Romans Chapter 3

The Immutability of God

 

 

Introduction

A chapter of strong questions and emphatic answers on the

"indestructible character or the immutability of God"

 

Text: "Let God be true but every man a liar" [v 4]  

Manifestations of God's Truthfulness-

Questions

Character of God

Character of man

v 3

Faithfulness

Unbelief

v 5

Righteousness

Unrighteousness

v 7

Glory

Sin guilt

v 31

Grace

Law

vv 8,25

Forbearance

Stubbornness

   

1. Faithfulness of God Vs. Unbelief of man [v3]

        

          Num 23:19

          2 Tim 2:13

          eg.  Jn 11:21-27,38-40  God condemns not our weakness in believing a specific promise

                                                  for the situations as long as our basic faith on Him is solid.

          1 Jn 5:4,5

          Jn 6:28,29

 

2. Righteousness of God Vs. Unrighteousness of man [vv 5,21,22,25,26]

 

        God does not cleanse our robe, but changes it! -(Gen 3:7,21; Isa 64:6)

        eg. Mt 22:8-13 - The other men inside were not better than the one thrown out,

                                    but they were "clothed."

        1 Sam 2:2,8,9   - Dunghill to Throne

 

 

3. Glory of God [vv 23,7] Vs. Guilt and Sin of man [vv 19,23]

        

        Failure to glorify God is the chiefest of sins -

                Rom 1:21

                Rev 14:6,7

                Rev 16:8,9

        Every man form Adam has failed to glorify God but that hasn't diminished His glory but ours.

        God in His love takes us back to glory when we repent.

                2 Cor 3:16-18

   

4. Grace of God [Faith v 24] Vs. Works of man [Law vv 27,28]

     

        Grace does not make the Law void [v 31] but establishes it in a NEW way.

                 Jer 31:31-34

        Obedience resulting from an -

                a. Inward Revelation  "minds... hearts... no more... teach... but know"

                b. Inward Relationship  "I... their God, they... My people"

                c. Inward Release   "I will forgive."

                i.e. God has been always gracious - both in OT & NT - but man depended on his own

                      strength  and failed [Ex 24:7 "we will"]; NT- God, "I will."

   

5. Forbearance of God [v 25] Vs. Continuance in Sin [vv 7,8]

                   

        Eccl 8:11,12   - There is no advantage of God's patience to  an unrepentant sinner.

        Rom 2:4          - The repentant sinner is benifitted.

        Isa 40:28-31   - God never grows tired in strengthening the weak and the fainting.

 

        God's character of patience cannot be changed by one million unrepentant sinners!