(A) Introduction. Read Rom3v1to8.

Paul has argued in the previous passage: If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised. Rom3v26. He claims that Gentiles who obey their consciences are better than Jews who have God's Law and do not keep it. This gives rise to the question: What advantage is there in being a Jew?

In this passage Paul answers both this question and other queries he imagines might arise from God's condemnation of sin.

I have to confess that Romans3v1to8 does not fill me with wild enthusiasm! I will try and make the passage relevant to the modern reader without being unfaithful to Paul's intention. In his commentary on Romans, Douglas J Moo said that this was one of the more difficult sections of the epistle - and I agree with him!

Paul poses and answers three main question:

(1) Is there any advantage to a religious upbringing?

Paul imagines a Jew reading what he has written about a Gentile living according to his God given sense of right and wrong and thus being circumcised of heart who reacts by asking, "What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew?"

A non-believer brought up in a devout Christian home could react the same way if he heard someone say that people who have never heard the gospel will be judged by what faith they have in a supreme being and by how they have lived according to their inate sense of right and wrong. If we are going to be judged according to the light received it might be better never to have received the light.

To the question: What advantage is there in being a Jew? Paul responds: Much in every way. v2. The apostle considered that there were many advantages to being a Jew but only deals with one in this passage. He makes up for it in Romans9v1to5.

The Jew's greatest advantage was to possess the word of God. First of all they have been entrusted with the very words of God. The Old Testament is a treasury full of good things: wonderful role models, the history of God's providential dealings with his people, the psalms - of abiding devotional value, the prophets who made clear what God approves of and blesses in gloriously colourful language.

There were other benefits being a Jew:

(a) A sacrificial system that dealt with man's sin by offering a token payment to God which he in grace accepted.

(b) Joyful festivals that gave a sense of national and religious unity.

(c) God's preservation. The Jews were delivered from their enemies and preserved as a people. There are no Edomites, Amalekites, Hittites, Hivites or Philistines today but the Jews remain.

(d) Jesus was born a Jew. He came to his own and ministered to them. They witnessed his mighty works. It was the Jews that knew him in the flesh.

Similarly there are great benefits in a Christian upbringing such as I had. It is easy to be critical as two of my brothers are. We were not allowed to play sports on a Sunday and from a very young age we were expected to sit docilely through the adult service - bored stiff by sermons we could not understand. But as against that I was:

(a) Grounded in the Scriptures from an early age. We used to enter a Scripture exam each year which involved studying in detail a passage of the Bible.

(b) Introduced to Jesus from infancy. My mother told me the stories of Jesus as early as she could.

(c) A witness to Christianity in action in the lives of my parents. My father loaned the village publican his car to go to the seaside on Sunday! My mother would visit the old and infirm 3 or 4 afternoons a week.

(d) Shown the way of salvation. In my early teens my parents sent me off to a Christian camp - an important event in my development as a Christian.

(e) The subject of much prayer. I can remember with gratitude my parent's prayers when I went off to college.

An enlightened Christian upbringing leaves a person with no excuse for unbelief. Two of my brothers who shared my upbringing are not committed to Jesus - I fear for them!

(2) Can God be blamed for our failings?

Paul wrote: What if some did not have faith. Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness. v3.

I am not sure what Paul meant by this! However, if the faithlessness of men somehow negates the faithfulness of God then God could be said to have failed.

God chose the Jews and made promises to them. They were to be his people. So if Jewish unbelief results in God casting them aside their faithlessness nullifies his faithfulness. God is seen to have failed! Couldn't he have done more?

There is no doubt that men and women blame God for:

(a) Not giving them faith. The Jews told Jesus that they would believe on him if he sent them a sign. So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe in you." John6v30.

Many today say that they would believe in Jesus if he gave them a sign:

• The healing of a seriously sick loved one.

• The gift of a lovely husband.

• Success - in exams, business or sport.

• A supernatural experience.

(b) Not giving them more faith. When Jesus taught his disciples to cultivate the spirit of forgiveness they reacted by saying: "Increase our faith." Jesus replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea' and it will obey you."

Christians make excuses for their inactivity and half-hearted commitment in terms of being given insufficient faith. If God would only boost their faith they would do more.

Jesus is not having any of this. He told his disciples that if they exercised the little faith they had it would grow to achieve remarkable results.

(c) Putting their faith to the test. David could have made all sorts of excuses after Nathan, the prophet, confronted him with his adultery with Bathsheeba and subsequent treatment of her husband, Uriah. The king could have blamed God for:

• Being highly sexed

• Proving irresistible to women.

• Allowing Bathsheeba to seduce him.

• Uriah's perversity. If only the dedicated soldier had taken the opportunity to sleep with his wife.

We are prone to blame God for our faithlessness and failings. We say or think: God made me the way I am. He put me in a situation where I couldn't resist. If only I had been spared the temptation. I couldn't help myself.

In his penitential psalm, David acknowledged that God had every right to speak against him and was justified in judging him. See Psalm51v4. Paul asserts that NOTHING can diminish the faithfulness and integrity of God. Let God be true and every man a liar. God is faithful and true to his word.

The Jews were wrong to demand a sign before they would believe in Jesus. There was abundant evidence that he was their long promised Messiah. His teaching, his conduct and his miracles were the only signs the Jews needed.

Today, Jesus does not have to prove himself with signs! His word is a sign; his church is a sign; changed lives are a sign; the martyrdom of his saints is a sign; the glorious music written and performed in his honour is a sign.

Christians do not need to be given more faith. If they will only exercise the little they possess it will surely develop. A prime example of this is Moses. He had very, very, little faith. Moses hardly thought that he was the man to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt. About the only thing Moses believed at his burning bush encounter with God was that Aaron was on his way to see him. He did believe this and set out to meet his brother. He exercised the little faith he had - and it grew and GREW and GREW

Paul assures us in his letter to the Corinthians that we are not tested more than we can bear. And God is faithful: he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it. 1Cor10v13.

David had ways of escape. He could have left the roof top and joined his men in battle. He had plenty of wives and concubines to satisfy his sexual desire with. So similarly with us; God provides a way of escape from the temptations that face us. See exposition on 1Cor10v1to13.

(3) Is our sinfulness to God's advantage?

Paul imagines someone making three arguments against God's anger with sin:

(a) First of all the protester seems to imply that a poor moral performance on our part gives God the opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to the highest standards. But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say?

It is true that a poor performance by contestants in the TV program, 'Strictly Come Dancing', gives the judges scope to display their knowledge of how the dance should have gone. Similarly an abject performance by the England football team allows the pundit to look good as he points out the all the flaws and weaknesses revealed during the game.

It is probably easier to look good when criticising a poor effort than when praising a good one. So if our wickedness allows God to display his moral superiority why should he be angry with us. He shouldn't bring his wrath on those who help him to shine!

Paul concludes by stating that if this was a valid argument it would preclude God from judging the world and that was not going to happen. What shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? v5and6.

I must say that I don't understand why Paul thinks anyone would argue against God's judgment in the way he imagines. I heard all sorts of excuses for bad work as a teacher but no pupil ever said, "Mr Reed, my mistakes make you look good." The reverse was the case - they made me look bad - and feel worse!

(b) Secondly the protestor argues that our weaknesses highlight God's strengths. If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I condemned as a sinner? v7.

The argument is that if we never live up to God's matchless integrity this enhances his superior status as the high and holy one. There's only one God!

An analogy can be drawn with Sir Donald Bradman. His test match batting average was a remarkable 99.95. No other test batsman has averaged over 70. Bradman is out on his own. The failure of other batsmen to measure up to his average shows how good he was. Indeed, it is unlikely that anybody in any other sport has been so far ahead of the field.

Would it be true that if someone else approached Bradman's fantastic average it would detract from his brilliance? Of course not! Bradman would not be any less a cricketer if another player equalled his average. There would just be two phenomenal batsmen instead of one. If Bradman was peeved about another cricketer equalling his record that would reflect badly on him.

God would be delighted if we attained his level of integrity. It would not make his integrity less. It cannot be less! We would simply be living up to how God made us - in his own image. God does not want us to be less truthful than himself. One day we shall be like Jesus and then we shall truly share God's moral perfection.

(c) Finally, Paul actually repeats something that Christians were saying: "Let us do evil that good may result." v8. In other words: if salvation is all of grace then the more we sin the greater God's opportunity to show grace. Our sin allows God to show more grace. There is no doubt that it is easy to slip into a mindset which thinks it is safe to sin.

I can remember as a keen, young teacher getting a succession of poor homeworks from my A level Geography class. I gave the boys a right rollicking! I told them I was sick of their slapdash attitude. Their idleness was an insult. In the end I said, "My mother thinks I am a fool to work all hours God sends to prepare my lessons. I am beginning to think she is right. You don't deserve it. In future I am going to take it easy." A fresh faced youth at the front put his hand up. "Yes," I said. John Aves, later to become a vicar in the Church of England said, "You couldn't do it could you, Sir!" He was right; I couldn't. All through my career my pupils traded on the fact that however uncommitted they were it would make no difference to my degree of commitment. But of course, if my pupil's idleness persisted, they did pay the ultimate price. My commitment did not save them from failing their exams.

Our lack of commitment to Jesus will not diminish God's grace but ultimately a lack of commitment on our part will lead to failure. Paul concludes: Their condemnation is deserved!