All under the power of sin

Romans 3:1-20

Key verse: Romans 3:9

In general, people do not talk about sin. They do not like to hear about sin. Especially they do not like when someone says to them “you are a sinner”. It hurts their pride. Rather people love to hear about “God’s blessing, or you can do it by faith, powerful life, or successful life”. But as we have studied Romans’ ch 1 and ch 2, we learn one thing: the Bible emphasizes the sins of people. In chapter 1, even though God has made being known about him plainly, the Gentiles did not glorify God nor thank him. As a result, God gave them into their sinful nature. In chapter 2, even if God gave the Jews the law, they did not obey God’s law. As a result, God would repay them with his wrath and anger. Today, as a conclusion of chapter 1 and 2, Apostle Paul once again declares that Jews and Gentiles alike, are under the power of sin. There is no one righteous, not even one before God’s eyes. No one will be declared declare righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law. It sounds too harsh. But we got to think about why Paul declared this way. Through this passage, I pray God may help us to see our miserable spiritual situation that we can look up to the gospel more deeply.

  1. God’s faithfulness

Read verse 1. “What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? ” Why did Paul question in this way? Because in chapter 2, he argued, that even though the Jews had the law, if they did not obey the law, they would be punished by God. Also even if they have circumcision, unless they obey the law, circumcision is nothing. Then, someone might ask “whether we have the law or not, anyway if we are under God’s wrath, then what benefits do we have as Jews?“

How did Paul answer the question? Read verse 2. “Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.“ They had much advantage. For example, according to Romans 9:4,5, they were adopted to God’s children, they have the covenants of God, they have the law, they have the temple worship, and they have the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Also the Messiah Jesus came from them. What a great privilege they have! But among those advantage, first of all they have been entrusted with the very words of God. God could give his words to every single nation. But he chose only Jews and granted them his words (the law). Because of God’s words, they were able to know God personally, they could meditate on the words of God day and night, and they tasted that God’s words are sweeter than honey. Furthermore, they became a teacher of the Gentiles to teach the words of God. The Gentiles might come back to God through them. Like them, as believers of Jesus, we have much advantage. We have the eternal words of life from Jesus. We call God Abba Father. Jesus called us to share the words of God to the end of the world that unbelievers might come to know God personally.

Similarly, in UD, we have been entrusted with the words of God. There are around 20,000 students on campus. But chose us and granted us his words through we are small like the Jews. Through his words, we can develop our love relationship with him. God could use us as a light of UD campus and a salt of UD people.

Look at verse 3. But unfortunately, the Jews was unfaithful to the very words of God. They did not obey God. They taught others but did not teach themselves. Can we read verse 3? “What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?” Paul raised another question. “Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?” He reminded them how faithful God has been in spite of their unfaithfulness. God and they has covenant relationship through his words. But they broke the covenant. Then, as give and take principle, God could nullify the covenants. But God did not do in that way. In the OT, God called them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. He promised them he would become their God. After delivering them from the slavery in Egypt, God promised them the promised land. When they rebelled against God, did God revoke his promise? No, even if God made those rebellious people perish in the desert, he blessed their children to enter the promised land. He was faithful to his promise. Also in the promised land, they said “we will do whatever you command us”, but  when they worshiped idols, he still did not give them up. He warned them over and over, but when they did not listen to God stubbornly, he used Assyria, Babylon, and Rome to discipline them to live as God’s people.

These days Washington UBF has studied the book of Hosea. Hoses married to his wife named “Gomer”. But she cheated her husband and went to another man. What must he do? He should divorce and marry to another woman. But God told him to bring her back and live together. Hosea did it. This shows God’s faithfulness to his people when they were not faithful to him.

God is also faithful to us. Philippians 1:6 says “ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God began a good work in us. He saved us from our sins. He adopted us as his children. He chose us to follow Jesus. So sometimes when we are not faithful to him, he does not give us up. From time to time, he warns us, if necessary, he disciplines us to grow God’s people. Especially, even if we keep the same sin over and over, when we come to him again, he always welcomes us. 1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”

Look at verse 4. Paul says God is true and all human being are a liar. This verse is quoted from Psalm 51. Psalm 51 is King David’s confession of his sins. He said “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.” As we know, David used his king’s power to commit adultery. He tried to hide his sin. He could deceive people, but he could not deceive God. When God rebuked his sin, he realized what he did was evil in God’s sight and what God said was true and right.

Look at verse 5-8. Paul expected someone might argue with him. So he said “ok, if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, if my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increase his glory, then, actually we help God to reveal his glory. We are supposed to receive some reward or at least we should not be judged by him. Why does God bring his wrath upon us? Why am I still condemned as a sinner? It is unfair. It is unjust. It sounds reasonable.

How did Paul answer these questions? Verse 6 says “Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?” verse 8 says “their condemnation is just”. He said people could not justify their unrighteousness. Without their unfaithfulness and their falsehood, God could still reveal his glory. So they deserve God’s condemnation according to what they have done.

  • all under the power of sin

Paul concludes his long argument. Can we read verse 9? ”What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin” Paul’s conclusion is that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. Here he said “the power of sin”. Sin is not plural but singular. It is told that sin and sins are different in the Bible. Sins refer to our sinful actions such as doing all kinds of evils. Sin refers to invisible thing but like a living power working in those who are disobedient (Eph 2:2). It is hard to explain, but there is something real. It is like Coronavirus. We do not see virus with our own eyes (of course, through microscope). Since early last year, we have been under the power of coronavirus. We know its power: social distancing, wearing masks, millions of death, and so on. Similarly, sin make us separate from God, hide from God, blame each other, kill our souls, and so on. Paul said either Jews or Gentiles are all under the power of sin. All are doomed to God’s wrath.

From verse 10 – 12, Paul explained why all people are under the power of sin. Can we read verses 10-12. “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. There is no one righteous, not even one:” First, people are unrighteous before God. Here ‘righteous” is δίκαιος (dikaios) in Greek, means innocent, faultless, guiltless. No one is guiltless before God. Also there is no one who understands. Also there is no one who seeks God. No one glorifies God nor thank him. Also there is no one who does good, not even one. We may think there are many good people out there or I am not perfect but I am good compared to others. But God cannot find even a single person who does good in God’s eyes. This past week, on campus I asked couple students, “the Bible says there is no one righteous, not even one. What do you think of it?” some nodded (they seemed to agree) while others showed no interest in such a question. It seems they do not care whether they are righteous before God or not. Probably they do not understand why they are unrighteous in God’s sight.  

The verse are quoted from Psalm 53. In the Psalm 53, David found that there was nothing good in him. Who is he? He was known for a man after God’s own heart. He risked his life to save his sheep from the wild animals. He fought against Goliath in the name of God. He was a good shepherd for his people. Probably he thought he might be a better person than others. However, he confessed how sinful he was in Psalm 51:5. It says “surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me”. He realized from his birth, he was sinful, unrighteous, and no good. If David found that there is nothing good in him, how much more we are.

Second, people are corrupt. Can we read verses 13-18?” Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways,and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Paul said people’s throats are like open graves. When people bury the dead, they make sure they tightly close tomb. Imagine if a grave opens? Out of the graves, all dirty things including bad smell will come out. Paul said in the eyes of God, people are like open graves. The prophet Jeremiah 17:9 said “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.”. Jesus also said “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”(Mt 12:34). Corrupt heart makes our mouth dirty. People speak deceit. Their lips kill others like the poison of vipers. They speak cursing and bitterness. In addition, corrupt heart makes our actions and our life dirty. As a result, ruin and misery are waiting for them. They do not know the way of peace. There will be only distress and troubles for them. Most of all, they do not have any fear of God before their eyes. What a miserable life it is under the power of sin!

  • No righteousness in God’s sight by the works of the law

Look at verse 19-20. Paul once again stressed out that no one can be righteous through the law in God’s sight. Can we read verse 19 and 20? “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” In the OT, when God gave the Jews the law, the purpose was to save them not to punish them. However, the problem is that no one was able to keep the law. Though the law was given out of good intention, but it turns out that the law convicts people’s sins that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

We know this in our own life experience. After believing Jesus, out of thankfulness, we have tried to obey the words of God in the Bible. But the more we try to obey God’s words, the more we realize we cannot observe his words. It convicts us of our sins more and more. So what Paul said in verse 20 is true and right. “no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law”. All are under the power of sin. All are under the wrath of God. Who can save us from the power of sin? Who can save us from the wrath of God? But thank God for the gospel Jesus. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Through Jesus, God provided a new way of salvation. From next week, we are going to learn about this in details.

In conclusion, today we learned all people are under the power of sin. There is no one righteous, not even one. In order to receive the gospel, we got to know who we are. We got to know how miserable we are under the wrath of God. From that moment, we are able to look forward to God’s salvation for us. I pray God may open our eyes to see our unrighteousness that we may seek God’s righteousness through the gospel.

Let’s read verse 9 as a key verse.

What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.