What Advantage Have We?

In the beginning of Chapter three of the Epistle to the Romans Paul states the question, “Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?” (Romans 3:1) The answer is spelled out plainly and simply in verses 2-20.

Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 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." But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?--as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.", "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3:2-20

You see as Paul explains just because some were unfaithful, it does not nullify God’s faithfulness. And if we are condemned by our evil, God is still just in doing so. For God says that no one is righteous, not one, and none seek after God, not anyone. The Jews are not better off, for everyone Jew and Greek is under sin, just alike. The advantage comes in that God was seeking the Jews through the law, for by the law speaking every mouth is stopped from boasting of self righteousness before God, for by the law comes the knowledge of sin. You see by God giving his law to the Jews he explained to them in detailed account of how they had fallen short, that they could no longer justify themselves, but rather they would hopefully throw themselves on the mercy of the Divine Judge, God himself, for when the law came to them they would see their sin as God did, for exceeding sinfulness.

So what advantage do we have who have been “inside” the church. Are we better off than those outside the church? By no means! Are we worse off because hypocrites, who claim to be Christians, have blasphemed the name of God? By no means! For the unfaithfulness of those who are hypocrites does not nullify God’s faithfulness. Our advantage merely comes from the fact that those “inside” the church know what God’s law says, and so we should not need as much convincing that we need to throw ourselves on the mercy of God. For we who know God’s laws and decrees know that we can not keep what is written it them, and we should realize all the more quickly just how badly we need him. For as Paul said, “by the law came the knowledge of sin!”

Lord Jesus,
I ask that you would cleanse and forgive me as I throw myself at your feet. Your words are true, and I have been unable to keep myself unstained by the world. My self-righteousness is filthy rags compared to your holy standard. I cry out to you in desperation, clean me, save me, free me from this body of guilt. Set me apart for the work of the Gospel, may I glorify you with my life! In your holy name, Lord Jesus, I pray, Amen.