Get Over Yourself -- Romans 3:1-18

The Dangers of Pride

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18 NKJV

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. - Proverbs 11:2 NIV

We’ve all heard the proverbs. It’s easy to acknowledge that pride is a bad thing. For a long time, I worked really hard to be humble. Because I thought humility was something you did, like saying, “Oh, it’s not that great,” when someone admired my artwork. And not taking credit publicly when I fixed something or solved something (of course, the people involved all knew it was me who saved them).

But despite all this “hard work” at “humility”, I still experienced many of the downfalls of pride:

I over-committed and burned out, because I felt I was the best person for the job, every job.

I didn’t notice when my attitude offended others, because I was blinded by my certainty that I was right.

I missed the chance to learn from amazing teachers, because I was satisfied with what I knew and didn’t ask questions.

I denied others the chance to exercise their gifts, because I took assignments that should have been theirs.

I shut down the chance to receive feedback from others, because it was obvious that I wasn’t open to hearing it.

I sacrificed things that were important in order to make sure I didn’t fail at something that I shouldn’t have been doing in the first place.

Oh, yes, the list could go on. I’m very thankful to Jesus that my life didn’t go worse than it has, given the amount of pride lodged in my heart. And despite my determination to be humble, even that was tainted by the fact that I wanted humility because I couldn’t stand to be less than perfect.

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. - James 4:6

God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves. – Dwight L. Moody

How can we receive help in our weakness when we won’t admit we have any?

Introduction to Romans 3

Paul is continuing his hypothetical debate with his Jewish objectors about the law alone leading one to salvation, and having the Gentile nation adhere to the Law of Moses where circumcision is concerned.

The Pride of these People — Romans 3:1-4

The Big Idea: The Jews were self-righteous people. They depended on the Jewish ceremonial laws for salvation. From Ephesians 2:8-9 we learn that even today many pin their hopes for salvation on the works that they do rather than on what God has done for them.

A. The Pride of these People—vv. 1-4

Paul continues his hypothetical dialogue with his Jewish objectors. If Gentiles can be circumcised in spirit without being circumcised in spirit without being circumcised in the flesh, then what good is circumcision? Why go through the painful procedure at all? More importantly, why go through the trouble of keeping the law if, as it seems, the law really doesn’t matter? Paul quickly corrects this line of thinking, pointing out that have the law was a unique privilege for the Jews, not a burden.

Pride—v. 1. Are the Jews better in the sight of God than non-Jews? Matthew 6:2, 16. All are equal in His sight.

Provision—v. 2. The Jews were the first to receive the gospel of salvation—Rom. 1:16. This does not mean God loves the Jew more than the Gentile.

Problem—v. 3. Because the Jews were unfaithful does not mean God isn’t faithful—1 Cor. 10:13. Paul then posed the rhetorical question, What if some of the Jews did not respond in faith? Did their lack of faith cancel out the faithfulness of God?154 (The TCNT has, “Will their want of faith make God break faith?”) The answer is a resounding Not at all! (“certainly not,” “heaven forbid”). God will remain true to his promise even though every person should turn out to be a liar (cf. Ps 116:11). The assertion is supported with a reference to David’s great prayer of penitence in Psalm 51. David confessed his sin and acknowledged that God was justified in his judgment (Ps 51:4). Paul was saying that God will be proven right when he speaks (in judgment). He will win the verdict when the world goes on trial. God is always true to his word. He is faithful to his righteous character. That God’s faithfulness guaranteed his blessings was accepted without question. But that this same faithfulness also involved punishment for disobedience was conveniently forgotten.

4. Personality—v. 4. God is truthful even when all others are not. Christ is the truth—John 14:6. God does not lie—Titus 1:2; Num. 23:19.

“God character does not change because you act like a character.”

B. The Problem of These People—vv. 5-8

Folly—v. 5. “If our sins show how right God is, what can we say?” Is it wrong for God to punish us for it?

Fairness—v. 6. He will judge in a fair manner—Rev. 20:11-15

Foolishness—vv. 7-8.

Don’t miss the indignation that these questions ignite in Paul 93:8); it shows that people really were asking them. Their attitude is the pinnacle of proud humanity: when God turns our evil towards his good plan, we ask to be let off for our evil. But just because God uses our unrighteousness to reveal his righteousness does not negate the fact that we broke the law.

“God may save you from yourself, but you will still pay for the foolishness”

C. The Personality of These People—vv. 9-18

Romans 3. All People (3:9–20)

3:9–12 It was now time for Paul to draw his argument to its logical conclusion. He asked, “What shall we conclude then?” The pagan, rejecting the revelation of God in nature and pursuing a lifestyle that was both idolatrous and degrading, was deserving of the wrath of God (Rom 1:18–32). The Jews, who had the law but failed to put it into practice, received no benefit from their privileged position (Rom 2:1–3). What does all this imply? It is not certain whether the Greek verb in the second question should be translated as a passive or as a middle in an active sense. The NIV takes the second option (“Are we166 any better?”). This asks whether, in view of the dismal picture just painted, the Jew was in any way better off than the Gentile. The answer is, “Only in a limited sense.” However, if the verb is taken as a passive, then the sense would be, “Are we Jews at a disadvantage?” (Weymouth), and the answer would be, “Not at all!”167 The Jew was neither better off nor at a disadvantage since it has already been established that both Jew and Gentile are under the condemnation of sin (cf. 1 Kgs 8:46; Gal 3:22). This entire section reflects a courtroom scene (the accusation in v. 9, the evidence in vv. 10–17, the courtroom setting in v. 19, and the verdict in v. 20).

To substantiate his claim that both Jew and Gentile stand accused before the bar of divine justice, Paul cited a collection of Old Testament verses. Once again we hear the rhetoric of the evangelist as he urged people everywhere to recognize their need for salvation. The Jews’ commitment to the truthfulness of their Scriptures would have made it extremely difficult for them to deny the obvious testimony of the Old Testament that all are under condemnation as a result of sin. “As it is written” translates a Greek verb in the perfect tense (gegraptai), emphasizing the authoritative character and permanent nature of the verses cited. The verses quoted by Paul are not always exactly as they are found in the Hebrew Old Testament. Several factors may explain the variations. Some quotes are taken from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament in use at that time), which differs somewhat from the Hebrew text. Also a New Testament author would quite often, under the inspiration of God and to accentuate a specific point, adapt an Old Testament verse to serve his immediate purpose. Furthermore, the practice of precise citation and scholarly acknowledgment is a modern phenomenon. It was not at all a customary practice in antiquity.

None of us like to hear that our case is hopeless. The Jews certainly didn’t. So Paul has to prove it to them, using a parade of their own oracles to show that the whole world is guilty before God. He intentionally uses six body parts to illustrate his point: the throat is an open grave; there is deceit on their tongues; there is venom under their lips; the mouth is full of cursing; and there is no fear of God before their eyes. People use every part of their bodies, their minds, and their hearts to rebel against the Word and will of God. The Pharisees had a form of religion but didn’t know God in a personal way. They fasted, prayed, paid tithes, but these were outward manifestations only. The did not have God in their hearts—Matt. 7:24-27. Religion and deeds will not save man. He must be born again—John 3:3

Sin—vv. 9-10. Both Jew and Gentile are sinners—Rom. 3:23; Isa. 53:6; Ps. 51:5.

Slothful—v. 11. No one understands or seeks god. Good looked down from heaven to see if any sought God—Ps. 14:2

Stubborn—v. 12. They chose to go astray. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked”—Jer. 17:9.

Shame—vv. 12-18. Unprofitable people:

a) Throat—v. 13. Deceit—James 3:6.

b) Mouth—v. 14. Cursing and bitterness—1 Peter 2:1.

c) Feet—v. 15. Shed blood—Prov. 6:18.

d) Ways—v. 16. Destruction and misery—Prov. 2:15 .

e) No respect—vv. 17-18. No peace or honor—Isa. 48:22.

Romans 3. All People (3:9–20)

Paul used the Old Testament Scripture to prove the lamentable state of those outside of Christ. You will not be able to find even one just or righteous individual (v. 10). No one has genuine understanding (v. 11). If they fully understood the consequences of sin, they would not live as they do. By nature people simply do not seek out or search for God. This insight will come as a surprise for many moderns. People throughout the world are often pictured as seeking God through the various paths offered by different religions. Paul would not agree. It is true that they may be seeking some sort of religious experience, but that is not at all the same as seeking God. Scriptures teach that it is God who takes the initiative. He is the one who seeks us; not the other way around. All have “swerved from the right path” (v. 12; Montgomery). That their failure to seek God is more than an accidental omission is seen in the fact that they have deliberately turned away from God.174 In the end their lives turn out to be useless and unprofitable. “Not one of them acts honourably, no, not one” (Knox).

3:13–14 In vv. 13–14 Paul cited passages that deal with the throat, the tongue, the lips, and the mouth. The ungodly display their fallen nature when they open their mouths to speak. God provided us with the gift of communication so that we may honor and praise our Creator. We tend to take the gift and place it in the service of our own sinful nature. The throat of the unrighteous is an open grave. Taylor expands the imagery and translates, “Their talk is foul and filthy like the stench from an open grave.”177 Others understand the expression as a reference to the deadly effects of the psalmist’s enemies. Their tongues were used to deceive. The poison of vipers was on their lips. Their mouths were full of cursing and bitterness. Jesus said that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt 12:34). Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the conversation of the ungodly. Although the speech of many believers is not as gross as that of their unsaved neighbors, it often is more like the world than the courts of heaven (see Col 3:1–3).

3:15–18 The feet of the unrighteous are swift to shed blood (v. 15). Their natural instincts encourage them to kill. As a result, ruin and misery “dog their steps” (TCNT). The desire to prevail at any cost leads to suffering and disaster. Evil inevitably overreaches itself. It creates the conditions for its own collapse. In a moral universe wickedness earns its own sentence of personal retribution. The way of peace is unknown to those who turn from God. Their lives are marked by unrest and lack of genuine satisfaction. They live out their days haunted by a dim vision that there must be something in life that would satisfy their deeper longings. They do not venerate God or hold him in esteem. “Reverence for God does not enter their thoughts” (NEB).178

Paul’s portrayal of the unrighteous person may seem overly pessimistic to many contemporaries. After all, do we not all know certain individuals who live rather exemplary lives apart from Christ? Certainly they do not fit the description just laid out. Although it may be true that many of our acquaintances are not as outwardly wicked as the litany would suggest, we must remember that they are also benefactors of a civilization deeply influenced by a pervasive Judeo-Christian ethic. Take away the beneficent influence of Christian social ethics and their social behavior would be considerably different. Remember as well that Paul was making a specific point and was under no obligation to mention all the extenuating circumstances. Then, of course, we participants in this fallen world tend to minimize the difference between our own conduct and the expectations of a holy God. In view of what God intends, humans fall lamentably short (cf. Rom 3:23).

“There are people who use their entire being to rebel against God”

The Pharisees had a form of religion but didn’t know God in a personal way. They fasted, prayed, paid tithes, but these were outward manifestations only. The did not have God in their hearts—Matt. 7:24-27. Religion and deeds will not save man. He must be born again—John 3:3

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