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FROM THE PASTOR'S STUDY

Topic: Message Outlines: Chapter 3 (Include Audio)

Romans 3:1-8 (2)

by Darrel Cline
(darrelcline biblical-thinking.org)

Chapter # 3 Paragraph # 1 Study # 2
April 19, 2005
Lincolnton, N.C.
(Download Audio)

(118)

Thesis:   God's words continue to be man's greatest "asset".

Introduction:   In our studies of Romans, one thing that has continually cropped up is that men universally fail to live up to the expectations of men. In fact, Paul is pretty clear in 3:9-10 that it is completely wrong-headed for men to even expect that they will find any man (let alone many men) who lives up to his professions of "truth". The fact is that men are core-corrupted. This makes it all the more ridiculous for any man, or many men, to attempt to exalt themselves over their fellow-men on the basis of their "superior morality". This makes every theology of men who posit "acceptance by God on the basis of their moral behavior" a complete perversion of Truth and a terrible blinding of both themselves and all who are influenced by them. This is the root of Jesus' characterization of the Jews as "blind guides of the blind".

With this reality as the "umbrella" (3:9 sits as an intention statement--an umbrella--over 1:18-3:8) over Paul's words, it is not difficult to see why and how he has aggressively attacked the theology of the "Jews". What is a bit difficult to see is how he can claim that the greatest advantage of the "Jews" is their possession of the words of God. What is the terrific advantage of possession of the words of God if the nation that had them has proven to be just as core-corrupted as those nations that did not have them? This is the question we face in our study this evening.


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