Now, it would be important to realize that I did not say, "men are not sinners".
\nThat would have been foolish and completely inconsistent with the
\nthrust of the passage. I am simply saying that the poetic passage is
\nnot a point by point listing of the utter depravity of man but rather a
\ndescriptive illustration of how all of mankind, both Jew and Greek, are sinners (Rom. 3:9). <\/p>\n
Note that this Greek obviously has a broader explanation than a
\ncultural one. Paul is using Greek and Jews in contrast to each other as
\nif all of men consist of one of the two groups…from this we can surmise
\nthat a Greek here is to be thought of as a Gentile. The Jew and the
\nGentile are both under sin and thus the reason for the illustrious
\npassage which goes through the members of the body and shutting them
\nall under sin (throat, mouths, lips, tongues, feet, eyes) but not for
\nthe purpose of saying that all those parts are literally so full of sin
\nthat they never do good, but rather that man is under sin and before
\nGod’s heavenly eyes he is guilty and worthy to be judged. Remember the
\nthought flow of this passage thus far is that God righteousness is
\nrevealed in His right to judge. <\/p>\n
\nYet, what we’re getting from Paul’s point is that all of Mankind is
\nunder this judgment. Paul points out that the law shuts the mouth of
\nall those under the law and the world becomes accountable to God (Rom
\n3:19). All mouths shut up without an excuse in light of God’s law. Paul
\nis not referring to the Judaic Law per se, although that can easily be
\napplied. Paul is referring to the "law concept" which is "precept plus
\npunishment". In other words, sinners will be judged and therein
\naccordingly. <\/p>\n
This is an apparent problem then when we see what Paul is
\nillustrating. He is not limiting the law (precept plus punishment) to
\nthe Jew but to the entire world (the heathen, the moralist and the
\nJews). This being so, all are in danger of judgment, mind you not in an
\ninherited sense but in a personal sense Paul states that all have
\nactively and willfully sinned and come short of the glory of God. <\/p>\n
This is the state of all of mankind under God’s law, which was
\nattested to by the Mosaic Law and the Prophets (Rom 3:20). Notice that
\nthe nature of this law is one which men understand and willfully ignore
\nand deny God, clamoring against Him. God has every single right to
\njudge, in fact, has to judge. Men are, in effect, doomed. This is the
\nclimax Paul was building up to in this section. This is man’s
\ncondemnation, and yet I can’t possibly stop there. <\/p>\n
Thank God that there is a secondary theme that flows through the
\nbook of Romans and starts to shine in chapter one "for the just shall
\nlive by faith." Paul gave a hint that there was a way out from the
\ncondemnation of precept and punishment. Romans 3:22 tells us that God
\nhas set up a way which is separate from precept and punishment (Rom
\n3:20), namely that God’s righteousness is revealed through the
\nfaithfulness of Jesus Christ. Christ is not Man, He is Man and He is
\nGod. He persevered, He was faithful and although all have sinned He was
\nfaithful. Although they have willfully sinned and have fallen short of
\nGod’s glory (Rom 3:23), God has found a way to justify them freely by
\nthe payment-blood of that faithful Man-God, Jesus Christ (Rom 3:24). <\/p>\n
Behold God’s righteousness! There is precept and punishment, but
\nthank God that in His grace He sent the Son to pay a path by which men
\ncan enter into God’s grace by faith. As it is possible for a man priest
\nto enter into the Holiest of Holies, to the very mercy seat of God, by
\nmeans of the blood sacrifice, even so it has been made possible for men
\nto enter into the presence of God by the blood of Christ…into the very
\nmercy seat made accessible through faith (Rom 3:25). This very
\nvisible act was done to demonstrate God’s patience and forbearance of
\nthose raging sinners, a means to pass over all the sins committed so
\nthat God can remain Just (in His right to Judge) and the Justifier of
\nthe person who survives?not of His own steam or works, but of the
\nfaithfulness of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:25)! <\/p>\n
Brothers and Sisters, this should lead us to our knees in amazement,
\nfor we were once sinners alienated from God and in complete enmity (Col
\n1:21) against Him but via the redemptive (Col 1:14) and reconciling
\n(Col 1:22) work of Christ on the cross, we who have believed are now
\njustified (Gal 2:16) and seated in the very heavenlies (Eph 2:6). To
\nGod be all glory, power and praise! Amen. <\/p>\n
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