The gift we have in our salvation is so wonderful, and so multi-faceted. It is so concise and easy to understand, young children can believe it and receive it by faith. And yet, it is so rich and full of truth that we will be exploring its depths for all of eternity.

We often take our salvation for granted, especially those of us who grew up in Christian homes, having heard the gospel story since children. We seldom give a second thought to the facts of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and how they apply to us personally; we simply believe them, and are quite satisfied in that knowledge.

However, try to put yourself in the shoes of the Jews in the years following Christ’s resurrection. As faithful believers would share with them the Good News, they had a very difficult time justifying the fact that Jesus’ blood was that which the blood of every slain animal sacrifice represented since God first killed an animal for man’s sin in the Garden.

They were told that God could only be satisfied by faith in Jesus as the Lamb slain to pay for man’s sins. They presented an entirely new idea, that of faith instead of the works of keeping the Law. Their years of faithful observance of all the feasts, offerings, and requirements spelled out in the Law, were now to be replaced by faith in Jesus as the Son of God. That was a lot for them to take in.

There were some grappling with the concept who must have argued with Paul over the truth. They asked in…

Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

The nation of Israel collectively rejected Jesus as their Messiah, refusing to believe that He was actually God’s Son. They, instead, crucified Him, choosing to wait for a Messiah who more closely fit into their perception of what He should be.

Recognizing the degree of unbelief among their people, someone trying to be considerate of their position asked what would happen to this new plan since they had not believed. The inquirer knew full well that he was referring to the majority of his people by his question.
In other words, since the people for whom Christ came refused to believe in Him, is His plan of salvation by faith therefore made useless?

Paul answered the question strongly in the next verse. He wrote in verse…

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Paul did not care if every man refused to believe, God’s offer of salvation by faith would not, nor could not change. Jesus died to pay for man’s sins, and made it possible to fulfil His Father’s will that whosoever believed would be saved.