Shut Your Mouth
Romans: Unashamed - Building the Church through the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted
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My dad was a pretty calm and steady eddy kind of guy. It took a lot to get him riled up. But if he did end up getting riled up, watch out!
I remember one time when my dad had enough of me. Hard to imagine, I know, but true nonetheless.
I was a smart mouthed kid who always had a quick witted comeback for everything. (I thought I was clever)
Well, this particular day my dad had had his fill of my “clever” mouth and finally, with an uncharacteristic fury told me to “shut my mouth or he would shut it for me!” And for the first time in a long time I kept my smart mouth shut!
All of a sudden the realization of his authority came crushing into my consciousness.
All of a sudden, I didn’t have anything to say! I knew he was right and so I shut my mouth!
Today we are going to be in Romans 3:9-20 and we are going to see a very important truth about God’s law and our proper response.
We are continuing to work our way through this crucial letter in the New Testament. I hope you are reading and studying it on your own - it will change you life and possibly your eternal destiny.
Review Sermon Theme - Unashamed - Building the Church through the Gospel
Review last weeks sermon in a sentence - Wrong Thinking Leads to Right Judgment
Review last weeks passage...
5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
What’s next?
Look at the text!
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Vs. 9 - So, are the Jews any better off? Or as the NASB says, “Are we better than they?” Paul lumps himself in with the Jews to make the point that all of us, Jew and Gentile and even the great apostle are equal in one area.
Equality is a big deal these days and I stand before you today to let you know that there is one area in which we are undeniably, unequivocally, and verifiably equal.
WE ARE EQUAL IN OUR SIN!
Even though the Jews were God’s chosen people and entrusted with the very oracles of God, they were not better than the gentiles. They were equally as bad as the gentiles.
The Jews were a proud people and a proud people tend to be a boastful people.
These proud people boasted about their position with God. And Paul as taken much time to cut them down to size. He has taken a chapter and a half letting them know they too are are in trouble with God.
As Paul puts it at the end of this verse, “both Jews and Greeks, are UNDER sin,”
ὑπό (preposition) = Under
Under the power of sin
Under the influence of sin
Under the penalty of sin
Sin is an equal opportunity employer. From the greatest to the least we all have the same problem - We all are cursed with sin.
From the Seeking God and Finding Him study, Pastor Chris Norman says,
There are many things in this world that divide people: racism, hatred, countries going to war against other countries, divorces, murder, stealing, etc. People are in conflict with each other all over the world. The Bible teaches us, however, that every single person on the earth is related to one another. We all come from the same family. Despite all the diversity in this world among people, there is only one race – the human race. We all come from the same original parents – Adam and Eve. Most people think there are significant differences among people in various countries and cultures of the world. This gives rise to various types of racial tensions. There are far more similarities, however, among all people in the world than there are differences. These similarities are why all people in every nation and culture sin. Everyone descended from the same original father and mother. The first two parents of the human race sinned; therefore, they produced a human family of sinners as well. This is the reason why every person on the face of the earth sins. We are all in this world together because we are all related.
20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Adam is the first man created by God. This is Adam. As we saw at the beginning of this lesson (Genesis 3), the first two humans exercised their liberty and freedom to disobey God, and they sinned. Thus, they became sinful. Sinful humans cannot give birth to sinless children. When Adam and Eve sinned, they affected the entire human race.
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
So, like it or not - by God’s holy standard, both Jew and Greek are declared sinners because they are. the raw fact is, we all are!
To prove his point, especially to the stubborn minded Jews, Paul quotes many Old Testament passages. Look how he leads off verse 10...
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
As it is written - in other words, these ideas/words are recorded elsewhere...
Where do we find these words? well, verses 10-12 are found in the book of psalms 14:1-3 and 51:1-3. They say virtually the same thing...
Compare the Passages
Psalm 14 :1 - “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt,’”
Romans 3:10 - “None is righteous, no, not one;”
Psalm 14:2 - “The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God”
Romans 3:11 - “No one understands; no one seeks for God.”
Psalm 14:3 - “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” -
Romans 3:12 - “All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
Psalm 5:9 - “For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open gravel they flatter with their tongue.”
Romans 3:13a - “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”
Psalm 140:3 - They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah
Romans 3:13b - “The venom of asps is under their lips.”
Psalm 10:7 - “His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
Romans 3:14 - “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
Psalm 1:16 - “for their feet run to evil, and they make hast to shed blood.”
Isaiah 59:7-8a - Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. The way of peace they do not know,
Romans 3:15-17 - “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.”
Psalm 36:1 - “Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heat; there is no fear of God before his eyes.”
Romans 3:18 - “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
As you can see these verses com directly from the Old testament, primarily from the Psalms.
Why does Paul quote the Old Testament here in Romans 3:10-18? - to show the Jewish people that all people are under sin - including them! They should have known and understood this. Instead, they grew proud in their position and sinned arrogantly against God and His ways.
Don’t believe me? Read the Old Testament and you will see clearly how the Jews were often just as wicked as the gentiles living around them!
He sent prophet after prophet to warn them of their evil ways. To challenge them to turn back to God!
He often referred to the Jewish people as a whore who ran after other gods.
When you read the Old Testament you will begin to understand just how gracious and patient God was and is toward His people!
There is something else I want you to notice in verses 10-18. Notice the references to body parts...
Body Parts?
Verse 11 - “no one is truly wise, they don’t understand (mind), they don’t seek (looks for) God”
Verse 13 - “Their throat is an open grave; their tongues are deceitful.”
Verse 14 - “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
Verse 15 - “Their feet are swift to shed blood.”
Verse 18 - “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Why do I point this out? Both the Psalmist and Paul are communicating something very important...
You are a sinner from head to toe and there is nothing you can say about it!
To further make his point that all have turned aside and gone their own way (which is Isaiah’s point in
Vs. 19...
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
The law? Who is under the law? The Jewish people, of course. They were know as the people of the law.
And it was that very law that condemned them. The law, the prophets, and the writings (the OT Scriptures) pronounced condemnation on them.
Just like verse 9 says that all are under sin, so all are under the law as well. By the way, Paul make it clear that it wasn’t just the Jews that were under condemnation. Look at the next part of verse 19.
“so that EVERY MOUTH may be stopped, and the WHOLE WORLD may be held accountable to God.”
So, even though the Jews were people of the Law, they were still under the consequences of the law along with the entire word. They are the entire world will be held accountable to God!
What do I mean by consequences of the Law? It’s very simple, really. God, the creator of all that is gets to tell His creation what is right and what is wrong. What they can do and what they cannot do. He’s the boss - period.
He gave the Jews the law (the Ten Commandments in particular) that summed up the entirety God God’s moral law. By the way, God gets to define what is moral and immoral.
Morality is not a fluid, situational discussion.
We live in a culture that bows and worships at the altar of feelings and emotions. That is a false god that will lead you to damnation...
No, God has laid out His law - summarized in the 10 Commandments that tells us clearly what He demands of His chosen people and of all people for that matter (they represent the moral law).
Don’t forget!
You are a sinner from head to toe and there is nothing you can say about it!
The Ten Commandments
How many of the Ten Commandments have you kept? (From Seeking God and Finding Him)
Many people in our society today could not name even one or two of the Ten Commandments, much less all ten. In the Old Testament God gave His people Ten Commandments or laws that were reflective of his holy and pure character. Because God is a communicating God, He wanted His people to know His moral standards. This is the purpose of the Ten Commandments. These commandments were moral standards that God wanted His people to follow. Many people today would assume they have upheld most of God’s Ten Commandments. However, the truth is that not many have kept any of the ten. How many have you kept (Exodus 20)?
Commandment #1: Worship no gods but the true Creator God
Anytime our supreme focus or supreme pleasure in life is anything other than serving and worshiping God, we have worshiped a false god. Examples of things we all too often worship or become exclusively focused on are: cars, houses, money, food, careers, girlfriend/boyfriend, spouse, children, parents, approval of others, sports, hobbies, sex, power, etc. God is to be number one in our lives at all times and over all these things.
Commandment #2: Do not worship a man-made idol
God is spirit and cannot be contained within any physical object. We break this command anytime we bow down to a statue, pray to a picture, or worship an object. Because we cannot see God or understand His eternality, we have a tendency to want to portray Him in some object or finite entity.
Commandment #3: Do not misuse God’s name
God takes His name very seriously. His name represents God Himself. We are to never use His name in vain, improperly in jokes, or in any inappropriate ways. We are to always use His name with honor and reverence.
Commandment #4: Remember the Sabbath
In the OT God wanted His people to work six days and to not work on Saturday. Today God wants his people to spend one day in seven to worship Him in a local church.
Commandment #5: Honor Your Father and Mother
Parents are always to be respected and honored because of the position God has given them in the family.
Commandment #6: Do not murder
This is pre-meditated murder. However Jesus says you have broken this commandment if you have rage and anger in your heart against another person (Matt. 5:21-22).
Commandment #7: Do not commit adultery
This is sexual immorality outside the bounds of marriage. However, Jesus says that if you have sexual or lustful thoughts in your mind for someone else you have broken this commandment (Matt. 5:27-28).
Commandment #8: Do not steal
We are to never take something that does not belong to us.
Commandment #9: Do not lie
We are to tell the truth and be honest.
Commandment #10: Do not covet
We are not to secretly desire our neighbor’s car, spouse, clothes, body, income, or anything someone else has that we do not.
Do you know why it is so powerful for us to take a minute and look through God’s Ten Commandments?
Because it shut’s our mouth! We have nothing to say!
That’s what Paul says in verse 19 - “so that every mouth may be stopped,”
CSB - “so that every mouth may be shut...”
NET - “so that every mouth may be silenced...”
NASB - “so that every mouth may be closed...”
NLT - “for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.”
The law proves that...
You are a sinner from head to toe and there is nothing you can say about it!
And just to be clear about the purpose of the law, to the Jews in particular, Paul says these final words in our passage for today.
20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Paul very clearly lays out how one is NOT justified (in verses 21ff Paul reveals how one IS justified).
But here He makes the point as clearly as he can.
No one can or will be justified (declared righteous) by the works of the law - you can’t do it flawlessly and so you get zero credit!
Imagine taking a test and getting only one answer wrong - and then failing the text! Frustrating!
My motorcycle test for certification - I tipped the bike over and the test was over. No grace! No pity! No do overs! Done!
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
James point and Pauls point is the law was never meant to justify anyone. That’s not what it was designed to do.
39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
What was it designed to do? Paul answers that question in the last part of verse 20...
20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
The law brings the knowledge of sin!
7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
Paul knew he could not live up to the strict, perfect requirements from God perfect law. That’s why he said this in...
11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
You are a sinner from head to toe and there is nothing you can say about it!
There is ONE that has done something about your problem - and that One is Jesus Christ!
When I was going through the Ten Commandments, did you come, perhaps for the first time, to the realization that you are guilty? That you have broken God’s law? That you are not as right as you once thought?
My friends you must go through this process in order to be redeemed. You must thoroughly understand that your efforts amount to nothing in the eyes of God.
6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
In fact your efforts are offensive to God - to suggest that you have what it takes to get yourself into His heaven is tantamount to pride of the highest order.
The idea that you must come to grips with today is this.
You are a sinner from head to toe and there is nothing you can say about it!
Adam’s Salvation
He had to get lost before he was able to accept, by faith, God’s amazing grace!
invite people to get lost!
Connection Group Reflection Questions
1. What do these verses teach me about our character?
2. What do these verses teach me about God and his character?
3. Because these words are from God, they are TRUTH! What truth is he asking me to believe?
4. What do I need to do to obey him?
5. With whom can I share these truths?