THE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FAITHFULNESS OF GOD. Romans 3:1-31. We know that unbelieving Jews continued to break the law of Moses and unbelieving Gentiles don’t submit to the evidence of God in creation and conscience. Believers in Christ, both Jews and Gentiles, fulfill the intent of the law through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.” Disobedient Jews, made the covenant of God with Israel invalid and the sign of circumcision meaningless. Gentile believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, the same as believing Jews, are participants in the new covenant.
Jewish disobedience to the law, made it no more than a technical “letter.” The Holy Spirit in a Christian gives the truth of the law, “spirit,” as in giving it life. Jews thought they would judge the unrighteous nations because they were a chosen earthly people. Actually, we learn that believers who have received the righteousness of Christ, whether they are Jews or Gentiles, will judge unbelieving Jews who will suffer the consequences of a broken law. Believers will enjoy forever the blessings of the new covenant and will praise God forever in contrast to those unbelieving Jews and Gentiles.
The teaching of the apostle Paul continues in the form of a dialogue with an imaginary opponent in a courtroom. He is testifying to God’s righteousness and faithfulness in keeping His covenant with Israel, in contrast to their unrighteousness and untrustworthiness. It is a lesson for us too, that privileges don’t make people better, only more responsible. Some people seem to think God is obligated to forgive anything and everything in spite of His infinite holiness. They will say that God is too loving to judge us, let alone send anyone to hell. After all, some foolishly say, “Sin isn’t really too bad because it teaches us lessons. We need to be as much like everyone else as possible, so that we can show them God loves us just the way we are.”
Oracles of God. When one has been given the responsibility of receiving and committing to use the “oracles of God,” [Ps.147:9] that person has a huge responsibility. The “oracles of God” are all of the scriptures: His laws, His word, His truth, His revealed mind, His will. This commitment is more than priestly garments, for they are put on the outside to impress other men of an important role to be fulfilled. This commitment is more than public participation in worship or service, for this can be learned and practiced by repetition. This commitment is more than leading a group of people down the path of truth and righteousness, for this can be done properly but for the wrong motives.
A Jew inwardly, knows who he is because he knows who God is. He knows who God is because he knows God. He knows God because he has put personal faith in Him. He has personal faith in God because he knows who he is himself. He knows who he is himself because he knows God’s Word. He knows God’s Word because he has read it for himself. He has read it for himself because he has realized his own need and spiritual condition before God. He knows he needs God and has accepted, in a personal way, the provision God has made to meet his need. He knows that as a genuine believer, he cuts off deliberately, anything that is not like God and/or does not please God. He knows that “cutting off” is not just an external act, but takes place in the inner recesses of the heart in order to be genuine. He knows the form or letter of a thing, is far exceeded by the spirit of the matter.