Category: Understanding Romans
May it never happen! But let God be true and every man a liar, just as it has been written, "Just as You may be proved in Your words and You will conquer in Your judging." But if our wrong-doing introduces the justice of God, then what will we say? The God who brings wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking according to men). May it never happen! Because how will God judge the world? But if the truth of God abounds for His glory by my lie, then why am I still also being condemned as a sinner? And not, as we are spoken evil of and as some affirm us to say, "Let us do evil in order that the good may come"? Whose condemnation is right. (Romans 3:4-8)
In v3, Paul asks (rhetorically) whether the faithlessness of the Jews would nullify God's faithfulness. The expected answer is, "Absolutely not!" Paul gives the Greek equivalent expression. It is impossible that the Jews' disobedience would cancel God's promises to judge sinful Israel. Men may lie and pretend, but God will be true to His word every time.
The author quotes the remorseful David who had been confronted with his own unfaithfulness, and who acknowledged that God was right in condemning the wicked.
It would appear that Paul is interacting with a protestor who thought that God would be wrong if He punished the Jews, especially since the sin of the Jews provided the opportunity for God to display His justice. (This is the way humans think.) So, is God's justice unjust? Absolutely not! If it were unjust for God to punish Israel’s disobedience, then it would also be unjust of God to punish other sinners of the world. Of course, no Jew would think it wrong for God to judge evil Gentiles. Paul says (in effect), "You cannot have it both ways. If God is going to judge the world, then He must also judge the Jews."
A Jew from the back pew stands up and shouts, "I got it! When I tell a lie, God gets to punish me and prove that He is true to His word. It brings Him glory to be true to His word. Therefore, I am bringing glory to God when I lie. So, if I am bringing glory to God, then why am I being condemned? And furthermore, we should all sin more to the glory of God!" The apostle affirms that anyone who thinks this way deserves what he gets from God (and it won't be praise).