Romans 3 (Pt 1)

Romans 3:3 (ESV)

[3] What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? [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.”

In recent years among pastors and church leaders there has been a tsunami of scandals that have discredited the name of Christ. That causes people to reject Christ and to lump all Christians into the stereotype of hypocrisy. In Romans 3 the author is addressing the disparity between Jews and Gentiles. He has said that there is, in fact, no disparity. All stand guilty before God. The Jews had a special advantage in that they had God’s Law to guide and instruct them. But the advantage of the Law dissipates when you realize that the Law does not justify. It only reveals sin. So the advantage of the Jew was that they had a clearer view of what sin was, yet they failed to listen.

That brings us to these verses in chapter 3. Since the Jews failed to listen, does that not discredit the Law? No! The unfaithfulness of those who claim to follow God does not make God unfaithful. “Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar.” The fact that people who claim to be followers of Christ, or even leaders of followers of Christ  ̶̶  that fact does not change the truth. Even if every professed follower of Christ were unfaithful, their faithlessness does not nullify the faithfulness of God.

For that truth I am incredibly grateful. My unfaithfulness does not nullify God’s faithfulness. My failure does not undo God’s truth. My lack of faith does not change the immovable, resolute, steadfast nature of God. It is because of that truth that I can stand in the face of apathy or opposition. It is because of that truth that I can rest in the faithfulness of God and his Word no matter what circumstances swirl around me. It is not my faith that sustains me, but the faithfulness of God. I have no faith in my faith, but I have great faith in the faithfulness of God. “Let God be true though every one were a liar.”