5. V. 4- “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.” Paul quotes King David from Psalm 51
6. The Jews could not rightly say that God had been unfaithful. They had been unfaithful. When God judges, eventually He will be proven to be right, and men liars.
7. If the entire human race, in all its history, disagreed with God, they would all be liars and God would still be true.
8. The unfaithfulness or unbelief of man does not invalidate the promises of God.
B. Is God Unfaithful To The Church Goer?
1. A former church goer may complain that “doing the Christian thing” didn’t work.
2. That person might have been baptized, heard God’s word taught, did service at the church, but was never be born again.
3. Their life was unfulfilled, they didn’t have joy for God, and they were bored in worship, and couldn’t quite relate to born again Christians.
4. They were in church, but never felt like part of the church, because they never really surrendered to Jesus. They went through the motions, but never surrendered.
5. Their defense might be, “I tried Christianity, but it didn’t work”.
6. In essence, they are saying that God is a liar, that His promises were not true, and that He wasn’t real. Paul says that at that point, “man judges God”.
a. Is a “former Christian” really willing to say that God is a liar?
b. That His promises are not true, that His word is not good. Sometimes; usually not.
c. The argument usually shifts to the failure of the church, the pastor, other Christians.
d. No one should allow imperfect churches or people to keep them from following Jesus. We all need to push past the imperfection of the church, and into the abundant life of relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
7. If that man would have truly surrendered to Jesus, they would have been born again, and experience the indwelling Holy Spirit.
8. If they continued in faith, God would be faithful to change them, heal them, etc.
9. John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
10. Faith in God’s promises requires patience, determination, perseverance.
11. Commit to following Jesus, don’t turn back, and you will understand His promises, and see them come to pass. You have great advantage in knowing these things.