Romans ~ Part 10
Note: To examine the graphics in this series, click on them for a pop-up version.
As I’ve emphasized in my previous post, we’re on a journey to understand the profound significance of Sha’ul’s Letter to the Romans, a crucial cornerstone of our faith.
Judgment of God ~ Part 6
In your public life, you may often face the challenge of judgment and criticism, whether in the workplace or community social settings. Romans 3:9-20 emphasizes our shared human imperfection. To navigate this, commit to practicing empathy. This week, when you encounter someone considered complex or judgmental, take a moment to reflect on your imperfections before responding. You might even engage in a conversation where you express an understanding of their struggles, fostering a culture of grace rather than condemnation. Consider inviting them for coffee to discuss common challenges and embody grace actively.
All Are Under Judgment
9 So, are we Jews better off? Not entirely, for I have already made the charge that all people, Jews, and Gentiles alike, are controlled by sin. 10 As the Tanakh puts it,
“There is no one righteous, not even one!
No one understands,
11 no one seeks God,
12 all have turned away
and at the same time become useless;
there is no one who shows kindness, not a single one! h
13 “Their throats are open graves,
they use their tongues to deceive. i
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.J
14 Their mouths are full of curses and bitterness. k
15 “Their feet rush to shed blood,
16 in their ways are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of shalom they do not know. l
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” m
The proof texts from the Hebrew Bible for the idea presented in v. 9 shows that no one is righteous or kind (vv. 10–12), that everyone sins by both word (vv. 13–14) and deed (v. 15), because of a lifestyle that is evil and disastrous (v. 16) rather than good (v. 17), since they lack the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge.
Law For Education
19 Moreover, we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those living within the framework of the Torah in order that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world be shown to deserve God’s adverse judgment.
Someone may argue that the seven passages cited above are addressed not to Jews but to pagan nations. But everything in the Hebrew Bible is first addressed to the Jews for their instruction so they can learn about sin’s power. All people from every nation and ethnicity are sinners, and God will judge the whole world. In God’s court, everyone is speechless.
20 For in his sight no one alive will be considered righteous non the ground of legalistic observance of Torah commands because what the Torah really does is show people how sinful they are. [1]
No one can earn justification by obeying the law’s requirements. The law was never intended to be a means of salvation. Its primary purpose was to reveal sin in its full scope, thus pointing to man’s need for the gift of righteousness.
In our next post, we will pick up with a new topic in Romans 3:21.
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H Psalm 14:1–3, 53:2–4(1–3)
I Psalm 5:10(9)
J Psalm 140:4(3)
K Psalm 10:7
L Isaiah 59:7–8, Proverbs 1:16
MPsalm 36:2(1)
N Psalm 143:2
[1] Romans 3:9–20.
My Heart is for Israel 