Paul brings to a close (for now) in these verses what he started in the previous two verses - describing God's perfection in His faithfulness and righteousness. This explanation was in response to his anticipation of the arguments that would be made by the Jews as Paul explained truths contrary to what Jewish leaders taught.
But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say?
This truth is so important as we attempt to grasp as human God's plan for His creation. Paul states here that our unrighteousness highlights God's righteousness.
A question I struggled with a few years ago was this: if an all-knowing God knew beforehand that man would ultimately fall, and cause God's perfect creation to become scarred with broken sinfulness, why would God go ahead and create man? Did He do this knowing that some of those that He created would not end up with eternal life, and if so why did He do it?
While I didn't come across vs 5 of Romans 3 at that time, it clearly explains the answer that I was searching for. Ultimately, God will be most glorified, and only He knows what will bring Him the most glory. Paul has shed a little light on that here. In order for God's righteousness to be highlighted, it has to be set on a backdrop of unrighteousness.
Had man not fallen, we wouldn't know God's mercy and grace to the extent that we do when He saves us from that fallen world.
God knew that we were going to run from Him as soon as we got the opportunity to, and we did, and we do. Yet, in His perfection, God uses our sinful nature to create a situation in which He can be most glorified, through the display of His grace, mercy, and righteousness. One commentary compared it to a diamond displayed on a black cloth.
That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world?
Paul knew what argument would come next, and it is an argument that is still used today to question God's plan that includes wrath and judgement. Part of God's character, along with being perfectly good and righteous, is being perfectly just.
Just because God uses our sinfulness to highlight His holiness does not mean that our sinfulness is excusable, we are rightly damned apart from and act of God!
God will judge the world for its wickedness. Unless we are perfectly sinless and perfectly righteous, we cannot spend a second in God's presence. Those who are not cloaked in these, through Christ, will be justly condemned for their choice to reject the Son of God.
But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?
This should be a facetious argument that Paul expected the Jews...to state that we should not be condemned for our sin because our sin serves to glorify God is a blatant attack on God's holiness. Yet, this was an actual argument that Paul was dealing with. We have already covered why we are still condemned for our sin.
We should expect that a perfect and holy God will use our choice to reject His Son in a way that will ultimately glorify Him in the end.
as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
This line shows that there were some that were attacking Paul, accusing him of spreading the lie that, since God has determined that He will be glorified in light of our sinfulness, that we ought to sin more. This is obviously not what Paul taught, and those that accused him of this were justly condemned for their accusations.
We see a different spin on this argument today...the argument that the doctrine of justification by grace through faith alone, apart from works, allows for a Christian to freely live a life characterized by habitual sin, after accepting Christ.
In an attempt to deal with this, some hold to the belief that our actions (our works) play a determining factor in our salvation. This idea is created to hold Christians accountable for their actions, by tying them to salvation. The Jews did the same thing - they spend years creating laws that would hold people accountable for their actions.
These two arguments - those in Paul's day accusing Paul of teaching a doctrine of sinfulness, and those today arguing that the doctrine of grace alone through faith alone allows for a life of habitual sin for the Christian - both completely undermine the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian.
We cannot change or view God's Word, as taught and recorded by those He inspired, in a way that makes sense to us our fits what we think the Truth should be.
A regenerated heart, led by the occupation and guidance of the Holy Spirit, will produce a life that repents, or turns away from sinfulness. This is a lifelong process, as God reveals our sinfulness to us more everyday in light of His righteousness, yet it is a guaranteed result of God's powerful work of salvation.
Let's all take some time and submit ourselves fully to the guidance of the Holy Spirit...the results will be nothing short of amazing!
Next Post: 2.9.13
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