Feb. 16, 2025

Series: Transformed   2-16-25

Being Special without being Superior

(Romans 3:1-20)

   LAWYER AT THE END OF A TRIAL:

     1. Anticipate questions in the minds of jurors & answers them in advance.          (vs.1-9)

     2. Brings in supporting evidence. (vs.10-18)

     3. Summarizes conclusions & asks for a verdict. (vs.19-20)

Paul answers objections through Questions: (Romans 3:1-9)

QUESTION #1: REGARDING THE JEWS ______________

Romans 3:1 ¹ What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision (the external brand-mark of a Jew)?

          ANSWER: Romans 3:2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.

Romans 9:4–5 ⁴ the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. ⁵ Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah…

QUESTION #2: REGARDING GOD’S __________________

Romans 3:3 ³ What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?

          ANSWER: Romans 3:4 ⁴ Not at all! (Gk. me genoito) Let God be true, and every man a liar…

TWO KINDS OF PROMISES IN THE BIBLE:

      1.) _________________ PROMISES: 

                                “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord, shall be saved.”

                2.) _________________ PROMISES: 

                                “God will send a Messiah to the Jews.” 

Psalm 89:30-37 ³⁰ If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes, ³¹ if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands, ³² I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging; ³³ but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. ³⁴ I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered. ³⁵ Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness-- and I will not lie to David-- ³⁶ that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun; ³⁷ it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.

2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV) ¹³ if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

Romans 3:3–4 (ESV) ³ What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? ⁴ By no means! 

QUESTION #3: REGARDING GOD’S __________________

Romans 3:5 (LB)⁵ But, some say, "our breaking faith with God is good, our sins serve a good purpose, for people will notice how good God is when they see how bad we are. Is it fair, then, for him to punish us when our sins are helping him?" (That is the way some people talk.) 

          ANSWER: Romans 3:5 Certainly not! (Gk. me genoito) If that were so, how could God judge the world?

QUESTION #4: REGARDING GOD’S __________________

Romans 3:7 ⁷ Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?"

          ANSWER: Romans 3:8 ⁸ Why not say--as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say--"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved.

                FORGIVENESS is not a license to __________!  

                FORGIVENESS from God does not mean _______________!

QUESTION #5: REGARDING MAN’S _________________

Romans 3:9 ⁹ What shall we conclude then? Are we any better?

          ANSWER: Romans 3:9 ⁹ Not at all! (Gk. me genoito) We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 

Paul moves from Questions to __________________.

Corresponding O.T. verses Paul took from:

(Romans 3:10-12) → Psalm 14:1–3 ¹ The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. ² The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. ³ All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

(Romans 3:13a) → Psalm 5:9 ⁹ Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies.

(Romans 3:13b) → Psalm 140:3 ³ They make their tongues as sharp as a   serpent’s; the poison of vipers is on their lips.

(Romans 3:14) → Psalm 10:7 ⁷ His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue.

(Romans 3:15-17) → Isaiah 59:7–9 ⁷ Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. They pursue evil schemes; acts of violence mark their ways. ⁸ The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks along them will know peace. ⁹ So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.

(Romans 3:18) → Psalm 36:1 ¹ I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:  There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Rom. 3:10-12 ¹⁰ As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; ¹¹ there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. ¹² All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." 

              (vs. 10-12) Mankind’s ______________ is sick!

              (vs. 13-18) Mankind’s ______________ is sick!

 Rom. 3:13-18 ¹³ Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips." ¹⁴ "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." ¹⁵ "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ¹⁶ ruin and misery mark their ways, ¹⁷ and the way of peace they do not know. ¹⁸ There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Paul moves from Questions to Quotations to _________________.

Romans 3:19-20 ¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ²⁰ Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

CLOSING ARGUMENT:

              1. The whole world is ________________ to GOD!

              2. The whole world is without ______________!    

WHY DID GOD GIVE THE LAW?

       1. To make us conscience of our _______.

       2. To point us to ____________.

Galatians 3:23-24 ²³ Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. ²⁴ So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

THE FINAL VERDICT:  

ALL ARE ______________ OF SIN!

(The Rebellious, the Respectable & the Religious)

Romans 6:23 ²³ For the wages of sin is death…

                           …but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.