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Timothy: Romans 3:1-8
God’s Righteousness Upheld

1 What then is the superiority of the Jew? Or what the profit of circumcision?

2 Much every way. For first, indeed, that they were entrusted with the Words of God.

3 For what if some did not believe? Will not their unbelief nullify the faith of God?

4 Let it not be! But let God be true, and every man a liar; even as it has been written, “That You should be justified in Your words, and will overcome in Your being judged.” LXX-Psa. 50:6; MT-Psa. 51:4

5 But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who lays on wrath? I speak according to man.

6 Let it not be! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?

7 For if in my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I yet judged as a sinner?

8 And not (as we are wrongly accused, and as some report us to say), Let us do bad things so that good things may come, the judgment of whom is just.

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I am joyful to praise and thank You for the Word You have bestowed upon me today to meditate on with the Church. This Word has made me understand that God’s righteousness is always upheld, no matter how frail humanity is, for righteousness is a characteristic of God. Dear Father, here is my understanding of Romans 3:1-8, which is as follows:

Dear Father, I understand that when the Apostle Paul talked about God’s standard of judgment and righteousness over the Israelites and other nations, some people may have wondered if being Jewish was any better than being a Gentile if they both faced the same condemnation and judgment. What is the point of adhering to God’s covenant as a Jew? Paul answered that being Jewish is advantageous in many ways compared to other nations, in all aspects of life. The greatest advantage and benefit of being a Jew is that they were given the Eternal Living Word of Life, which is Your written law.

Dear Father, I understand that You chose the Israelites from among all the nations because their forefather, Abraham, pleased You and had unwavering faith in You. The selection of Israel was a reward bestowed upon Abraham by You. As for the Israelites, You chose them to be a holy and priestly nation to proclaim Your name to all other nations and lead them to the salvation of God. It is a great honor and opportunity for the Israelites to receive many blessings and rewards from You. The first and greatest reward they received was Your Eternal Living Word of Life, the Holy Scriptures, which serve as a standard for them to live a blessed life and to preserve and proclaim Your Word to all nations.

Dear Father, the Apostle Paul spoke about the case where there are those who argue that if the people of Israel were chosen by You and entrusted with such a great responsibility, and among them are those who do not believe and are punished by You, losing their part in the covenant that You established with their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then are You unfaithful to the forefathers of Israel and to those who are punished for not keeping Your promise? That means God is not just. But Paul affirmed that it is not so.

Dear Father, I understand that the very punishment of those who rebel against You is a manifestation of Your justice, to show that You are not partial. The covenant You established with the forefathers of the people of Israel is based on their reverent trust in You. They are descendants, and if they want to be part of the covenant, they must also have reverent trust in God like their forefathers. If not, then they are no longer Israelites, and they have no right to enjoy any benefits in the covenant. And of course, they are judged and punished like anyone who violates Your commandments and laws. Therefore, when humans judge the actions of God, God always wins because each action of God demonstrates His glory: His love, His holiness, and His justice.

Dear Father, I understand that even during the time of the Apostle Paul, there were those who sought to criticize and distort the Gospel. They argued that if the sins of humanity demonstrate God’s justice, then human sins are the reason for bringing glory to God; thus, God cannot punish humans for their sins. But in reality, You do not need them to sin to demonstrate Your justice. Their argument is no different from the following illustration: A homeowner dresses neatly and luxuriously, and everyone can see and know. A servant in the house, who did not comply with the homeowner’s rules, dresses shabbily, appears in front of the homeowner and his guests. When punished by the owner, the servant argues that his filthiness has glorified the cleanliness of the homeowner, so the owner cannot punish him. He said that he is the one who has contributed to the glory of the owner, not the one who committed the crime.

Dear Father, I understand that these deceitful arguments have led to false accusations against the people of God, suggesting that we teach to “do bad things so that good things may come.” The Apostle Paul countered this argument by posing a question, that if their reasoning is correct, then why don’t we “do bad things so that good things may come,” as falsely claimed by some people? In reality, we are still doing good and avoiding evil.

Dear Father, I believe that the punishment for those who falsely accuse the people of God is just.

Dear Father, I see that many people today preach the Gospel but use lies to deceive others into accepting their message and joining their “church” or denomination. They behave like the Pharisees and teachers of the law of old, as the Lord Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you go about the sea and the dry land to make one proselyte; and when he has become so, you make him twofold more a son of Hell than yourselves.”

Dear Father, I understand that the punishment for those people is also just.

Dear Father, as a member of Your people, belonging to Your Church, and having the entire Holy Bible as the Word of God, I have received so many blessings that the whole world is not worthy for me to exchange my blessings to have all the world. Please sanctify me each day with Your truth. Please keep me whole according to Your standards. Because I am Your child, I must become perfect like You. I thank You, Father. I pray for these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Timothy Christian Huynh
03/11/2023