God's Character

Romans 3:3 - God's Faithfulness

The primary subject of Romans is God's faithfulness and trustworthiness. As Richard B. Hays, Dean and Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School beautifully summarized, "Many people have misread the book of Romans as a book that explains how we can legally get to heaven. This interpretation, however, misses the central question that Paul is answering in this book, and that central question is this: Can God be Trusted?"

In this Bible study we explored this verse: "What if some (the Jews) were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all!" Romans 3:3,4. Paul continued to say that Jesus is the vindication of God's faithfulness. Since this was the first Bible study of the year, however, we explored the question of God's faithfulness in the Old Testament. Everyone would agree that Jesus was faithful, but what about the God of the Old Testament? 

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Romans Video, 2009

Part 1

The first 3 chapters of Romans describe the essence of everything that is important! What is the Good News that wins us back to trust in God once again? Why did Jesus have to die? What happens if we reject the Good News and refuse to put our trust in God? What will God do to us? What is the wrath of God? According to Peter, not everyone interprets the writings of Paul in the right way:  "Some of [Paul's] comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.” (2 Peter 3:15-16 NLT)

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Romans Audio, 2007

Part 1

Romans describes the essence of what God desires of us. All of the basic questions are dealt with in the book of Romans. What must we do for salvation? What is righteousness by faith? What does God do to those people who rebelliously reject all of his efforts to win them to trust and love?

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Romans Audio, 2009

Part 1

Character of God Controversy? The first 3 chapters of Romans provides the perfect platform to discuss some of the questions that surround the character of God.  Paul reveals to us both sides of the coin. On one side, Paul describes again and again that the Good News is about "the righteousness of God" as revealed by Jesus and that this is what wins us back to trust in God again. Paul takes up the challenge of Habakkuk's theodicy question (Habakkuk chapter 1) and responds that "The righteousness of God" as revealed by Jesus is the answer to the dilemma of a loving and powerful God and a cruel world. But Paul also shows us "the other side" - not a dark side of God's character - but rather Paul discusses what will happen to us if we choose not to respond to the gracious character of God as revealed by Jesus. What happens if the Good News about God does not win us back to trust? What will God do to us?

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