Romans 3:8 - That Good May Come

Romans 3:8 - And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.

Message: The continued saga of man's contention that God's ways are dependent upon man's ways.

Time: Paul probably wrote Romans between A.D. 57-58 while he was at Corinth in the home of his friend and convert Gaius. He planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money from the Gentile churches to the poor in Jerusalem. Then he hoped to visit Rome on his way to Spain. His hopes were later realized, but not as he had expected. When he finally arrived in Rome in early A.D. 60, he was a prisoner under house arrest (Acts 28:11-31).

What the Lord is Saying:

Fifth Objection
This builds off of verse 7, "But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner." Man is looking for an out to being judged. And even more here, man is looking for an out to be able to keep sinning. 

It is funny because this is what a Mormon said to me once. He stated I hold to the once saved, always saved belief where a person only has to accept Jesus into their heart and then they can do anything that they wanted. But, there he combined bad doctrine with bad doctrine to make a conclusion. It is slander that salvation by grace means then a person can just keep on sinning.

It is true that the idea of salvation by grace lends itself to this idea.

Paul's response to the objection
In this fifth and final objection, Paul answers it, not with a refute, but states that the condemnation of the evil one who sins repeatedly and repeatedly plays word games with God is just. This is the response of all of the antagonists complaints to Paul and ultimately to God, that we don't play word games with God. It is not man that makes God more righteous. Man's guilt and God's position as righteous judge stand in separate corners. God can excuse man not because of anything that man has done, but through what Jesus has done. Paul will expand upon this further in Chapter 6. 

Conclusion: How we converse with people
I think what is interesting is that Paul in these verses recognizes the ease at which people can misconstrue the Gospel and he also readily recognizes how defensive people will get when they are told that they have not done nor can they ever do anything to merit God's acceptance. Man is a proud person and is proud of the works he has performed. Often the cars we drive, the houses we live in, the things we purchase, the lifestyles we have, are our way of showcasing the hard work that we have performed in our life. If these things display this, then why can't also my eternal life in Christ. living for eternity in heaven, be the showcase of my good deeds? Thus, the Christian needs to never belittle the thinking of the person struggling to make this understanding and connection. Man is very susceptible to this thinking because everywhere he is trained in this thinking. It is pervasive in man's life.

As ambassadors of the gospel of Christ we need to be extra sensitive to the life of the unbeliever and be clear what the Gospel says but never belittle the thinking of the person our conversation is hopefully benefiting.

Promise: The Gospel can be be misunderstood. But the Gospel cannot be changed. It is offensive and must consistently be communicated.