Romans 3:4

Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written:

"So that you may be proved right when you speak

and prevail when you judge."

(v4, NIV)

Paul presents the objection that his listeners may have. He was recently downplaying any advantage Jews may have in the last chapter. However, in the beginning of the chapter he addresses their first objection. This first objection has to do with the fact that what Paul has been saying seems to nullify the whole Old Testament. In order to deal with this Paul mentions the first advantage that Jews have, which is that they have been entrusted with the words of God. This next objection is about Paul's answer. Paul seems to have entered a contradiction because it seems as if he's supporting two opposing ideas. Paul's point brings up the situation where some Jews did not have faith. Paul addresses the Jews and the Old Testament in showing his objectors that Paul can say what he has said because God's judgment on the Jews does not nullify God's faithfulness.

Maybe I didn't explain it well enough. In chapter two, Paul speaks of how Jews are hypocrites and their circumcision becomes uncircumcision when they break the law. However, how does this make sense since the Jews are God's chosen people? It's not as if it means nothing to be a Jew. There are advantages to being a Jew and one of them is the fact that God entrusted them with his words. However, there still seems to be a contradiction because of some of the things God says about his chosen people in the Old Testament. If God said some things about the Jews in the Old Testament, how can they be judged and their circumcision undone? If God gave them this law and they followed it, how can God still be faithful in the words he has said? Paul immediately discounts this possibility. God is faithful. Even if everyone in the entire world were saying something completely different, they would all be liars and God would be the only one speaking the truth. He is still righteous and faithful. God is righteous in his judgment upon us. If every man is lost, God is still true. His sending each and every one of us does not discount his character and he loses nothing. He doesn't need us or lean on us for anything.