Spend time in prayer and silence with God, asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God. What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing His wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” Why not say—as we are being slanderously reported as saying and some claim that we say— “Let us do evil that good may result”? There condemnation is deserved.
– Romans 3:1-8
Devotion
Paul was hard on his Jewish countrymen in chapter two. He told them they were as sinful as everyone else in the world. So, his Jewish readers are left with a question: What good is it, then, to be part of God’s chosen nation? The Jewish nation was given some great benefits. Most of all, they were given the Word of God through Moses. The problem was that they were not good at obeying God’s Word. That leads to another question: If the Jews were unfaithful, does that mean God will also respond unfaithfully? Not a chance! God remains faithful even when we are not. God’s character is not dependent on our character. Some were also saying that Paul’s teaching actually encouraged sin. How? Paul emphasized the grace of God so much, some concluded the greater the sin, the greater the display of God’s grace. Paul does not bother to defend himself against slander.
The Big Question
How does it make you feel to know that God is faithful even when we are not? God’s character does not change even when the cultural standards are changing all around us. How does it make you feel to know that we can count on God’s character even when the world questions His existence?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.