Romans Week 10, September 18, 2022

Introduction

The scope of God’s judgement

But first, to answer one more objection

Romans 3:9 ESV

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,

This is almost framed as someone asking the opposite question of what was asked in verse 1.

Romans 3:1 ESV

1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

Paul is enthusiastic here. I mean he is already devoted the end of chapter one to making the point that all Greeks are under sin. And he has devoted most of chapter 2 to the understanding that the Jews are under sin as well explanation point now he's gonna make one more point referencing a ton of Old Testament quotes to drive home the reality that everyone is under the same condemnation of sin.

The depth of the answer to this question of whether Jews are better off comes in Pauls answer over the next 10 verses describing the scope of God's judgment.

Romans 3:10–18 ESV

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.”

In this first part here Paul is quoting from the book of psalms.

Psalm 14:1–3 ESV

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

It's sad, if you look at the beginning of Romans chapter three you see that one of the advantages to being a Jew is that they had God's law. They actually knew how they should live before God. And yet, despite their knowledge they choose to not seek God.

So in general Paul is challenging that the Jews do not seek God. The Greeks as well. But specifically now he walks through each of the different body parts as if to say with all their bodies they are also not seeking God.

If have you re read through the passage you will see verse 13...

their throat is an open grave ….

They use their tongues to deceive...

The venom of ASPs is under their lips...

Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness...

Their feet are swift to shed blood...

There is No Fear of God before their eyes...

This last accusation stands out to me. One of the hallmarks of people that are unrighteous before God is that they hold No Fear of God. Wicked people have No Fear of God. I would argue though that fear doesn't mean you live with fright everyday. Fear doesn't mean you live with stress and anxiety and legalism.

Fear of God means you reverently respect and live in such a way that you honor God. It means we take time every day to bring our lives before God. It means we invest our money in furthering his Kingdom. It means you take his name seriously.

This last weekend Ashley and I had the opportunity to take our daughters to Plymouth IN to meet up with several friends to camp two nights. With traveling and camping you practice fear many times. And no I don't mean telling ghost stories or dodging raccoons in the woods. When you're on the road you have to fear the capacity and danger of your car and other cars. Ashley stepped in to warn me a number of times when she thought I didn't notice something because she treated the road with fear of what could happen on it. When I'm trying to cut firewood or lighting a fire I enjoy the fire but and all the rest of the parents are watching out to make sure our children fear the fire. We want them to sit around and enjoy the warmth of the fire all night long at least until we make them go to bed. But we also don't want them to injure themselves by treating the fire as not dangerous.

living daily with the fear of God means learning everyday more about who God is. More about his great capacity. It means studying and spending time with God everyday. It means allowing your relationship with God to affect everything else in your life. That means respecting the power of God with greater reverence and care then you do handling a hatchet, starting up by hour, or driving three hours on the road to go camping. Revere gods power.

Unrighteous people make the mistake of laughing off the power of God to affect them. They think that their choices do not matter. God is just some made-up thing in our minds. And so they laugh off God. And in the end they experienced the consequences a life Lived without revering the most powerful being in the universe.

Let’s loop back and catch one more verse I want to turn your attention towards:

Romans 3:17 ESV

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

One of the greatest gifts that life following Jesus gives is peace. Throughout all the gospel accounts the declarations about the birth of Jesus are all about to a large part him being a bringer of peace. Paul talks about believers experiencing a peace that is beyond understanding. those who reject the fear of God also reject the peace of God.

The Law Speaks

Romans 3:19–20 ESV

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.

This law, these commands from God stand as a witness against Jew and Greek. It is a witness against Jew and gentile. Those under the law... the Jews they have nothing to say. The law stops their mouths because it condemns them. To whatever extent anyone claims they have been faithful the law of God as explained in the Old Testament condemns them.

But also Paul is saying that the law is given to make us realize sin. The law shows us that we need hope. We need forgiveness. We need a gospel.

I love how one author puts it:

Romans C. Epilogue: Who God Judges (3:9–20)

The law tells you of your unrighteousness; the gospel tells you of the righteousness of God.

God's law whether it is specifically interpreted as the law he gave to Moses and the Jews or his general revelation of himself stands as a indictment against the sins of the world.

Facing Reality

My wife Ashley is like a mirror to me. When I sin against her the effects of my sin immediately appear in her face and her actions. When I am unkind to her she shuts down or responds. When I overreact and M short tempered with her I see it in her face. When I am failing to listen and care for her I see it in her eyes and in her life. My wife is a mirror to me showing me how and if I am being a good husband. And she honestly doesn't need to say anything even though I'm sure she will say plenty :) I just have to pay attention.

In the same way facing the suffering of Jesus and facing your relationship with God is like a mirror as well. But it is so much more of a pregnant and powerful mirror. Because when you look at what Jesus did and when you engage in your relationship with God deeply that relationship will reflect back to you who you are and whether or not you are living rightly before God.

What Paul asks of us in these first chapters is to agree with him and with God's word that we are sinful and we need the gospel. He asks us to look full on into the mirror that is God's word and is Jesus and to see our sins and agree that we need a savior.

I love what comedian Garrison Keillor said about how our world things about truth.

Romans III. Conclusion: Face-to-Face with Reality

“Sometimes you just have to look reality square in the face and deny it!”

It may work to deny the truth about our grades, our job, our relationships, our lack of money, or other things but the truth always wins. The truth always comes out. The healthiest thing we can do is to simply agree with God about the reality of our sins.

Our world may be full of people living sin enthusiastically. And we may be surrounded by people whose faces reflect the reality of our sin. And God's word does point out our sin while still calling us to hope that we can be comes something different. But I like what one songwriter wrote about what we see in God's face. We may see the effects of our sin when we look around us but when we look into God's face we see something different.

Romans III. Conclusion: Face-to-Face with Reality

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.