The Unrighteousness of Man - (Part 2)

MAY 24, 2023 STUDY NOTES ROMANS 3:9-20 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES THE UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OF MAN---(PART 2) Rom 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: A mouth stuffed with “cursing,” indicating that which is continual, a normal thing Which today is so often witnessed, and no longer limited to the mouth of a man When I was young you only heard men cursing in public, and sometimes apologizing Now cursing is heard from men and women and from youth with no apologies But the word “cursing” is not limited to profanity, it is speech wishing evil upon others Cursing is either blaming God for something in your life that you did not desire to happen Or desiring that God do something in some one’s life that they don’t desire to happen Cursing is speech with the intent to harm, hurt, abuse, or even destroy others Publicly expressing a desire for the worst to happen to someone, hostility toward them, Psa 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. James identifies the source, Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. “Bitterness” is sharp, penetrating, painful words filled with animosity and anger toward others Bitterness is a heart of irritability, a mind of revenge, and a tongue filled with venom Which Christians are to get rid of, Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: Christians can overcome “bitterness” through the grace of God Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Through the grace of God, we can overcome bitterness Which reveals that our testimony can either be that of bitterness or the grace of God Christians must not allow bitterness to take root and bring forth fruit The fruit of bitterness is trouble that will defile many The testimony of a Christian can be an influence of good to many or that which defiles many Defile has the meaning of “to stain” or “to pollute,” which can be through the cursing mouth A cursing mouth will cause a problem with the “feet” Rom 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: Paul continues to use scripture from the OT, Isa 59:7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. It appears that Paul is giving us a history lesson on the subject of lost humanity “Their feet” refers to the path of life that has been traveled, their approach to daily life “Swift” tells us how eager and how fast their feet can run to accomplish their evil desires Their evil desire is “to shed blood,” the ultimate of malice and hate, telling how far evil will go How swift, and how often do we see people shedding blood today? Paul has gone back in history to bring us up to date, the news of today agrees with his report America is now facing war within, the murder of American citizens by Americans Which is taking place in public places at a “swift” pace, now daily anywhere in America Mass murder today is not limited to the large cities, small town America is now a target Page 1 of 5 The murder rate of American citizens far exceeds the death rate of American soldiers at war We have gone from the child telling their playmate, “I wish you were dead” To the youth who “are swift to shed blood,” which has been motivated by depraved adults Depraved parents who allow their children to participate in the Satanic games offered today They are found through internet, cell phones, and video games, and available 24 hours a day The Bible describes the problem our society is facing today, it is the sin nature of humanity, Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: The answer to the problem of sinful man who is swift to shed blood is not gun control The answer is not mental evaluation, it is spiritual restoration, America turning back to God Seeking God’s assessment of the problem, seeking the solution through prayer and God’s Word Allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us and illuminate the truths of the Bible to us, Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Quite a comparison to the influence of Satan and his demonic forces America needs to see the testimony of the Psalmist, Psa 119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. We need to witness the truth of that verse instead of the testimony of the next verse--- Rom 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways The path of sinful man is a destructive path, leaving a trail of pain, sorrow, and suffering Destruction describes that which has been broken into pieces and shattered A good description of the life of those who have been in the path of the sinful man The footprints of sinful man leaves a path of misery, hardship, calamity, stress, and distress Compare the feet of sinful man with the feet of those who preach the Gospel, Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! The path of the Gospel leaves a life filled with peace and glad tidings of good things So, the Gospel is the answer to the destructive and miserable path of sinful man We need to realize that sinners do not know the way of the Gospel of peace--Rom 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known: “The way of peace” has been the desire of humanity throughout the ages The path of peace is yet to be known, it is the path that the world has failed to travel The leadership of our sinful world has held many peace treaties knowing nothing about peace The history of mankind since Cain killed Abel confirms the truth that peace is not known Sinful man without Christ does not know how to live in peace with one another The words of Jeremiah are still true today, Jer 6:14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. The world continues to cry, peace, peace, because there is no peace, Isa 59:8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. Isa 48:22 There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. Isa 57:21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. It is still true today throughout the world, there is no peace, the world does not know peace Even though the mercy of God provided the way for the world to experience peace, Luk 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, The dayspring from on high that visited us is the Son of God, the Messiah who came as “Light” Luk 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet Page 2 of 5 into the way of peace. “The way of peace” with God was through the cross of Jesus, the blood of His cross We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Peace that came through the cross of Jesus, Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. But because of the ignorance and darkness of sinful humanity they did not comprehend the light, Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. The world did not recognize the way of peace had come, so the world did not experience peace Their sinful and evil way was their problem, Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. There will never be world peace until the return of the Prince of Peace When Christ returns there will be no end to peace, Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Christ is the only one who can “perform this,” sinful man will never accomplish it, Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Christ will order it, establish it, and it will last forever, “the LORD of hosts will perform this Paul states the real problem the world faces in the next verse Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. Which means more than there is no reverence toward God or caring nothing about God The meaning is there is no reverential sense of accountability toward God, Psa 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. Which is why there is no knowledge of God, Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Many today say they believe in God but live as if there were no God God is not before their eyes, God is left out of their steps of life They give no thought to the fact that they will stand before God to give an account of their life Which will be the conclusion of the whole matter, Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Sinful man does not see or believe the truth of this verse) Job saw something, we have the testimony of Job because of what we first learn about him, Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Why did Job turn from evil ways, because he feared God, reverence for God directed his life Through all the trials of Job he continually had reverence for God in his heart and upon his mind Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. When Paul says, what things soever the law says, he is referring to OT scripture as a whole His previous quotes have not come from the Ten Commandments, but various OT scripture God has spoken through His Word and His Word continues to speak to all throughout time It speaks to all mankind, all are under the law of God’s Word, which many do not agree with Page 3 of 5 They attempt to apply what God says to others but not to self, His Word is for “them” The Jews wanted to apply certain scripture unto the Gentiles and not to themselves God’s Word plainly reveals that it speaks not only to the ears, but to the mind, heart, and soul God speaks to every heart, Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) No one is exempt from heeding what God has said, which is indicated by “every mouth” That every mouth may be stopped, every mouth, no exceptions, no defense Sinful man cannot stand before God and claim innocence, he has no excuse, no defense All stand guilty as charged, Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; The scribes and Pharisees brought a sinful woman to Jesus for him to condemn her to death Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. They all silently walked away, every mouth was stopped because all stand guilty before God Joh 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. Conviction of the heart will stop the mouth, boasting and pride do not come from a guilty heart Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: When there is no excuse for sin left in the mouth, confession of sin will come from the heart “And all the world may become guilty before God” “All” without exception, including religious Jew, pagan Gentile, and self-righteous American Here “the world” stands for all humanity of all ages, “all” are accountable unto God “All” stand guilty before God because they have failed to do what is right according to God All have been sentenced, all are condemned, all are accountable unto God All stand guilty before God, and all will stand before God to give an account of their life Sinful man can attempt to present their case of not guilty, therefore there should be no penalty The defense presented is that of good character and well behaved compared to others Man’s mouth continually compares their case of goodness compared to the sins of others Paul has already presented the history of “all” sinful and lost humanity, the case is closed The verdict, Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. The penalty of sin must be paid, which sinful man cannot pay, all stand condemned, Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. “Therefore” we have the reason for the verdict of the previous case presented before God This verse gives us a good understanding of the purpose of the “Law” Paul tells us what the “Law” cannot do and then explains what it can do “By the deeds of the law” no one will be justified, made righteous and acceptable before God No one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what the Law commands But “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” man learns that he stands before God guilty of sin And because he is unable to keep the law he needs forgiveness, he needs a Savior, Gal 3:24 Page 4 of 5 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Paul has plainly shown us “The Unrighteousness of Man” in Romans 3:9-20 He will now show us “The Righteousness of God Through Faith” in Romans 3:21-31 Page 5 of 5