Romans 3 part 1

Are people really good at heart?

Romans 3:1-20

I would like to continue with our new series on the book of Romans.

This book is considered Paul’s masterpiece, a very well-constructed summary of Christian Theology.

Considered by many one of the most important books ever written on the Christian faith.

Today we are on the third chapter of Romans.

Are people really good at heart?

I hear this question from time to time by different people,

Paul heard a few questions during his days, some he answered, some he ignored, but he brought clarity to us, as he writes this letter to the church in Rome, this is an opportunity we have to line up our beliefs with the word of God.

Rom 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

This letter was not intended to be read a few verses a week, but in its entirety, so please allow me to remind us of what we read in the last few weeks, and show you where we are going.

Romans is a message that all people everywhere have access to the riches of God’s grace in Christ Jesus, as they respond in faith to the gospel.

We can divide the book of Romans this way

On Chapter 1, We began by presenting the Gospel.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Rom 1:17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

1:18 -2 God’s judgement is against gentiles , the self-righteous, and the religious self-righteous.

3 :1-20 His judgment is against everyone who sins.

Are people really good at heart?

Let our loving Father answer this question for us today.

Lets pray

Luk 15:11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.

Luk 15:12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

Luk 15:13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

Luk 15:14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.

Luk 15:15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.

Luk 15:16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

Luk 15:17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!

Luk 15:18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

Luk 15:19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.'

Luk 15:20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Luk 15:21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

Luk 15:22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Luk 15:23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and

celebrate.

Luk 15:24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

Luk 15:25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.

Luk 15:26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.

Luk 15:27 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

Luk 15:28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.

Luk 15:29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

Luk 15:30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

Luk 15:31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

Luk 15:32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

The father was a loving, giving, and forgiving father, the sons, the younger looks more like a gentile and the older like a Pharisee, neither one knew their father, both were sinners.

There are a few rhetorical questions that Paul will ask and answer during this passage we are about to read.

1 Is there any advantage in being a Jew?

Rom 3:1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?

Rom 3:2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.

Jews were entrusted with the word the oracles of God, no one else, what a great privilege, to have the word of God and be able to read the word is a great blessing, but if you don’t practice it, if we don’t apply the word to our lives, it will do us no good.

Remember the Jews had the entire Old Testament available to them.

2 Does my unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?

Rom 3:3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness?

Rom 3:4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."

This was written by David in Psalms 51:4 God’s word will always be true

Psa 51:4 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.

It is a question, but no, our behavior will not nullify the words or the character of God.

Whatever you do, you are responsible for. Good or bad. The gospel is for everyone who believes in it and receives it, they will be saved.

Just because I say I don’t believe in God , and I’m not interested in being saved , my unbelief doesn’t nullify Gods word, it just sentences me to hell.

3 If my unrighteousness, brings out God’s righteousness, is God unjust in bringing his wrath on us ?

Rom 3:5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)

Rom 3:6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?

God is always just, always faithful.

4 Does my falsehood, my lies enhance God’s truth?

Rom 3:7 Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?"

It doesn’t enhance God’s truth, but we can clearly see what is false.

If My lies enhance Gods truthfulness

Rom 3:8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

We are no help to God, to ourselves or anyone else by lying or being false, doing evil will never bring good, our condemnation is just.

5 through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Next time you are sharing the Gospel with someone who believes that they are good enough, that they do no harm to anyone, That they work hard for the good of others, so they don’t need to repent of their sins, remind them of what God, has to say.

I had a few friends who believed they were better than the Christians they knew, just because they were comparing themselves by the works they did. It doesn’t work when you bring it before God.

Years ago I was listening to a evangelist named Ray Comfort, and he used this illustration

If you are riding on an airplane that at some point during your journey is going down, is going to crash, you don’t pass parachutes around telling the passengers that this will make your ride more comfortable, or that will make you feel better, you need to tell them, that your only chance of surviving this trip and getting out of this airplane, is if you have your parachute on, the plane is going down, without your parachute you will die.

They will feel much better wearing the parachute! The Gospel is not for you to feel better or be more comfortable, is to save you from death.

Rom 3:9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.

Rom 3:10 As it is written and forever remains written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS [none that meets God's standard], NOT EVEN ONE.

Rom 3:11 "THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO

SEEKS FOR GOD.

Spiritual things

Rom 3:12 "ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE."

Here is where this was written

Psalm 14:1

The [spiritually ignorant] fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed repulsive and unspeakable deeds; There is no one who does good.

Psa 14:2 The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the children of men To see if there are any who understand (act wisely), Who [truly] seek after God, [longing for His wisdom and guidance].

Psa 14:3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

Rom 3:13 "THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE; THEY [habitually] DECEIVE WITH THEIR TONGUES." "THE VENOM OF ASPS IS BENEATH THEIR LIPS."

Psa 140:2 They devise evil things in their hearts; They continually [gather together and] stir up wars.

Psa 140:3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent's; Poison of a viper is under their lips.

Rom 3:14 "THEIR MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS."

Psa 10:3 For the wicked boasts and sings the praises of his heart's desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns [and even despises] the LORD.

Psa 10:7 His mouth is full of curses and deceit (fraud) and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness [injustice and sin].

Rom 3:15 "THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,

Rom 3:16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,

Rom 3:17 AND THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THE PATH OF PEACE."

Isaiah

Rom 3:18 "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD [and His awesome power] BEFORE THEIR EYES."

Psa 36:1 For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Psa 36:2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.

This whole presentation was about us, without God, without Jesus we are lost and condemn. I remember listening to some lectures by Dr Jim wilder, a brain researcher, and he said we are all wired the same way depending on our choices we can be a saints in Christ, or a predators.

We are not created any different than your most despised serial killer on tv, his choices got him there, your choices got you here, our Traumas and fears lead us into a double life if we don’t deal with them.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Rom 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Next week we will be talking about the grace of God,

Loren Cunningham was a great friend, he dedicated his life to preach the Gospel, He listen to great commission.

Mat 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

You can not fulfill the great commission without observing the greatest commandment, Loren Cunningham.

And committed his life to fulfill the great commission, and he open the doors for all his friends to go with him, that’s how I came to Hawaii, and to many other places around the world, thank You Loren !

Are people really good at heart?

1 Is there any advantage to be a Jew?

2 Does my unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?

3 Does my unrighteousness, makes God’s righteousness more clearly?

4 Does my falsehood enhance God’s truth?

5 through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Have you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? Let me give you an opportunity to do so.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Joh 3:16

To receive Him we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be your Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner, I’m sorry for my sins, I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke itand said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1Co 11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks thiscup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Heb 9:14 dead works, acts, sins

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amene.