Subject: “How would God judge the world?” Roman 3:6
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
8 And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
Romans 3:5-8
A COMPLEX LINE OF ARGUMENT
1. Paul may have encountered such an argument
a) Our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God
b) If this is the case, is God unjust if
i) He judges
ii) He inflicts wrath on the unrighteous person?
2. Paul’s firm response
a) No!
b) If this argument is true, how then would God be able to judge at all?
APPLYING THIS ARGUMENT TO A PERSONAL LEVEL
1. Paul applies this line of argument to himself
2. What if he were to lie?
a) If by lying truth is increased
b) If by lying, glory goes to God
c) Why would Paul still be judged as a sinner?
EXPANSION OF THIS FALSE REASONING
1. “Let us do evil that good may come”
a) This was reported by some
b) And even affirmed by others
c) This was just “slander”
2. Paul rejects this line of argument
a) Those who propose this line of thought are wrong
b) They deserve judgment and condemnation
THE FALSENESS OF THIS LINE OF ARGUMENT
1. Unrighteousness does nothing to glorify God
2. Evil deeds in no way can be condoned
3. Evil is just what it is … Evil
4. God does not need evil to illustrate what is righteous
5. Neither does He approve of evil deeds at any time!
TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT GOD IS LIKE
5 Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:5-7
1. True Knowledge is Vital
a) It is not a line of thought
b) It is not presentation of a line of argument
2. True knowledge involves a Declaration from God Himself
a) He is merciful
b) He is gracious
c) He is longsuffering
d) He is abounding in righteousness and truth
3. There is a clear Demarcation between what is righteous and what is sin
a) He will keep mercy
b) He will forgive all wrong-doing
i) Iniquity
ii) Transgression
iii) Sin
4. God will judge transgression and sin
a) He will not clear the guilty
b) He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
c) Meaning:
i) Sin has dire consequences
ii) The children will bear the problems the fathers have created