God Justified Though Man Believes Not

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Romans 3:3-4

For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?…

We have here —

I. A SORROWFUL REMINDER. There always have been some who have not believed.

1. This is stated very mildly. The apostle might have said "many" instead of "some." Remember that all but two who came out of Egypt fell in the wilderness through unbelief; but the apostle does not wish to unduly press his argument, or to aggravate his hearers. Even in his own day he might have said, "The bulk of the Jewish nation has rejected Christ. Wherever I go, they seek my life, because I preach a dying Saviour's love." Yet this is a very appalling thing, even when stated thus mildly. If all here except one were believers, and it was announced that that one would be pointed out to the congregation, we should all feel in a very solemn condition. But there are many more than one here who have not believed. If the unconverted were not so numerous they would be looked upon with horror and pity. As they are so numerous, there is all the greater need for our compassion.

2. The terms of Paul's question suggest a mitigation of the sorrow. "What if some did not believe?" Then it is implied that some did believe. Glory be to God, there is a numerous "some."

3. Yet it is true that, at times, the "some" who did not believe meant the majority. Read the story of Israel through and you will be saddened to find how again and again they did not believe, and it may be that, even among hearers of the gospel, the unbelievers preponderate.

4. This unbelief has usually been the case between the great ones of the earth. In our Saviour's day they said, "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him?" The gospel has usually had a free course among the poor, but "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble," are called.

5. Some who have not believed have belonged to the religious and to the teaching class. The Scribes and Pharisees rejected Christ, although they were the religious leaders of the people. And now we may be preachers, and yet not preach the gospel of Christ; we may be members of the Church, and yet not savingly know it.

6. The same may be said if we take the whole range of the nations favoured with the gospel.

7. "What, then, if some do not believe?" Then —

(1) They are lost. "He that believeth not is condemned already."(2) There still remains, to those who hear the gospel, the opportunity to believe; and, believing, they shall find life through the sacred name.

(3) Let us, who do believe, make them the constant subject of our prayers; and bear our witness to the saving power of the gospel.

II. A HORRIBLE INFERENCE, viz., that their unbelief had made the faith, or the faithfulness of God, without effect.

1. Some will say, "If So-and-so and So-and-so do not believe the gospel, then religion is a failure." We have read of a great many things being failures. A little while ago it was a question whether marriage was not a failure. I suppose that, by and by, eating and breathing will be a failure. The gospel is said to be a failure, because certain gentlemen of professed culture and knowledge do not believe it. Well, there have been other things that have not been believed in by very important individuals, and yet they have turned out to be true. Before the trains ran, the old coachmen and farmers would not believe that an engine could be made to go on the rails, and to drag carriages behind it. According to the wise men of the time, everything was to go to the bad, and the engines would blow up the first time they started with a train. But they did not blow up, and everybody now smiles at what those learned gentlemen ventured then to say. Look at those who now tell us that the gospel is a failure. They are in the line of those whose principal object has been to refute all that went before them. If any of you shall live fifty years, you will see that the philosophy of today will be a football of contempt for the philosophy of that period. I have to say, with Paul, "What if some did not believe?" It is no new thing; for there have always been some who rejected the revelation of God. What then? You and I had better go on believing, and testing for ourselves, and proving the faithfulness of God. The gospel is no failure, as many of us know.

2. Has God failed to keep His promise to Israel because some Israelites did not believe? Paul Nays, No. He did bring Israel into the promised land, though all but two that came out of Egypt died through unbelief in the wilderness. A nation came up from their ashes, and God kept His covenant with His ancient people; and today He is keeping it. The "chosen seed of Israel's race" is "a remnant, weak and small"; but the day is coming when then they shall be gathered in; then shall also be the fulness of the Gentiles when Israel has come to own her Lord.

3. Because some do not believe, will God's promise therefore fail to be kept to those who do believe? I invite you to come and try. When two of John's disciples inquired of Jesus where He dwelt, He said to them, "Come and see." If any here will try Christ, as I tried Him, they will not tolerate a doubt. One said that she believed the Bible because she was acquainted with the Author of it, and you will believe the gospel if you are acquainted with the Saviour who brings it.

4. Will God be unfaithful to His Son if some do not believe? I thank God that I have no fear about that. "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." Suppose that you wickedly say, "We will not have Christ to reign over us." If you think that you will rob Him of honour by your rejection, you make a great mistake. If you will not have Him, others will. This word shall yet become true, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ," etc.

5. If some do not believe, will God change the gospel to suit them? Ought we to change our preaching because of "the spirit of the age"? Never; unless it be to fight "the spirit of the age" more desperately than ever. We ask for no terms between Christ and His enemies except these, unconditional surrender to Him. The gospel cannot be altered to your taste; therefore alter yourself so as to meet its requirements.

III. AN INDIGNANT REPLY to this horrible inference.

1. Paul gives a solemn negative: "God forbid!" All the opponents of the gospel cannot move it by a hair's breadth; they cannot injure a single stone of this Divine building.

2. He utters a vehement protestation: "Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar." You know that if the majority goes in a particular direction, you are apt to say, "It must be so, for everybody says so." But what everybody says is not therefore true. If God says one thing, and every man in the world says another, God is true, and all men are false. God speaks the truth, and cannot lie. We are to believe God's truth if nobody else believes it.

3. He uses a Scriptural argument. He quotes what David had said in the Fifty-first Psalm," That Thou mightest be justified in Thy sayings, and mightest overcome when Thou art judged."(1) God will be justified in everything that He has said. God shall also be justified when He judges and condemns men.

(2) A very startling expression is used here: "That Thou mightest overcome when Thou art judged." Think of this enormous evil; here are men actually trying to judge the Divine judgments, and to sit as if they were the god of God. Still the verdict will be in God's favour. It would be proved that He had neither said anything untrue, nor done anything unjust. Conclusion:

1. I want the Lord's people to be brave about the things of God. There has been too much of yielding, and apologising, and compromising.

2. If you are opposed to God, I beseech you give up your opposition at once. This battle cannot end well for you unless you yield yourself to God.

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