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Main point summary
To those entrusted with the law: you have been given every advantage to know God and to be blessed by Him through obedience to His commands, but you willingly spurned and disobeyed Him, and thus, He is just to punish you.
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Romans 3:1-8
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Then what advantage has the Jew?
QUESTION: Is there any upside to being a Jew?
Or what is the value of circumcision?
OR is there any good to circumcision
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Much in every way.
ANSWER: there's a huge advantage!
To begin with, x the Jews were entrusted with y the oracles of God.
BECAUSE you get a first hand knowledge and relationship with God, which gives you an advantage over the Gentiles.
z What if some were unfaithful?
YET, *Critique 1)* IF some were unfaithful in following Him
a Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?
THEN does that mean God will not follow through with His promises because some are unfaithful?
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By no means!
ANSWER: No!
b Let God be true
FOR God only speaks truth (He will save His people, and He will condemn sinners)
though c every one were a liar,
WHILE everyone else lies about their following Him
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as it is written,
AND, HE IS THUSLY, justified, as written in scripture
d “That you may be justified in your words,
NAMELY, God is justified in His words (to save or condemn)
and prevail when you e are judged.”
AND blameless in His judgment (Ps 51:4)
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But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God,
BUT, *Critique 2)* IF God is justified by condemning unrighteousness
what shall we say?
THEN, how should we respond?
That God is unrighteous to inflict f wrath on us?
BY SAYING God is the author of our sin, and thus, not able to judge us (we are innocent?)
( g I speak in a human way.)
(I say this from a man’s perspective)
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By no means!
ANSWER: No!
For then how could h God judge the world?
BECAUSE it is on the basis of His righteousness and our wilful disobedience that He judges the world.
But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory,
BUT, *Critique 3)* IF God is righteous in judgment, and, thus, glorious, in said judgment of my unrighteousness
i why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
THEN how can I be condemned (because I'm making Him look good)?
And why not j do evil
FURTHERMORE, *Critique 4)* Shouldn't I just perpetuate my unrighteousness
that good may come?—
IN ORDER THAT He may be shown to be more glorious
as some people slanderously charge us with saying.
(this is what some evil people say)
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Their condemnation is just.
ANSWER to all questions: God is just in His condemnation (because of His trustworthiness, our wilful unrighteousness, or because we are simply foolish (answer to follow-up questions 3 and 4))
No, it means other people broke their promises
NEVERTHELESS, their condemnation is just
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