The Jewish Advantage

by Hugh DeLong

Text: Romans 3

Was there an advantage to being a Jew versus being a Gentile? The question here concerns the Old Testament period, and the answer is yes. The Gentile world did not have the revelation of God in a written, codified form. That meant that the Gentile world, as we read in Romans 1, had to rely on its own efforts to figure things out. As Dr. Phil would often ask: “How’s that working for you?” Answer: not very well. For the simple matter that God’s thoughts are not man’s thoughts. What man thinks falls short of and is different from the mind of God.

The Jewish revelation was God telling them what He specifically wanted. So, the biggest advantage is simply that they (as a people, a collectivity) were entrusted with the oracles of God.

But, with greater privilege and advantage comes greater responsibility! This is where the Jews failed. The rest of Romans 3 will show how many ways they failed to live up to this revealed knowledge. The conclusion then becomes “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Thus, the need for Jesus and the Gospel message that explains how we can find forgiveness through Jesus.

We have been blessed with the gospel! With that comes the responsibility and obligation to know its message and conform our thinking to its teaching. As it was stated in the Great Commission: ‘teach them to observe all that I commanded you…’ (Matthew 28:20).

As we follow Jesus, there remains the openness of forgiveness as John wrote: “But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:7-9).

Such walking in the light is not being perfect, but it does involve recognizing when we sin and repenting and confessing such to God. In this, we find forgiveness.

Are you walking in the light?