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Title: Two Legitimate Questions
Last week we spent a good deal of time discussing Paul’s mastery of rhetoric in his arguments. We looked at how Paul had the ability to know who his audience was and anticipate their questions and objections in advance. Then Paul would answer those questions within the framework of his argument, thereby re-enforcing and strengthening his position. Based on the conclusions we arrived at last week, namely that God is obligated by His righteousness to fulfill the promises he makes to His people, even if they chose to not honor Him, Paul is going to address two more legitimate questions about our behavior and responsibility and how that relates to God’s glory.
Prelude:
Do you know why there are warning labels on McDonald’s coffee? Do you know why there are waivers on certain activities? Because, it’s happened before, and one party got sued and doesn’t want to be again. It is the same with these questions Paul takes time to answer. He wouldn’t spend time on it if these questions weren’t an issue of Paul’s time.
I. Question One: If God benefits when we sin, how then can He punish us for sinning?
V5-6 (read)
Essentially Paul asks the rhetorical question: “Okay, if our sin gives God an occasion to demonstrate His love and righteousness, why should he punish us for “allowing” Him to demonstrate His righteousness?”
We understand from last Sunday’s study that God’s glory is on full display when He still chooses to love and honor His promises to us, despite our sin against him, and this question basically says, “Okay, if God’s chief concern is His own glory shouldn’t he be glad when we sin?” I know this sound bizarre, but remember why Paul was answering these questions, because they were an issue to the church in Rome.
V6 Paul’s conclusion is short and direct. And his answer proposes another, even more legitimate question. He says, “If God thanked us for our sin, by what standard is he judging the world?” Remember, God is the ultimate authority for perfect justice. That is why every sin must be accounted for. Every sin of every man is accounted for in one of two ways. Either by the blood of Christ, or by the blood of the offender. If God “pardoned” sin because it brought Him glory, then there would be no need for Christ’s death on the cross.
Point: God’s justification of those he loves will not eradicate those sins. They still must be paid for because of God’s standard of perfection.
Another way to say it: When you accept Christ, your sins didn’t get erased. They got paid for.
II. Question Two: If Our Sin brings glory to God, shouldn’t we just sin as much as we can? V7-8
Again, a ridiculous question, but look at verse 8 for a moment. “As we are slanderously reported and as some affirm we say…” Paul is answering this questions because apparently it’s become an accusation against his ministry. People are reporting that Paul is teaching this “Sin more to give more glory to God” type of doctrine.
Now, nowhere in the text do we have any clue who is making these accusations. But consider this: who had the most trouble with the idea of grace. Who believed not in a system of grace and forgiveness, but rather a system of discipline, sacrifice, and Law? Who had a huge problem with Christ’s claims that He was able to forgive a man’s sins? You see where I’m going with this. What easier way for the anti-Christian Jews to stir up trouble than to say that this entire concept of grace through Christ leads to a life full of sin, for the glory of God?
You see, Paul is smart enough in his agreement to take this idea to it’s fullest extent. Essentially what he says is, “Look if we understand that God’s glory is shown to us when He is merciful to us. But that doesn’t mean that we need to be looking for opportunities to allow God to be merciful to us. We’re never going to escape sin, better we look to serve our God in grace, then to be mindless sinners and claim that somehow this sinning of ours brings Glory to God. Christ told us to be like him. And he hated sin!”
Too many of us pick up the latest Christian idea and don’t think it through to it’s logical conclusion. And too many of us have lazy, weak theology. An example. We’d all agree that scripture says we are dead in our sin. Next week we’ll read very clearly that no one seeks God, no one understands God. So how do we, as sinful, dead humans, possibly choose Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior?
You want me to answer that question, don’t you? No. With fear and trembling we shall work out your salvation. If I am fully sinful, how did I accept Christ? That thought makes me tremble. Be patient. We’ll get there, it’s coming in the text, all of this in building to something huge. And I promise you, that when we arrive at that point, I will not water down anything, even when you will be sitting there wishing I’d take it easy.
Paul answers these ridiculous questions because he cares about his people. I care about you more that most of your realize. And I want your theology to be excellent. More than that, I want your theology to be just that: Your theology. I want you to work through all of these things.