Title: Objections Answered
Text: Romans 3: 1-31
Date: May 27, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Every
objection sinner’s raise against the truth of God is an effort to justify their
own rebellion against God.
When
God begins to work in a sinner’s heart—one-by-one God strips away every vain,
self-justifying, objection.
My purpose
in preaching the gospel to you is in hope that God will take away every inch of
ground from you who are raising objections against God.
Proposition: All men are under sin. The sinner’s mouth must be
stopped and you must become guilty before you will listen and hear the good
news.
The
Spirit of God declared through Paul that both Jews and Gentiles were equally
depraved and corrupt. No sinner is
justified—made the righteousness of God—by anything we do. Sinners are made the
righteousness of God by the obedience of Christ Jesus. Sinners are created anew in righteousness by
God the Holy Spirit when by the Spirit we are born again. In that new man we are brought to behold
Christ our Righteousness. We are brought
to confess that all we are is sin.
Through God-given faith we believe on Christ and his Righteousness is
our righteousness.
Romans 2: 28: For
he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision,
which is outward in the flesh:
A man is not a child of God—of the kingdom of God—of God’s
holy nation—by:
·
Our first birth—daddy might be a true child
of God but that does not make you one.
·
Not by nationality or by being of a certain
religious group
·
Not by the will and works of man—whether you
were put through some religious ceremony by your parents or whether you
submitted to some ceremony yourself.
·
No outward work will take away sin and make
you a new creature, a pure child of God—Not ceremonies, not baptism, not
joining a church, not by works of righteousness which we have done
Romans 2: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and
not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
I. FIRST OBJECTION: Romans 3: 1:
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Someone
here might say, “If God saves by sovereign grace, what advantage do I have of
even being here. What profit is there in
coming to this place?
Romans 3: 2: Much
every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
God gave
Israel the Old Testament scriptures—the law and the prophets—which declared the
truth of God’s righteousness and salvation through the coming Messiah. An
assembly where God has sent his word has the advantage Israel had over those nations
around them—God has sent his gospel to you like he sent it to Israel.
Romans 9: 4: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth
the adoption,
God
declared to them that he saves his children by divine adoption—God has declared
to you that because his children are sons, he sends forth the Spirit of his
Son, the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father.
Romans 9: 4: and the glory,
God
showed them his glory—God has declared to you his glory in the face of Christ
Jesus
Romans 9: 4: and the covenants,
They
were taught that God is a covenant keeping God—you have been taught that
salvation is by God’s everlasting covenant of grace in Christ made before the
world began.
Romans 9: 4: and the giving of the law, and
the service of God,
They
were taught in law that there is no coming to God except through the blood of a
lamb to die in your place, without a high priest to make atonement, represent
them to God—you come to these services each week and are taught Christ is that
Lamb and High Priest, there is no coming to God any other way but by trusting
Christ for full atonement, to present us to God as righteous as Christ
Romans 9:
4: and the promises;
They
were taught God’s purpose from the beginning was to save the children of
promise in his Son of promise, they were taught God is faithful to keep his promises,--you
have had it declared to you that God is faithful, God determined the end from
the beginning, God purposed it, God brings his promises to pass in and by
Christ and for his Son’s sake.
Romans 9:
5: Whose are the fathers,
They
had fathers whom God called by his grace, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, fathers who
taught their children the truth of God—some of you have fathers whom God has
called by his grace who teach you the truth of God,
Romans 9: 5: and of whom as concerning the
flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
You
have been taught how that Christ came through the house of Judah, the tribe of
Jesse, through David showing you God is true to his word—God came in the
flesh—Jesus who shall save his people from their sins.
Someone
objects, “If God saves by sovereign grace, what advantage do I have of even
being here. What profit is there in
coming to this place?” Much every way, a local assembly where God has committed his gospel is
like the nation Israel. You have the
gospel of God declared unto you while many around you—like those around Israel—do
not have this advantage.
No
sinner will be able to plead ignorance in the Day of Judgment.
Romans 1: 20: For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse:
But
especially not you to whom God has sent his gospel. None here will be able to charge God with
unrighteousness, as being unfair, as not giving you an advantage—God has! The Day of Judgment will be far worse for
those to whom God has sent the truth, who yet hardened their heart and refused
to heed his word. Luke 12: 48:…Unto
whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. Use the advantage God has given you—don’t
miss a word!
II. SECOND OBJECTION: Romans 3: 3: For what
if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without
effect?
God
took them right to the promised land and they spied it out— but after all that God
did, they would not enter—they entered not in because of unbelief.—Today, once
again, God is taking you right to the Door, giving you a clear view of Christ
in whom all the promises of God are sure—the only way in to God’s eternal land.
Here is
the question: What if some did not believe? What if some here do not
believe? Shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect? If some do not believe, does that mean that God is
a failure? Does it mean God is not able to bring to pass what he promised from
the beginning? Does it mean that some
for whom Christ died will perish in their sins? That his blood was not
effectual to put away sin? Does it mean that God the Holy Spirit is unable to
effectually quicken and call his children?
Romans 3: 4: God forbid: yea, let God be
true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified
in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
A
man’s unbelief does not altar the truth of God at all. God’s faithfulness is not bound by a sinner. God is faithful to bring about all he
determined before to be done. But man’s
unbelief declares the hardness of the natural heart. It shows that a sinner will try to justify
his rebellion, declare himself true by making God out to be a liar. That he
will try to blame his unbelief on God.
Romans 3: 3: Let God be true, but every man a
liar; 4:…As it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and
mightest overcome when thou art judged.
If some
do not believe it is your fault. God has
told you how he will receive you. But
sinners who refuse will not come to God as David did, confessing what David
did.
Psalm 51: 1: «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when
Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.» Have
mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the
multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2: Wash me
throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3: For I acknowledge
my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4: Against thee, thee
only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest
be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Sinner, God
delights to show mercy! “There is forgiveness with God, that thou mayest be
feared.” The question is not: is God
unfaithful—God is faithful! The question
is: are you? Do you believe Christ? Will you come as God says come?
Have you cried unto the Lord, FROM THE
DEPTHS, ASKING GOD TO HEAR, CONFESSING THAT IT IS GOD’S MERCY IF WILL EVEN HEAR
YOU--Psalm 130: 1: Out of the depths
have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2: Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be
attentive to the voice of my supplications.
Have you cried unto the Lord CONFESSING YOUR
SIN? CONFESSING YOUR UNFITNESS TO STAND BEFORE HIM? CONFESSING THAT YOU ARE
UNRIGHTEOUS AND THAT HE IS JUST--Psalm
130: 3: If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Have you cried unto the Lord CONFESSING,
THANKING, PRAISING GOD THAT THERE IS FOREGIVENESS WITH HIM—Psalm 130: 4 But there is
forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”
What I’m asking you is: HAVE YOU DECLARED GOD JUST TO DO
WITH YOU AS HE WILL?
Examples:
·
The publican—have mercy on me the sinner—went
down to his house justified
·
The leper—Lord, if thou will thou canst make
me clean—went away clean
·
The prodigal son—accepted, robed and fed
Psalm 51: 17: The sacrifices of God are
a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
But God
will not receive a self-justifying, standing in judgment of God, refusing to
hear his gospel, blaming God as unfaithful when it is you who are
unfaithful. If some will not believe it
does not alter the faithfulness and saving efficacy of God’s power to save at
all--God forbid: yea, let God be true,
but every man a liar
Unbelief
reveals only the hardness of a man’s heart, the necessity for God to give a new
heart and a new spirit, the necessity for God to choose because you will not
choose God, the necessity for God to come and give life because you will not
come to God, the necessity for God to call because you will not call on God,
the necessity for God to first love us, because we did not love God.
Romans 9: 6: Not as though the word of God hath taken
none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither,
because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In
Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8: That is, They which are
the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the
children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9: For this is
the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall
have a son. 10: And not only this; but when Rebecca also had
conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11: (For the children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose
of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
calleth;) 12: It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13: As
it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
III. THIRD OBJECTION: Romans 3: 5: But
if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is
God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
A
man will say, “If my unrighteousness, if my not believing shows the necessity
of the new birth, the necessity that God have mercy on whom he will, that is
not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that showeth
mercy—then (men will say) God is unrightous to take vengeance on me.
(v5-8) Why am I yet judged a
sinner?
Romans 3: 7:For if the truth of God hath more
abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
8 And not rather, (as we be
slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that
good may come? whose damnation is just.
Romans 3: 6: God forbid: for then how shall
God judge the world?
Sinner,
never flatter yourself that you do one thing by your rebellion OR even by your
goodness to add to God’s glory or to diminish it. God’s glory is his own. God declares his righteousness himself by his
Son—your unrighteousness does nothing to add or diminish the Righteousness he
is. God truth shines forth of God himself—your
lies do nothing to further the truth of God or take from it. God’s goodness is of God himself—your evil
does nothing to make his good come. BUT YOUR
VAIN SELF-CONCEIT WILL CERTAINLY BRING UPON YOU GOD’S DAMNATION!
Listen
carefully. You’ve been calling God a
liar, unrighteous, for choosing to save ungodly rebels by his grace, saying,
“God is unrighteous to pass by multitudes.” BUT GOD IS NOT WITHOLDING SOMETHING
THAT THEY WANT. THE MULTITUDES WHO
PERISH IN UNBELIEF DO NOT WANT GOD OR HIS WAY OF SALVATION BY THE FULL COMPLETE
WORK OF CHRIST JESUS THE GODMAN!
John 5: 39: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think
ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40: And ye will
not come to me, that ye might have life.
The
sinner’s unbelief, your rebellion against God, only declares where you are and
where we all are by nature.
Romans 3: 9: What then? are we better than
they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles,
that they are all under sin; 10: As it is written, There is none righteous, no,
not one: 11: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after
God. 12: They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13: Their throat is
an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps
is under their lips: 14: Whose mouth is full of cursing and
bitterness: 15: Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16: Destruction and
misery are in their ways: 17: And the way of peace have they not known:
18: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Every
sinner who is yet making these excuses is under sin. There is a thunder cloud over you and between
you and God—called sin—we are all by Adam and our first birth under sin. God is above it, you are under it. You can’t rise above it, God will not receive
you till it be put away.
·
Under the power of sin
·
Under the guilt of sin
·
Under the curse of sin and under the condemnation
of the law—the soul that sinneth it shall surely die
Romans 3: 19: Now
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before
God. 20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
IV. NOW, SINNER, IF
YOUR MOUTH HAS FINALLY BEEN STOPPED—IF GOD HAS SHUT YOU UP—MADE YOU TO SEE YOU
ARE UNDER SIN—THEN LISTEN:
There is righteousness to be had which is Christ Jesus
Romans 3: 21: But
now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by
the law and the prophets; 22: Even the righteousness of God which is by
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference: 23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
There is justification—totally free.
Romans 3: 24 Being justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his
blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God; 26 To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
This righteousness is obtained only through faith in
Christ—believe him!
Romans 3: 27: Where
is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the
law of faith. 28: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law. 29: Is he the God of the Jews only? is
he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30: Seeing it is
one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision
through faith.
What about the law?
Romans 3: 31: Do we
then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Christ fulfilled the law in every jot and tittle for each
one who shall believe on him. And Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. The law is not made void through
faith—through faith in Christ—the believer has established the law, magnified
it and made it honorable—not by our obedience to it—by HIS!
I pray
God make you to stop hearing the gospel of God as aggravating bad news and so
that you to understand the gospel is good news!
But first—your mouth has got to be stopped! You have got to be made guilty! This gospel is only good news to the guilty.
Are you guilty? Is a perfect
righteousness wrought by another, good news to you? Is justification freely given by grace good
news to you? Is being wholly accepted by
God through the Righteous Person of his holy Son good news to you? Do you believe God? This is the good news, “Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” May he make it so.
Amen!