1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By 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.”
Romans 3:1-4
Paul figured that the Jewish readers would disagree with his assertions that God has not guaranteed to fulfil His promises to every physical descendent of Abraham.
The Jews had knowledge that the Gentiles did not have. They had been raised with the teaching of the Old Testament, what Paul calls ‘The Oracles of God’. The Greek word used here, “logion”, is a diminutive form of the common New Testament form “logos”. Which is normally translated “word”. These ‘logion’ are important sayings or messages, most importantly supernatural ones. So, the Jews had received the very words of the True God.
Before any Jew, regardless of the purity and understanding of their lineage, can receive the promises, that person must come to repentance and faith.
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring.
Romans 9:6-7
God WILL fulfil all the promises He made to the nation of Israel, even if individual Jews are not able to receive them because of their unbelief. I love how John MacArthur talks about this, “Even if all of mankind were to agree that God had been unfaithful to His promises, it would only prove that all are liars and God is True.” This is the meaning behind the ‘As it is written’ reference to Psalms 51:4 in the passage.
APPLICATION
How grateful I am to have God’s Word in my hands. What a gift I have in being able to read, discern, and have the Holy Spirit speak to me in a supernatural way in my life; guiding me on my journey to become more like King Jesus Himself. I am also going to be held to a responsibility of reading and understanding His Word. I must ask myself everyday whether I am just reading/hearing the Word or am I also putting that received understanding and truth to my own life, every day. I am a citizen of the Nation of Israel, and one that will receive all the promises of the True God because of my belief in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.