The text below is based on Pastor David Jang’s sermon manuscript on Romans 3:1-8. However, the content is organized under two major thematic headings, dealing more richly with the passage’s meaning, the theodicy issue, and the essence of the gospel. The main flow of the message revolves around the significance of the Apostle Paul’s argument and the important theological topic derived from it—namely, “misunderstandings about God and the responsibility of sin.” In addition to the content presented in the original text, this expanded treatment includes Old Testament and New Testament references, as well as church historical and theological implications.
1. Paul’s Argument and the Problem of Theodicy
Preaching on Romans 3:1-8, Pastor David Jang emphasizes that the primary issue in this passage is closely linked to the problem of theodicy. Theodicy refers to the defense or explanation of how an all-knowing, all-powerful, and good God can permit evil, sin, and injustice to exist in the world. It addresses how one might “defend” God’s righteousness and lack of fault when viewed from humanity’s perspective of suffering and wrongdoing. Consequently, this question has always troubled believers and has often caused unbelievers to question or reject God.
In the passage, the Apostle Paul raises and answers the question of the Jewish people’s privilege—“What advantage does the Jew have?” Throughout their history, the Israelites boasted of their special covenant and the Law granted to them, carrying a proud sense of being the chosen people passed down from Moses. “Circumcision,” in particular, was a powerful sign marking them as “God’s holy people.” Yet, at the end of Romans 2, Paul declares that external circumcision alone does not guarantee true status as “God’s people.” Even if they had received the Law, if they failed to keep it, they would be subject to a heavier condemnation than any Gentile. This shocking teaching triggered an immediate backlash among the Jews: “Then what’s the point of all the privileges we’ve enjoyed? Are you saying circumcision itself is invalid?”
Pastor David Jang observes that this Jewish backlash aligns with a theodicy-related question: “If God chose us, yet we ended up breaking the Law through sin, doesn’t that mean God Himself failed?” In other words, human beings tend not only to make excuses for their sin but also to shift responsibility onto God. This tendency stretches all the way back to Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve, after sinning, tried to blame one another and ultimately God for their wrongdoing.
In verse 3 of our text, Paul poses the question, “What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” That is, “If some or many among God’s covenant people, the Jews, lack faith and disobey, does that cause God’s faithfulness to be null and void?” Pastor David Jang suggests that this question recalls the kind of theodicy-based protests that might have arisen in the early church: If God is omniscient and never regrets His choice, why would His chosen people end up disobeying and facing judgment? Did God choose the wrong people, or did He simply fail to safeguard them?
Paul’s answer is resolute: “By no means!” (v. 4). He insists that God is never unrighteous, mistaken, or unfaithful to His covenant. “Let God be true though everyone were a liar” means that though humans have countless excuses, God’s absolute truth and faithfulness are never shaken. Pastor David Jang highlights the phrase, “Let God be true though everyone were a liar,” referencing David’s psalm of repentance in Psalm 51:4. After David’s sin with Bathsheba, he prays, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” This shows that no matter how great human sin may be, it cannot tarnish God’s righteousness.
So why did God not prevent the Jews’ disobedience that led to judgment in advance? Or why did He not stop the Fall from happening at all? This is the most common and fundamental question in theodicy. Pastor David Jang provides the answer in the concept of a “free and loving relationship.” God gave humans free will so that they could freely respond to His love. Without free will, we would only have mechanical obedience and automated compliance. Yet love’s authenticity is never fulfilled by coercion or programming.
Further, some people argue, “If humanity’s Fall was God’s will, does that not mean He planned evil?” or they ask, “If Judas had not betrayed Jesus, how could the work of the cross have been accomplished? So doesn’t that make Judas a contributor to God’s plan of salvation?” Pastor David Jang explains that Paul addresses these ultimate questions. In verses 7-8, Paul writes: “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?” Paul sternly replies, “Their condemnation is just!” (v. 8).
Examining the true intent of these verses, if God had “pre-planned human evil” in order to achieve good, then those who commit evil would have served as “instruments used to fulfill God’s will.” They might even take pride in that. But Paul flatly rejects such twisted logic. Under no circumstances can humanity evade responsibility for sin, nor can we blame God for its origin.
Pastor David Jang further illustrates this with the story of Joseph in Genesis. Joseph was hated by his brothers, thrown into a pit, and sold into slavery in Egypt—a period of intense suffering. His brothers clearly acted with “evil intent” when they sold him. This was never a virtuous deed, nor was it a preordained necessity that God forced. But God, in the midst of this evil, upheld Joseph and eventually placed him second in command over Egypt so that many nations would be saved from famine. When his brothers trembled before him later, Joseph said, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive” (Genesis 50:20).
In this way, God transforms human evil into good, rather than planning evil itself. His sovereignty is powerful enough to overcome evil and turn it into good. This truth provides a response to the theodicy question. Ultimately, from a human standpoint, sin and evil result from the misuse of free will. It is exclusively God who can transform that evil outcome into something good. Yet it is a dangerous heresy to conclude, “The Fall was God’s will,” or “Evil had to occur in order for good to emerge”—precisely the argument Paul firmly denounces.
Pastor David Jang challenges us to note how Paul directs this message to the Jewish members in and around the Roman church. Paul had once persecuted Christ out of zeal for the Law, but after encountering Christ, “everything changed.” He gained insight into the true meaning of the Law and the significance of Christ’s cross in atoning for humanity’s sin. In light of that love, human sin never aligns with God’s will, nor is it something God “forced” or “orchestrated.” Our disobedience is solely humanity’s responsibility. God continues to yearn for our salvation in love, even offering Himself to restore us.
Thus, the rhetorical Q&A in verses 1-8—“Does the failure of the Jews invalidate God’s faithfulness?” “If evil reveals God’s goodness, can evil be considered necessary?”—ends with the forceful refrain: “By no means!” God is always faithful and righteous, sin and evil are wholly man’s responsibility, and yet God is so magnificent that He can even turn our evil into good. The Jews, in receiving this message, needed to reevaluate their attitude of pride in the Law and repent for having failed to live according to God’s will, for having resisted yielding their freedom to God in love and obedience.
This is where the theodicy answer lies: “Why doesn’t God immediately judge the wicked?” “Why has He allowed history to persist with so much rampant sin?” These questions, in the final analysis, place blame on God from a human viewpoint. Pastor David Jang states that Paul’s response—“By no means!”—isn’t merely about defending God logically, but rather about affirming God’s character of boundless love and justice.
In other words, is it God’s fault if someone fails to become part of His covenant people? Absolutely not. Instead, we should examine ourselves. “I lacked faith; I disobeyed; I was unjust in God’s Word.” If we begin to protest, “Why didn’t You stop me, God?” or “Wasn’t it all predestined?” then no one will find the right path. Such a mindset gravely misunderstands the God of love and represents the very sort of misused predestination or distorted theodicy that Paul vehemently rejects.
2. The Essence of the Gospel: Those Who Have Received “Circumcision of the Heart” and True Faith
Along with the discussion of theodicy, Pastor David Jang also emphasizes another crucial theme in Romans 3:1-8—the essence of the gospel. In Romans 2:28-29, Paul proclaims, “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart—by the Spirit, not by the letter.” This remarkable statement shatters the foundation of Israel’s traditional idea of being God’s chosen people.
Pastor David Jang clarifies that Paul is not merely asserting “the uselessness of circumcision,” but rather questioning where “genuine circumcision, authentic faith, and obedience truly begin.” The Jews had considered the mark of circumcision a sign of inheriting Abraham’s covenant, thereby formalizing themselves as “covenant people.” But Paul cautions, “If you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision” (Rom. 2:25). In other words, failing to keep the Law nullifies any outward sign, regardless of its physical mark.
Yet Paul does not deny the value of circumcision outright. In Romans 3:1-2, he explicitly states, “What advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.” Pastor David Jang applies this to the contemporary church, saying that receiving Christian baptism is of the same nature. Baptism is certainly not a meaningless rite but is a vitally important ceremony by which we publicly confess our faith in Christ—expressing that “I have been buried and raised with the Lord.” The problem is when it devolves into “mere form.”
As Paul notes later in Romans 9, the Jews received “adoption” (Rom. 9:4), “the covenants” (Rom. 9:4), “the giving of the law” (Rom. 9:4), and “the promises” (Rom. 9:4), and Christ came from their very lineage (Rom. 9:5). These are extraordinary privileges. Likewise, today, someone baptized in the church or born into a Christian family—thereby living the faith somewhat naturally—has received significant conditions of grace as a gift. The key question is whether one’s privilege is merely a “boast without action” or, alternatively, if one’s life truly is given to God, demonstrating the “circumcision of the heart” and an inward faith.
Pastor David Jang draws attention to Jeremiah 31:33: “For this is the covenant that I will make… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts… I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” This is the type of covenant relationship God truly desires. Instead of circumcision cut on the flesh, the focus must be on circumcision etched deeply into one’s heart, moving beyond outward practices toward obedience in the Spirit. Prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied, “I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh… I will put my Spirit within you” (cf. Ezek. 36:26).
Paul repeats this line of teaching in Galatians, Philippians, and Colossians. In the Galatian church, Jewish believers insisted that Gentile Christians must receive physical circumcision to be “truly saved.” Paul rebukes them severely, writing in Philippians 3:2, “Look out for the dogs… those who mutilate the flesh,” calling them the “false circumcision” (NASB) and asserting, “we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3). He uses scathing terms—“look out for the dogs”—to warn against those who cling only to external circumcision.
In Colossians 2:11 and following, he highlights the “circumcision made without hands” by Christ. Rather than fixating on a physical ritual, Paul states, “having been buried with him in baptism… you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God” (Col. 2:12). Theologically, this points to the doctrine of union with Christ: dying and rising with Him. Pastor David Jang explains that “visible signs are meant to be an external expression of the inner transformation,” and that these signs themselves do not determine everything.
Paul applies this argument directly to the Jews in Romans 2 and 3. He insists, “Do not simply boast in being the chosen people because of outward circumcision. That is not the essence. True repentance and faith in the heart must precede that. Then circumcision becomes meaningful and effective.” He warns that if one fails to keep God’s Law and profanes His name, even circumcision is counted as uncircumcision, while a person without physical circumcision who nevertheless keeps the Law may be more righteous before God (cf. Rom. 2:25-27).
Such teaching was shocking enough that people would respond, “So what’s the point of our circumcision and our long tradition with the Law? Is it all useless?” Paul replies, “No, not at all. There is an advantage. You were entrusted with the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:2). However, that advantage and privilege only have true value “when you are faithful to the essence.” If you fail to uphold that privilege and instead bring dishonor to God’s name through unbelief, your privilege may become grounds for even greater judgment.
Pastor David Jang challenges us to apply this lesson to the church today. Our baptism, lengthy track record of faith, church roles, and theological knowledge are undeniably precious gifts of grace. But if they become mere external boasts, what good are they? As Paul points out, even non-believers (in his day, the Gentiles) with good conscience and moral behavior might well put professing Christians to shame if the latter merely play religious games. That is the warning: “The one who is uncircumcised yet keeps the requirements of the law will condemn you” (Rom. 2:27).
So where lies the essence of the gospel? Paul repeatedly states in his letters, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11, etc.). Our salvation is never the product of human merit or outward ritual but is granted solely by grace, through genuine faith in the redemptive death and resurrection of Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). Nonetheless, this does not render all outward signs “completely worthless.” Pastor David Jang clarifies that “signs serve as external symbols of an inward reality, and ceremonies like baptism are the means by which we confirm our spiritual state before God and the church community.”
Yet the sign—whether circumcision or baptism—is not the essence itself. The core is the “circumcision of the heart,” i.e., inner transformation through the Holy Spirit, genuine repentance, and living in the love of God and neighbor, reflecting the life of Christ. The life of love, humility, service, and grace that Jesus modeled must be our top priority in our walk of faith. Pastor David Jang warns, “Merely believing that circumcision or baptism guarantees your salvation, or that your long history of church service makes you righteous, is a grave misunderstanding.”
Additionally, Romans 3 raises another question: “If our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, isn’t our sin helpful after all?” which degenerates into the absurd logic, “Let us do evil so that good may come” (Rom. 3:8). Paul dismisses it: “Their condemnation is just.” Even if our sins sometimes highlight God’s glory, no one should claim that “my sin was actually good” because it “showed off God’s grace.” That reasoning utterly distorts the essence of the gospel.
Ultimately, the core truth Paul expounds in Romans is: “Our salvation never begins in us. It arises solely from the sacrificial cross of Christ, and we receive it by faith, allowing the Holy Spirit to operate within us and lead us to be circumcised in the heart.” Pastor David Jang emphasizes that such teaching tears down all legalistic formalism and powerfully underscores God’s integrity regarding the problem of evil. God does not plan evil for us; rather, He created us with full freedom and redeems our evil choices through the cross. Our fall does not invalidate His sovereignty or love. On the contrary, it highlights how magnificent that love truly is—a love that can “turn evil into good.”
In Romans 3:1-8, through questions like “What benefit is there in being a Jew?” “Does their unbelief mean God has failed?” “If our injustice shows God’s righteousness, is our sin then beneficial?” Paul demonstrates that God remains righteous and faithful, while human unbelief and ignorance are ultimately futile. Pastor David Jang repeatedly illuminates Paul’s forceful conclusion: “By no means!” We must renounce our superficial, ritualistic approach to religion and instead receive a true “circumcision of the heart.”
From the standpoint of theodicy, the question, “Why did God allow evil to persist?” is essentially the same as asking, “Why didn’t God create me as a puppet?” Love cannot exist without freedom. God wanted our voluntary response. Although He honored human freedom, we chose sin, and we cannot evade that responsibility. Simultaneously, by sending Jesus to pay our penalty on the cross, God secured that our fall would not overthrow His love or sovereignty. In fact, He reveals that He is the great and loving God who can transform even the darkest evil into ultimate good.
Hence, we face the same predicament as did “those chosen Jews who did not live up to their calling” or “today’s nominal believers who outwardly accept the gospel yet lack transformation in their lives.” Paul’s message—and Pastor David Jang’s sermon—calls us to repent and decide. Without the circumcision of the heart, merely going through religious motions is not “genuine gospel life,” and trying to shift blame to God with statements like “It was all God’s plan anyway” is absolutely forbidden.
Pastor David Jang summarizes this as the “recovery of the essence of the gospel.” The essence of the gospel declares that human sin and disobedience stem solely from humanity, and that in spite of this, God remains infinitely faithful. He gave Himself on the cross to restore sinners, and by the Holy Spirit, He changes our hearts so that anyone who genuinely repents and believes will be saved. If we have received this grace, we are called to live in a way that is worthy of it. That is the lifestyle of the “circumcised in heart.”
In summary, the overarching lessons of Romans 3:1-8 are as follows:
- Humans, in their sinful condition, easily misunderstand God and try to shift the blame for sin onto Him. This has been the case since Genesis.
- Nevertheless, God never abandons His faithfulness. No one can shake that faithfulness, nor can human unbelief derail God’s plan.
- If you treat your outward religious rites (e.g., circumcision) or your long-standing church membership as sources of self-righteousness, you repeat the same error for which Paul rebuked the Jews.
- True gospel faith is “believing in your heart unto righteousness and confessing with your mouth unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10). This involves a “circumcision made without hands,” a genuine inward transformation by the Holy Spirit.
- The foolish argument that “evil increases God’s glory, so evil is beneficial” is absolutely condemned. Though God can transform evil for good, that does not absolve human responsibility for sin.
Pastor David Jang reminds us that while this message was first addressed to the Jews of two thousand years ago, it remains equally relevant to all Christians today. Only by breaking our “misunderstandings about God” can we experience the “freedom by the gospel” (Rom. 8:2) that Paul proclaims in Romans. Before we ask the theodicy question—“Why does God allow the world to be in such a state?”—we must ask ourselves, “Have I truly received the circumcision of the heart?” and “Am I genuinely living by faith?”
If we ever say, “Surely I’m safe—I received baptism and have attended church for decades,” we are no different from the Jews protesting Paul’s rebuke: “Then what advantage did we have?” The honor of being called a Christian is confirmed through a life that exalts God’s name. If unbelievers see our lives and conclude, “Indeed, your gospel is true,” we show ourselves to be authentically circumcised in heart. But if the sins and hypocrisy within the church lead unbelievers to say, “Because of you, God’s name is blasphemed,” then we are no better than outwardly circumcised Jews.
Therefore, the central point Pastor David Jang repeatedly stresses throughout his exposition of Romans 3:1-8 is clear: “Receive the circumcision of the heart!” Only then can our souls wholeheartedly identify with Paul’s confession, “Let God be true though everyone were a liar.” If we remain stuck in our sin, merely using terms like “God’s omnipotence” or “God’s predestination” to justify ourselves, we disregard the essence of faith and forsake genuine life transformation.
Furthermore, without heartfelt repentance and faith, any theoretical answer to the “problem of theodicy” remains abstract. One might conclude, “God works in mysterious ways,” but this does not lead to a passionate trust in God or a sincere proclamation of the gospel. However, those who share in Paul’s testimony—“I was the chief of sinners, yet I was justified by the grace of Jesus Christ”—never exploit the theodicy question for self-justification. Instead, they humble themselves and glorify God. They shun evil, choose good, and gratefully acknowledge the grandeur of human freedom.
That is why Paul’s discussion of “Jewish privilege and unbelief” merges with this theodicy theme, culminating in the resounding refrain: “By no means!” We must stop any attempt to shift the origin of sin onto God and reject the contradictory notion of multiplying sin to magnify God’s grace. The authenticity of our salvation in Christ is revealed when our lives are transformed through the “circumcision of the heart.”
Considering the background of this passage, its theodicy implications, and our need to become “circumcised in heart,” we have also noted relevant references from both the Old and New Testaments, as well as the context of the early church’s conflicts. Ultimately, the central truth we must remember is crystal clear: “All humans may be liars, but God is always true, and His love is so great that He can even turn our abuse of free will and sin into good—yet this never justifies our sin.” We therefore realize that nothing outward alone can guarantee anything. We must repent sincerely and become “inward” believers. This is the reality behind Paul’s bold cry, “By no means!” and it is Pastor David Jang’s core message in his sermon on Romans 3:1-8.
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