Everyone Is Condemned

I. Knowledge of God through Creation condemns us (Romans 1:16-32).

A. Paul was ready to preach the gospel unashamedly.

B. In the gospel, God’s righteousness is revealed.

“From faith to faith” implies “beginning and ending in faith.”

This is seen in Habakkuk 2:4. He is appealing to the Old Testament to show that the gospel began and ends in faith. Faith was the means of salvation in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

C. After Paul discusses the gospel, he shows that mankind is condemned by God (Romans 1:18-21).

The reality of creation takes away the excuse that one did not know there was a God (Romans 1:20).

A design requires a designer.

They did not glorify God as He is—God. Instead, they marred His image into an idol. Therefore, God gave them over to different desires and behaviors.

II. Knowledge of God through our Conscience condemns us (Romans 2:11-16).

A. God is not a respecter of persons.

— This means God shows no favoritism and treats everyone equally.

B. Everyone will be judged equally in the day of judgment.

C. Gentiles (non-Jews) know God’s law because their conscience is the immaterial law of God written on their hearts.

This is why everyone stands equally condemned.

III. Knowledge of God through His Word condemns us (Romans 2:17-3:8).

A. The Jews were resting in the fact that they had God’s Law.

B. They even taught God’s Law and thought they were helping others; however, they did not even follow what they taught.

C. Their covenant symbol with God was worthless without obedience (Romans 2:25).

D. They needed to experience a circumcision of the heart (Salvation), not just outward circumcision (Romans 2:29).

E. The Jews had a greater benefit than the Gentiles because they had God’s Word written down; however, they still didn’t obey it so they were condemned.

You personally have greater benefit than most because you have God’s Word as well.

Jesus talks about how it would be worse for Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum in the day of judgment than for Sodom and Gomorrah, because they rejected His message (Matthew 11:21-24).

IV. Everyone is condemned apart from faith in Christ because all have sinned (Romans 3:9-31).

A. Paul asks his readers if he and they are better than those who slandered them.

Paul’s response is “NO!” because creation, conscience, and God’s Word all condemn us, and we have all failed to obey God’s Law.

B. Nobody is good or righteous. None of us even seek after God (Romans 3:11-18).

C. You one can be justified before God by keeping the law. The purpose of God’s law is to show us we are sinners (Romans 3:19-20).

D. The only way for you to be righteous before God is not in keeping His Law but by putting your faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-31).

1. The prophets and even God’s law foretold of a time when righteousness would be without the law (Romans 3:21).

2. All must believe in Christ for justification because all have sinned (Romans 3:22-23).

3. Justification is freely given through the grace we find in faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24).

4. God provided justification through Jesus’ death because God is Just and must judge sin (Romans 3:25-26).

5. The conclusion of it all is that faith in Christ is how one is justified, not by keeping God’s Law (good works) (Romans 3:27-31).