Pickup with Cranfield and Murray on 3.3-4.
Romans 3.3-4:
What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged."
3τι γaρ ει ηπιστησαν τινες μη η απιστια αυτων την πιστιν του θεου καταργησει 4μη γενοιτο γινεσθω δε ο θεος αληθης πας δε ανθρωπος ψευστης καθαπερ γεγραπται οπως αν δικαιωθης εν τοις λογοις σου και νικησεις εν τω κρινεσθαι σε
Observations:
1. One question is in view, to wit, “If some of Israel did not believe in Abraham’s Messiah, or did not embrace the OT oracles, shall that unbelief make the fidelity of God and His promises of no effect…shall those Abrahamic promises, yeah that Gospel, yeah those oracles centuries before, be overcome, defeated or over-turned?”
2. We get an emphatic denial in strong terms. “4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar.” Paul affirms that "every one" without exception or exemption, King, Provincial Governor, High Priest of Israel, rabbis or others who would claim that God's promises to Abraham and His children had failed---liars! Of course, Re-baptizers or Baptists must be included in this astounding claim. Murray says this is an “arresting way of placing in the forefront the indefectible faithfulness of God to His Word.” (95)
3. The context is Jewish unbelief during Paul’s day. The Gospel of John puts it this way (1.11-13): “11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
4. Although this matter will arise later, if one examines Romans 3.1-4, John 1.11-13, and Romans 9.5ff, one will see that embracing the promises in the first place, the act and life of faith, is at the divine initiative—believers of any genetic stock are born again by only One’s will, the Divine, not the human’s will or belief…”who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” The widespread rejection of Christ was because they were not His elect sheep. John and Paul develop this throughout their writings. That's why we're Calvinists, because like Calvin, we accept the Scriptural testimonies. No Arminianism is tolerated in John 1.13. Just read the text.
Romans 3.3-4:
What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged."
3τι γaρ ει ηπιστησαν τινες μη η απιστια αυτων την πιστιν του θεου καταργησει 4μη γενοιτο γινεσθω δε ο θεος αληθης πας δε ανθρωπος ψευστης καθαπερ γεγραπται οπως αν δικαιωθης εν τοις λογοις σου και νικησεις εν τω κρινεσθαι σε
Observations:
1. One question is in view, to wit, “If some of Israel did not believe in Abraham’s Messiah, or did not embrace the OT oracles, shall that unbelief make the fidelity of God and His promises of no effect…shall those Abrahamic promises, yeah that Gospel, yeah those oracles centuries before, be overcome, defeated or over-turned?”
2. We get an emphatic denial in strong terms. “4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar.” Paul affirms that "every one" without exception or exemption, King, Provincial Governor, High Priest of Israel, rabbis or others who would claim that God's promises to Abraham and His children had failed---liars! Of course, Re-baptizers or Baptists must be included in this astounding claim. Murray says this is an “arresting way of placing in the forefront the indefectible faithfulness of God to His Word.” (95)
3. The context is Jewish unbelief during Paul’s day. The Gospel of John puts it this way (1.11-13): “11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
4. Although this matter will arise later, if one examines Romans 3.1-4, John 1.11-13, and Romans 9.5ff, one will see that embracing the promises in the first place, the act and life of faith, is at the divine initiative—believers of any genetic stock are born again by only One’s will, the Divine, not the human’s will or belief…”who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” The widespread rejection of Christ was because they were not His elect sheep. John and Paul develop this throughout their writings. That's why we're Calvinists, because like Calvin, we accept the Scriptural testimonies. No Arminianism is tolerated in John 1.13. Just read the text.
For examples of confused nonsense amongst Anglicans, especially in the comments, see: http://www.standfirminfaith.com/?/sf/page/24947/#407478. It comes from exceedingly weak Churchmen and Bible exegetes.
5. Following upon this passage, God’s determinations and purposes are not governed by what is extraneous to Himself. This is why we believe in unconditional election and with its indubitable corrollary, to wit, that Jesus sheep and the sheep only are redeemed. The atonement has its design and intent, co-extensive with its application to the elect. At the above URL, you'll see the Anglican confusions.
Interpretation:
God’s Word is not invalidated by human response, in this case, the unbelieving genetic Jew. The Gospel preached to Abraham and his children is still in force, despite denials by vast multitudes of genetic Jews.
A few corrollaries by deduction.
First, Christ is not made "Lord" by human decision. That would be like the blind man saying no sun existed because he saw no light.
Second, God's Word is not "made" God's Word by human response (e.g. neo-orthodoxy). It is what it is, even if millions denied it's authority like Romanism. Eight were left during Noah's time. 7000 during Elijah's. Paul lived to see the majority of genetic Jews reject the promises to Abraham and his children. We live in a day where children are, willy nilly, by Baptists cut off from the Abrahamic promises.
5. Following upon this passage, God’s determinations and purposes are not governed by what is extraneous to Himself. This is why we believe in unconditional election and with its indubitable corrollary, to wit, that Jesus sheep and the sheep only are redeemed. The atonement has its design and intent, co-extensive with its application to the elect. At the above URL, you'll see the Anglican confusions.
Interpretation:
God’s Word is not invalidated by human response, in this case, the unbelieving genetic Jew. The Gospel preached to Abraham and his children is still in force, despite denials by vast multitudes of genetic Jews.
A few corrollaries by deduction.
First, Christ is not made "Lord" by human decision. That would be like the blind man saying no sun existed because he saw no light.
Second, God's Word is not "made" God's Word by human response (e.g. neo-orthodoxy). It is what it is, even if millions denied it's authority like Romanism. Eight were left during Noah's time. 7000 during Elijah's. Paul lived to see the majority of genetic Jews reject the promises to Abraham and his children. We live in a day where children are, willy nilly, by Baptists cut off from the Abrahamic promises.
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