Too Big 'a Eat

Rodney Allen Rippy was a kid in the '70's known for his Jack in the Box commercials. This cute little kid looks at one of those big hamburgers (because he is, after all, a little kid) and says, "Too big 'a eat."

I look at Romans and sometimes think the very same thing. Take, for instance, Romans 3. This passage is huge. Look at the 19th through the 26th verses and you will find just three sentences. Just three. And the second sentence begins with "But", so, in essence, we are really looking at one ... long ... run-on sentence. Way to go, Paul. To be fair, Greek didn't follow English rules for spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure, but, still, this really seems to be "too big 'a eat."

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.

This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom 3:19-26)

In the first part of the chapter (Rom 3:1-18), Paul rounds out the whole last two chapters of the intense accusation of sin against all mankind -- the "bad news" that began back in Romans 1:18. Here he turns the corner and starts the Gospel, the good news introduced in Romans 1:16 -- the power of God for salvation. So he starts with "Now", clearly a change of direction.

First he makes it clear that the law won't save anyone. Law doesn't save; it condemns. In verse 21 he begins, "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law." A change -- "but". The change? The righteousness of God made plain in a different way. In what way? "Through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe." Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Because the problem is clear -- "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

I know you've heard that before. Were you aware that it's not a complete sentence? Were you aware it's in the middle of a sentence? See? "Too big 'a eat."

So we have the universality of sin and the righteousness of God manifested through faith in Christ for all who believe. That is, all who believe have their sin problem fixed. (That does not mean that all have their sin problem fixed; just those who believe.) Paul concludes, "This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed." So between the sin problem and this conclusion, something shows God's righteousness in passing over former sins. What is that?

God showed His righteousness by putting His Son forward as a propitiation -- an appeasement -- by His blood. That's the "what". In that blood appeasement of His righteous wrath He demonstrated His amazing righteousness by being both just and justifier. God did not have to wink at sin. He didn't have to cease to be Just. Nor did He have to surrender either grace or mercy. In the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf God demonstrated Himself to be both just and gracious and merciful.

All this from three sentences. You see, if you don't chew carefully, it really might seem too big 'a eat.