Romans Part 12
Some of the Jews did not believe, but their unbelief did not make God unfaithful. Nothing can stop the faithfulness of God. God is true even when every man is shown to be false.
Having emphasized that outward circumcision alone does not make a person righteous, Paul anticipates the next question:
"What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?" (Romans 3:1)
His answer is immediate and emphatic:
"Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God." (Romans 3:2)
Paul is not minimizing the advantages the Jewish people possessed. Jewish identity and circumcision did provide real advantages. The greatest of these was that the Jews were entrusted with God's revelation. They had access to the Scriptures, the law, the covenants, the service of God, and the promises. Yet privilege also brings responsibility. Being entrusted with God's truth is a tremendous gift, but it is not automatic righteousness. It must lead to obedience.
The "oracles of God" refer to God's revealed words, ways, and instructions entrusted to Israel. Later in Romans 9:4, Paul expands on these blessings by explaining that the Israelites were given the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. Likewise, Hebrews 5:12–6:2 speaks of the "first principles of the oracles of God" before listing foundational doctrines of Christ, including repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Together these passages show that the oracles of God include the foundational truths revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures and carry forward into the doctrine of Christ.
At the same time, it is important to avoid a common misunderstanding. Some conclude that because the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God, every later Jewish tradition should also be treated as authoritative. That is not what Paul is teaching. The oracles of God are God's revealed words and ways, not every tradition that later developed among the Jewish people. Jesus repeatedly criticized the traditions of the Jewish elders because they added so much to the law that they made the commandments of God of no effect. Likewise, Exodus 24:4 records that Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord, undercutting the idea that God gave Moses a separate secret oral law equal in authority to Scripture. We should respect the role God gave the Jewish people in preserving His revelation, but we must not confuse God's commands with human traditions.
The Jewish people faithfully preserved much that remains important for God's people today. Among these are the Sabbath, the seventh day blessed and sanctified by God, the Holy Days beginning with Passover and continuing through the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, the calendar necessary for observing God's Holy Days, the Scriptures themselves, and the framework of worship revealed by God. Some of these practices are plainly established in Scripture, while others, such as the calendar used to observe God's appointed times, require attention to the way God's people historically preserved what had been entrusted to them. Even then, we must distinguish between the preservation of necessary practice and later traditions that contradict Scripture.
Paul continues by asking,
"For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?" (Romans 3:3)
His answer is emphatic:
"Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar." (Romans 3:4)
Some of the Jews did not believe, but their unbelief did not make God unfaithful. Nothing can stop the faithfulness of God. God is true even when every man is shown to be false. He will be justified in His words and vindicated in His judgments.
Scripture contains both unconditional and conditional promises. There are promises that God declares He will fulfill regardless of man's response, and He always does exactly what He says. There are also covenantal promises that are conditional. God blesses obedience and punishes disobedience. Israel often brought the curses of the covenant upon themselves through their own rebellion, yet even this demonstrated God's faithfulness because He fulfilled His word exactly as He had promised.
The lesson is that God's faithfulness is not measured by man's response. If man fails, God is still true. The word of God defines sin and living by His law is righteousness. God will be the ultimate judge regarding each individual’s response to the knowledge they are given access to.
Epistles of Paul is a course taught at ABC by Mr. Steve Myers. Recordings from the 2023–2024 class year are available on the ABC website.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
