No Differences Between Jews and Gentiles

INTRO

This week is a drastic move from the emotion and passion of Song of Songs to Paul’s more theological discussion about how the gospel is meant for both the Jews and the Gentiles, and both will face judgment. There’s so much in Romans 3. We’ll focus mainly on the first eight verses. In this section, Paul addresses what people were already voicing about why the gospel was for Jew and Gentile alike.

TEACHING

Romans 3:1-2: In verse 1, Paul asks what advantage Jews have through circumcision. Basically, he was addressing whether it even mattered that someone was a Jew—What’s the point or purpose of being a Jew? Paul answered his own questions in verse 2—the benefits of being a Jew were “considerable in every way.” First, the Jews were given God’s spoken word (v. 2b). God gave the Jews supernatural messages—the entire Old Testament. According to Romans 9:4-5, the Jews were the Israelites—God’s chosen people, the adopted children of God, the ones who entered into the covenant with God, the ones who had worshiped in God’s presence in the temple, and the ones who shared in the lineage of the Messiah, who is over all things. The benefit of circumcision was because the Jews had been entrusted with all these gifts from God. The Jews were given God’s word to pass it down to us (Acts 7:38; Galatians 3:8; 2 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 5:12; 1 Peter 4:11).

Romans 3:3-4: Paul’s second question in verse 3 is–Will Israel’s unbelief or unfaithfulness cancel God’s promises to them? The question asks if God will change His promises because of their unfaithfulness. Dr. Tom Constable explains that as Paul was trying to determine when Israel’s unfaithfulness began, he found only two who were present at Sinai when God gave Israel His law—Caleb and Joshua—who had remained faithful. Yet, “Still God brought the whole nation into Canaan as He had promised, though the unbelieving generation died in the wilderness.”¹

MacArthur writes, “If all mankind were to agree that God had been unfaithful to His promises, it would only prove that all are liars and God is true.”² MacArthur further explains, “God will fulfill all the promises He made to the nation, even if individual Jews are not able to receive them because of their unbelief.”³ For Jews to receive God’s promises, they must individually come to repentance and faith. In verse 4b, Paul recited Psalms 51:4 to give more evidence for God’s righteousness and truthfulness: “Against You—You alone—I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight. So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when You judge.” God is not done with the Jews; He keeps His promises!

Romans 3:5-6: Paul asks his third question in verse 5–If the Jews’ unrighteousness reveals more of God’s righteousness, is He unrighteous or just to inflict wrath? If my sin points to God’s perfection, is it right for God to show His wrath against me? If God condoned sin, He would have no righteous heirs for judgment (v. 5). How would God judge the world then? MacArthur explains this concept with this example: Picture “a jeweler who displays a diamond on black velvet to make the stone appear even more beautiful. He is simply paraphrasing the weak, unbiblical logic of his opponents— the product of their natural unregenerate minds.”⁴ MacArthur’s point is our sin shows how holy God is, but that doesn’t make it right to keep sinning just to make God look better.

Romans 3:7-8: Paul’s fourth question is– If my lie amplifies God’s truth, why am I judged? This question is similar to the third question. Paul’s answer was, “No!” Their condemnation as sinners is deserved. Constable states, “Paul implied this objection is so absurd that it is not worth considering.”⁵ Why do we even have this lifestyle? Verses 9-20 begin to unpack this question.

Romans 3:9-20: Paul points out that the Gentiles are the same as the Jews—we’re all under sin. This passage then explains how sinful and unrighteous we all are. MacArthur identified 14 indictments Paul lists in verses 10-18: ⁶

1. No one is righteous (v. 10).
2. No one understands (v. 11).

No one seeks God (v. 11).

All have turned away from God (v. 12).

All have worked together to be unprofitable (v. 12).

No one does good (v. 12).

Their throat is an open tomb (v. 13).

They have all lied and been deceitful (v. 13).

Their mouths are full of snake venom (v. 13).

Their mouths are full of curses and bitterness (v. 14).

Their feet shed blood (v. 15).

Their ways create destruction and misery (v. 16).

They do not know the way of peace (v. 17).

They have no fear of God (v. 18).

Romans 3:21-31: Jew and Gentile, both are sinners. And God will judge them all. Wiersbe explains, “The whole world is guilty, Jews and Gentiles. The Jews stand condemned by the law of which they boast, and the Gentiles stand condemned on the basis of creation and conscience.”⁷ No one will be justified by the works of the Law, but by God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. When we put our faith in Christ, there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. God still has a plan for His people that is fulfilled through belief in Christ as Savior and Lord (vv. 21-22). Verse 23 sums it up, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And they are justified through Christ Jesus (v. 24).

CLOSING

Christ is the Justifier who restores us to freedom in Him. Our freedom came at a great cost— Christ gave up His life to purchase that freedom for us. Through Christ, God has passed over the sins we’ve committed (v. 25). We have become righteous in God’s eyes (v. 26), not through the law but through our faith in Christ. Jesus is the Justifier.