When in Romans… Recognize the Problem

Recognizing the Problem

Recognize the problem. That's our focus this week in our series When in Romans... What you believe the problem is will always determine the solution you seek. And the truth is— we're not always great at recognizing the real problem. A while back, we weren't getting heat in our main basement room. We have baseboard heating that runs off a boiler, and that room stayed cold. Now, I inherited none of my dad's handyman skills, so I did what any self-respecting Gen Z does—| called a professional. They came out, did some tests, and gave us the diagnosis: a leak in the piping system buried under the concrete foundation. To fix it? $12,000 and a torn-up basement. Needless to say, we decided to tough it out with blankets. Fast forward a few months-my wife's brother comes to visit. He's a plumber. We told him the story, and he took a look at the system. A few minutes later, he came back and said, "You don't have a leak. Your air release valve is broken. That's why you're not getting heat-air is trapped in the system." l asked, "How much to fix that?" He said, "Fifteen bucks." I was about to spend thousands of dollars and tear up my basement foundation. Here's the point: your diagnosis of the problem is going to determine your course of action, and if you get that diagnosis wrong, it can have drastic consequences.

In Romans 3, we are confronted with a problem. Paul is writing to both Jews and Gentiles in the church of Rome and he gives a diagnosis of the state of humanity. “No one is righteous.” “All have turned away.” “No one is seeking God.” “No one does good, not a single one.” Ok Paul. That seems a bit extreme. Paul isn’t mincing words. He is laying the problem of sin out right before our eyes and saying, “This is how bad the problem really is.” You see, I think two things often come to mind when we hear this text. First, we think to ourselves that this text is a diagnosis primarily aimed at the world out there. We’re like Jonah staring at the city that surrounds us and saying, “Your right God! No one is righteous. Look at how messed up our culture is out there.” We read this as a diagnosis aimed outward. Second—and this is crucial—we quietly excuse ourselves from the diagnosis. In Romans 3, Paul is laying out the reality of the diagnosis, and what Paul says here is going to challenge you because it is the exact opposite of how our modern Western world thinks. His diagnosis is severe, and yet, he lays it out because of this reality: You will never reach for the cure unless you believe the diagnosis, right? You only take medication if you believe that you have the problem that that medication can fix. In order to receive the medication of the gospel, you must come to terms with the depth of your diagnosis. And in Romans 3, we are going to explore three critical things about this diagnosis of sin: 1. The Problem is Within 2. The Problem is Deep 3. The Solution is Beyond

The Problem is Within

First, the Problem is Within.It’s crucial to understand the culture you’re living in—because whether you realize it or not, it’s shaping how you see the world, how you view yourself, and even how you think about God. We live in a culture that has elevated the self above everything else. And this didn’t happen overnight. It’s been brewing for centuries. Ever since the Enlightenment and philosopher Rene Descartes pioneered the idea, “I think therefore I am.” This was an extremely countercultural proposition because at it’s core, it was shifting the foundation of truth from God to the self. And ever since then, our culture has slowly adopted this view more and more. Suddenly, the individual started to take precedence over the community, subjective experience over outward reality. Think about phrases like “my truth”—where inner experience is more “true” - has more authority - than anything on the outside. We shouldn’t be surprised by such a statement because that’s this worldview taken to its extreme - the natural result of a culture that has elevate the self above all else. It’s all about the self.

But now take that worldview and ask the question: What’s wrong with the world? Everyone agrees something’s broken—but what’s the diagnosis? If the self is ultimate, then the problem must always be outside of me. It’s them. It’s the system. It’s the circumstances. And this is why we live in a culture where there is endless criticism with little to no personal accountability. Ironically, Christianity is often accused of being prideful and judgmental, yet a worldview built upon the self is inherently prideful and judgmental. Why? Because it says, “I’ll accept you—as long as you conform to me.” The problem is always out there. The solution is always in here.

And yet, notice Paul’s diagnosis of the problem. He says

Romans 3:9 NLT

Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.

Paul’s diagnosis is the exact opposite. The problem is not outward, but inward. You see, the Jews thought they were better than the Gentiles. They were God’s chosen people. They made their sacrifices. They gave their offerings. And as a result, they looked down on the surrounding culture, seeing the problem as “out there.” You see, being religious doesn’t excuse you from this. How often is it religious people condemning the sexual brokenness of the culture while quietly indulging in it on their own devices. Crying out against “cancel culture” while withholding forgiveness from those in their own life. Criticizing those who put their identity in their gender or political activism while placing their own identity in your appearance or achievements.

Imagine we take Paul’s words seriously. Who is under the power of sin? All people. Who is included in all? Everyone. If all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God, then how much room is there for pride and judgement of others when following Jesus? None. Absolutely none. Because the greatest problem you have is not something that is out there, but something that lives in here.

The Problem is Deep

And this is where we get to our second point. The Problem is deep. It is worse than we thought. Paul lays it out here:

Romans 3:10–18 NLT

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “They rush to commit murder. Destruction and misery always follow them. They don’t know where to find peace.” “They have no fear of God at all.”

Paul is saying—this is the state of your heart when left to itself. This is how it operates. And maybe that feels extreme. You might be thinking, “Sure, I mess up sometimes, but I’m not that bad.” That’s likely what the Jewish listeners thought too: “I struggle—but not like those people.” But isn’t that exactly what you hear from someone trapped in addiction? “I’m fine.” “I can stop anytime.” “It’s not that bad.” The truth is we don’t just sometimes do something wrong — we are addicts of sin. We crave it. We want it. And worst of all, we’re often blind to how much we indulge it. Scripture describes sin, not just as something you do, but as a ruling force. A power. Something that is alive. Jesus says in John 8:34 “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.” You aren’t just occasionally doing the wrong thing. You are enslaved to the power of sin. It is a ruling force that you are unable to overcome on your own, and the worst part is, it is ruling force that convinces you it is for you. Notice at the end there, “They don’t know where to find peace.” We all are yearning for internal peace. With God. With each other. And sin is often the vehicle we use in a false pursuit of peace. Why are we so quick to criticize others? Often out of an insecurity in ourselves and a desire for internal peace. Why do we hoard our resources and live greedy lives? To build up financial security and have peace. Why do we live as workaholics and grind ourselves into the ground? To gain achievements or success that gives us worth and fills us with peace. We are searching and searching for peace, but Sin is seeking the gifts of God apart from God Himself. And as Romans 3 promises, that peace that you think you will find at the end will only result in destruction and misery. It won’t give you what need. It can’t. Romans 3 continues,

Romans 3:20 NLT

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

Why can no one be made right on their own? Because the core issue isn’t external behavior — it’s internal worship. The problem isn’t just what you do. It’s who sits on the throne of your heart. Everyone worships something. And sin, at its root, is the worship of self instead of God. That’s why God’s law doesn’t fix us — it exposes us. It’s a mirror, not a ladder. The more we measure ourselves by His commands, the more clearly we see how far we fall short and how deeply self-centered we really are. So if the fundamental problem is within you, why would you ever look to yourself for the solution?

The Solution is Beyond

The solution must be beyond you. Outside of yourself. And we see this in our Gospel reading.

Luke 18:9–14 NLT

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

This story is essential for grasping both the depth of sin and the power of the gospel. The problem isn’t just what you do—it’s deeper. Look at the Pharisee: he fasted, prayed, tithed, avoided obvious sins—he did everything right. But who was at the center of his worship? Himself. “I… I… I…” He did exactly what our culture preaches: look inward, trust your performance, justify yourself. And where did that lead him? To pride, judgment, and separation from God.

Now look at the tax collector—morally compromised, spiritually bankrupt, rejected by the religious. He didn’t defend himself. He didn’t compare. He didn’t look inward. He looked up. “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” And he went home justified—not the Pharisee.

You see, we’ve got it backwards. We think the problem is out there—a broken world, corrupt systems—when the real problem is in here, in our hearts. And we think the answer is in here—try harder, be better—when the real solution is out there: in Christ, at the cross. Justification isn’t achieved. It’s received. It’s declared by the great Justifier—God Himself.

And when you, dead in sin, are declared justified by grace through Christ, everything changes. You're freed from pride—because you didn’t earn it. And you're freed from despair—because your worth no longer depends on you.