Spin the Sin

But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come? Their condemnation is just.
(Romans 3:7-8 – ESV)

Paul restates the objection so as have this imaginary (but all too real) objector take the point to what they think is the obvious conclusion. But the real conclusion is that God is just, not them. “I just don’t understand, and well then, why not just do whatever we want?” People try and spin the sin and say it isn’t what it is. They try and play games with God’s Word twisting it like a pretzel. It is just like when Paul answers the questions about God sovereignty in later chapters. Liken this to the person who when told of God sovereignty they say, “well then why do anything?” All this does is show the wickedness in their hearts not the injustice of God, and as Paul says their condemnation is just. He has shown us how far it goes. Everybody has sin and everyone makes excuses, even the most patently ridiculous kinds like admitting there is a God while still putting Him on trial for His actions. Of course what some people are trying to do is justify in their own minds that there cannot be a God, because they like being blind (John 3:19).

They were slandering Paul’s message. How often do we begin to know some deep truth but on the surface it may seem like a contradictory thing? There is much in the world that reflects this idea. There are things that children just aren’t ready to deal with and yet they are perfectly suitable for those that can handle them like driving a car. Ever known someone who took a little bit of knowledge and it was like the proverbial monkey with a machine gun? It is like those that are educated beyond their intellect and wisdom, they have too much of a good thing. Your kids ever come home from school with some new fact and think they are smarter than you? Responsibility without maturity is disaster; power without respect is dangerous.

Some of God’s truths are necessarily hard and this is why we must study hard (2 Peter 3:16 / 2 Timothy 2:15 / Hebrews 5:13-14). There are those that would try and say “well then if we are justified by faith, if it is a free gift, if we are forgiven of every sin, well then lets live it up right?” Well that is just playing games with God. Yes, God accepts us as we are but He doesn’t leave us there. We haven’t arrived but we’ve left where we were. Sanctification is the fruit of the justification tree. Those that are saved will glorify His name, not give Him blame.

The problem with those that would try and twist God’s truth is that they fail to see the righteousness of God and the beauty of His plan. We need to just admit it, we are unrighteous compared to God, but He in His grace overflowing to us will give us the kingdom. Now even if we were good little boys and girls why would we deserve the power and the kingdom of God? We wouldn’t, and God makes it easy for us to differentiate between Him and us by this vast Creation, because we realize we could not create all this, and we can easily discern that we all stink compared to Him so that we can see we need Him. He illustrates His righteousness by our unrighteousness and His power by our lack of power. But people explain it away by saying that because there is sin that there must not be a God, or by saying He must not be just. Can you now see just how ridiculous that is? God is real and He loves you, so stop making excuses, they are lame. Paul will continue to unravel the mystery of God’s perfect plan to give us, who don’t deserve it, everything. Don’t you see your sin, and don’t you want more than this world has to offer? God is willing to give it all to you, but if you don’t want Him, you are not left with much of an alternative. Don’t play games with God.