THE CONCLUSION:

The Whole World Is Guilty Before God

Chap. 3:9-20 – Paul now reaches a conclusion from the above. He asks: “What then? Are we(Jews) more excellent (than the Gentiles)?” He answers his own question: “Not at all” (v. 9a). In this statement, he reduces the three spheres of the human race to a common denominator – all are sinners. From this point on in his accusation, he no longer sees the race in three parts, but the race as a whole, and as such he addresses it in verses 9-20.

The Accusation

1. 9b – Paul continues to use the imagery of a courtroom scene

and presents a formal accusation against the entire human race – “All are under sin”. He says: “We have before proved...”, but the word “proved”(KJV) is not exactly the correct translation here. The word in Greek means “to bring an accusation against”, and should be translated, “we have before accused...”. “Before” is referring to the sum of what he declared in the first two chapters of the epistle. “Under sin” refers not only to being under the guilt of sin, but also under the dominion of sin and the righteous judgment of sin.

The Indictment

In verses 10-18, we see sinful man in the dock of the divine Court of Justice being accused by 14 charges.

• “There is none righteous, no, not one” (v. 10). This shows that man in his natural state has no righteousness of his own.

• “There is none who understands” (v. 11a). This shows that man's mind is damaged by sin and is now incapable of grasping divine matters (1 Cor. 2:14).

• “There is none who seeks God” (v. 11b). This shows that man's will is evil; he does not want a relationship with God.

• “All have gone astray” (v. 12a). This shows that man has turned aside from God's way and is far from Him.

• “And together they have become useless” (v. 12b). This shows that men in their fallen state cannot be used for the purpose for which they were created.

• “There is none who does good, no, not one”(v. 12c). This is speaking of the general course of human life; it is not speaking of isolated acts of kindness that men may occasionally do.

• “Their throat is an open grave” (v. 13a). This statement has to do with man's evil speech; corruption and contamination come out of his mouth like the stench that comes from an open grave (sepulcher).

• “With their tongues they practice deceit” (v. 13b). Corrupt motives lie behind much of what men say.

• “The poison of asps is under their lips” (v. 13c). Man's words can also be vengeful.

• “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (v. 14). Man's words can be full of hatred.

• “Their feet are swift to shed blood” (v. 15). The tendency of human life has been toward violence – wars and civil conflicts have abounded throughout history.

• “In their ways there is destruction and misery” (v. 16). Many of the problems and sorrows of this world have come upon men because of their own evil ways.

• “And they have not known the way of peace” (v. 17). As a result of man's sin, the world has never known real peace.

• “There is no fear [respect] of God before their eyes” (v. 18). The human race as a whole lives without reference to God and without reverent fear of Him.

Threefold Summary of the Indictment

• Vs. 10-12 What man is – depraved in character (his way).

• Vs. 13-14 What man says – depraved in conversation (his words).

• Vs. 15-18 What man does – depraved in conduct (his works).

Thus, Paul not only placed accusations before God against the entire human race regarding its guilt, but also proved – with 14 charges – that the accusations are true! (These points about man's depravity are quotations from seven Old Testament scriptures

• Ps. 14:1-3, 5:9, 140:3, 50:19, 10:7; Isa. 59:7-8; Ps. 36:1). Chap. 3:19 – Paul concludes by saying: “Now we know that whatever

the Law says, it says to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be guilty before God⟧/0⟧. His point here is that when God gave the Law to Israel, He was using Israel as a sample of the entire human race. When the Law proved that Israel was in complete failure, God correctly concluded that all (Jews and Gentiles) fell short of His holy standards. This is based on Paul's use of the expression “so that”. The things the Law said to Israel about their failure implicated the whole world as guilty. W. Macdonald illustrated this point by saying: “It is the same when a health inspector takes a test tube of water from a well and tests the water and finds it polluted; he then declares the whole well polluted.” If the Law proved that Israel fell short, it proved that the entire human race fell short.

The Verdict

Thus, following the courtroom imagery that Paul has been using, the opportunity, so to speak, is given for those under accusation to make their defense. However, the evidence is so overwhelming against all mankind that “every mouth” is “stopped” and all the world remains “guilty before God.”

Chap. 3:20 – Having been proven guilty, the accused may think that he can appeal the sentence on the basis of his (supposed) good works of keeping the Law. But Paul counters this by showing that there is no chance of appealing on that basis, because “no flesh will be justified before Him by the works of the Law”. Job also condemns any attempt at self-justification before God. He says: “If I justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I say, I am upright, it will also prove me perverse” (Job 9:20).

This leads Paul to make a final observation about the purpose of the Law. He says: “because through the Law comes the knowledge of sin”. To clarify any misunderstanding, he affirms that the Law was not given to men so that they could justify themselves, but so that they might have “the knowledge of sin”. When the Law is applied to men as God's holy standard, it testifies to the fact that all men are totally ruined sinners. Likewise, a carpenter will use a level to establish a straight line, from which he will build a project. By establishing a level plane, he can determine whether the other components he is working with are suitable by comparing them to that straight line. Again, a mirror is useful to see if our faces are dirty, but it cannot wash them; it was not made for that purpose. Therefore, the Law was given to convince men of their sins and help them see their sinfulness more clearly (chap. 5:20). It cannot and never intended to save men from the judgment of their sins.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

DECLARED IN THE GOSPEL

Chapters 3:21-8:39

In chapters 1:18-3:20, Paul conclusively showed that all men are sinners and, as a consequence, are justly under the sentence of divine judgment. He also made it abundantly clear that men cannot save themselves from the judgment of their sins. Thus, if anyone is to be saved, it must come from some other source and by means other than man's. The good news is that God loves all men and is greatly interested in their blessing (John 3:16-17), and He has secured a way to save men without compromising His holiness. It is therefore with a sense of relief that we turn from the sad story of man's sin to find in chapters 3:21-8:39 that God has a way through grace to save and bless men. In the following chapters, Paul answers the question asked in the book of Job: “How can a man be justified before God?” (Job 9:2; 25:4)

The Universal Need of Man Satisfied by God's Grace in Three Ways

Before we proceed with God's remedy for man's sinful condition, let us summarize man's great need in three ways, for it is a natural sequence to the next section of the epistle.

First, man is ruined externally. Sin

has broken the happy relations that once existed between God and

man, and there is now an estrangement on man's part from

God.

• Second, man is ruined internally. Sin has wreaked havoc in man's heart and will. Instead of being his own master, he has become a slave to his fallen sinful nature. He is captive to his habits and sins that control him, and this is evident in his life.

• Third, man is ruined physically. Sin has also produced the ruin of all lower creation. As a result, the

bodies of men (and all living beings) have been subjected to disease

and death. Thus, death has marked all creation.

In this next series of chapters, Paul brings the good news of the gospel and explains that God has a threefold remedy for man's triple condition. This is developed in three subdivisions in this section of the epistle.

In chapters 3:21-5:11, Paul explains that the righteousness of God met man's need regarding his alienation from God, securing redemption, forgiveness, justification, and reconciliation for those who believe. In this section of the epistle, Paul deals with the issue of man's sins (the evil actions we have done). He shows how God can justly set aside the believer's sins and deliver him from the just punishment, through faith in the blood of Christ.

In chapters 5:12-8:17, Paul explains that God also met man's internal needs, providing a means of deliverance from the inner work of his fallen sinful nature. In this section of the epistle, Paul deals with the issue of sin (the fallen nature in us, called “the flesh”) and shows how God can free the believer from its power through our identification with the death of Christ.

In chapter 8:18-30, Paul further explains that God has deliverance for man from the ruined condition of his body at the coming of Christ – the Rapture. At that moment, the bodies of believers will be transformed and glorified and made like Christ's glorious physical body (1 Cor. 15:51-56; Phil. 3:21). Animals and vegetation in lower creation will be liberated about seven years later, at the Appearing of Christ, when the children of God (Christians) will be manifested as such before the world (Rom. 8:19-22).

Thus, the main themes of these three subdivisions are:

• Deliverance from the PENALTY of sins – through justification and reconciliation (chap. 3:21-5:11).

• Deliverance from the POWER of sin – which results in practical sanctification (chap. 5:12-8:17).

• Deliverance from the PRESENCE of sin at the coming of the Lord, effecting glorification (chap. 8:18-30).

In these three things together, we see that the gospel presents a complete salvation for the sinner who believes.

Chapter 8:31-39 closes this section of the epistle with a thesis on the believer's security in Christ.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justification, Deliverance and Redemption

There are two things the Christian needs to have lasting peace and spiritual stability – justification and deliverance. One has to do with being considered righteous before God, and the other has to do with being made righteous before men in practice. There is a third thing we need that will prepare us to dwell with God above in heaven as glorified beings – the redemption of our bodies (chap. 8:11, 23). Therefore, we need:

JUSTIFICATION for what we have done. It is effected by the application of

Christ's blood by faith, and is revealed in chapters 3:21-5:11.

• LIBERATION from what we are. It is accomplished by identification with the death of Christ through faith and is revealed in chapters 5:12-8:17.

• REDEMPTION from the physical corruption in our bodies, so that we may live in our final destiny in heaven. It will be accomplished at the coming of Christ (the Rapture), and is revealed in chapter 8:18-30.