Quote from Forum Archives on June 2, 2002, 12:29 pm

Posted by: jmichaelwalls <jmichaelwalls@...>

JUSTIFICATION AND ITS NEED AS SEEN IN THE GUILT OF THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE
Romans 3:9-20
Introduction: Paul is completing his showing that man is guilty before
God. He covered the heathen in chapter one verses eighteen through
thirty-two. I am going to repeat a statement that I made in the other
messages but I want to drive it home for this final time. The Jews who
were among some of the folks who read this epistle regarded any race that
was not entirely Jewish as heathen. It did not matter how civilized the
race of people may have been. The condition of the heathen can be summed
up in one word: GUILTY.
Paul also makes sure the moralist sees his guilt. This truth was seen in
Romans chapter two verses one through sixteen. The moralist was praising
God that he was not like the people described in chapter one. He thought
he was better than those people were. Summing up his condition can be
seen in one word: GUILTY.
Last week, we saw the Jewish people and his true condition also. His
condition is like unto the other two. He is also GUILTY before God.
But there is always someone that thinks that nothing really applies to
him. So Paul makes sure that everyone can see his true condition. He is
GUILTY before God. He will not be able to stand before God in his own
righteousness expects God to excuse his behavior. He is without a doubt
GUILTY before God. The Law declares his guilt. His life declares his
guilt. His love declares his guilt.
It would be a perfect obvious statement to say that Norman Vincent Peale
did not write the Book of Romans. He is known as the advocate or the
apostle of the power of positive thinking.
The Book of Romans does not start out with positive thinking of self for
sure. It actually starts out the power of negative thinking. It strips
away all the self-righteousness and self- confidence of man in order that
we might to see ourselves as God sees us and we truly are.
This is not a personal attack on Mr. Peale but I am referring to his
approach to God. His philosophy is basically a mental aspirin, the power
of positive thinking. You know the old doctor joke, take two aspirins and
call me in the morning. Take two of these mental aspirins and things will
be better in the morning. This is not so when man looks at the way that
he really is and sees himself as God sees him.
Our passage today has fourteen parts to his indictment. It will show man
as God sees him. It will show his talk and his walk. It will show his
character and conduct.
Man is unable to stand in the face of his guilt before God. He has no
more areas in which to hide or try to use to excuse himself. The shame of
the situation is that the blood of Jesus Christ that erases and cleanses
every sin and stain of sin could justify him.
There will be three main thoughts that we will be looking in this
message. As in my previous messages, I will be trying to answer some
important questions in relation to our passage.
1. Is the Jews superior?
2. What is the great purpose of the Law of Moses?
I. ENTIRE HUMAN RACE'S CONDITION OF GUILT
Vs. 9
"What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before
proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin"
No one is better or superior than any other. Being a Jew holds no special
place with the Lord. He is just as guilt as the heathen and moralist. All
defy God. This includes the self-righteous. The self-righteous delude
them. Even the heathen violates his own conscience's dictates.
Paul looked over mankind and is really asking this question: "Is there
any ground by which a man or woman pleases God apart from faith in
Christ?" Paul even answers his question: None at all.
II. ENTIRE HUMAN RACE'S CONFIRMATION OF
GUILT Vs. 10-18
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none
that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all
gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none
that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with
their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their
lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift
to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of
peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes."
As you read this section of Romans, you will find that Paul gathered a
lot of quotes from the Old Testament to prove his argument. He gathers up
verses from Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Isaiah. In lays the
indictment against man and the conclusive word as to his need of
justification.
As one reads through this list, it is very revealing or is it? Many
people read this passage this way. "There is none righteous, except me."
"There is none that understandeth, except me."
"There is none that seeketh after God, except me."
"They are all gone out of the way, except me."
"There is none that doeth good, except me."
"Their throat is an open sepulchre, except mine."
"With their tongue they have used deceit, except mine."
"The poison of asps is under their lips, except mine."
"Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, except mine."
"Destruction and misery are in their ways, except mine."
"The way of peace have they not known, except me."
"There is no fear of God before their eyes, except mine."
Many people can see this and try to say that this true with everyone
except himself or herself. When a man or woman feels this way, they will
never, and I repeat, be saved. Until a man or woman sees himself or
herself as a lost and helpless sinner, he or she has no need for a
Saviour.
What is the Old Testament passages that Paul gathers? Psalm 10:4
"The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after
God: God is not in all his thoughts."
Isaiah 65:1
"I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that
sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not
called by my name."
Psalm 143:2
"And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no
man living be justified."
Proverbs 14:12
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are
the ways of death."
Isaiah 53:6
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own
way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Psalm 5:9
"For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very
wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their
tongue."
Psalm 140:3
"They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is
under their lips."
Psalm 10:7
"His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is
mischief and vanity."
Ecclesiastes 7:20
"For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth
not."
Isaiah 59:7,8,16
"Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood:
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in
their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in
their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein
shall not know peace." "And he saw that there was no man, and wondered
that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto
him; and his righteousness, it sustained him."
Psalm 36:1
"The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no
fear of God before his eyes."
If I can not take the scriptures and convince you that you are lost, then
every thing else I may say is vain. It is the scriptures that shows a man
he or she is lost without God or a hope of heaven.
A. We see man's character. Vs. 10-12
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none
that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all
gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none
that doeth good, no, not one."
Conduct is always affected by character. Your character is expressed by
conduct.
Here is one of the most important truths found in these three verses.
There is a lot of religion in the heart of a man. There is much seeking
after a god but not seeking after the God with a capital "G". Today there
is many people in churches seeking a god but there is none that seeks
after God.
The natural heart of man is not really looking for God! That is truly
amazing. Man is looking for a god all the time. It is a central drive of
man. Man wants to find a god he can worship. Man has never been able to
live without a god and every man has his god. Some are polishing and
waxing it on Sunday morning. Some take it to the water's edge and fish
off it for hours without complaining about the weather or how hot it is
or it is past noon. There are many gods. Every man has his god. That
includes the atheist. For the communist, his god is a man by the name of
Lenin.
If you have hungered after God, and I am speaking of the One with a
capital "G", it is not because you want God but that God wants you and
put that hunger there. John 6:44
"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:
and I will raise him up at the last day."
God is seeking you and drawing you to Himself. People say that they are
seeking God but it is because they want to use Him. We want God at times
that we are in trouble. We want God when we are in danger. We want God
when we need comfort. We want God when we need cessation from sorrow and
heartache. That is using the Lord like a convenience store. The price is
higher. We do not want God when we have an extra hundred dollars in our
pocket that is not having go to a bill. We do not want God want God when
our health is good. We do not want God when our children are healthy.
Part of the shame of this situation is that I know that a lot of people
who claim to be Christians live just like this.
We see man’s conduct and how it affects his talk.
Vs. 13-18
"Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used
deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of
cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction
and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes."
When a person refuses to bend his will to the will of God, it always
affects his talk. It can be seen in the words that he or she chooses. It
can be seen in the biting sarcasm. It can be seen in the cursing and
bitterness that is sent forth from the mouth. It is evident in the
jealousy spoken.
Mark 7:20-23
"And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness,
deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All
these evil things come from within, and defile the man."
Not only does it affect his talk; it affects his walk with God. Wars are
a natural outbreak of man’s sinfulness and his walk with God. Men who
desire God with that desire that comes from Him do not want to be at war.
The explanation to why this is such a problem and an obstacle to heaven
is found in verse eighteen. It says, "There is no fear of God before
their eyes."
What is the fear of God? "The continual awareness that I am in the
presence of a holy, just and Almighty God and that every thought, word,
action and deed is open before Him and is judged by HIM." Thomas
Jefferson was quote to have said, "Indeed, I tremble for my country when
I reflect that God is just." To get to the essence of this, we know that
people could care less about what God thinks of him. This is the root to
all the problems of life. There is no concern to God’s opinion of their
lives.
If there were a concern for God’s opinion, then the liquor store would be
closed permanently. The drug dealers would be out of business. The world
would not be filled with moral filth and garbage. If there were a concern
for God’s opinion, churches would be filled and jails empty. If there
were a concern for God’s opinion schools would have seasons of prayer
instead of violence and disruption and disrespect.
III. ENTIRE HUMAN RACE’S CONDEMNATION BY BEING GUILTY BEFORE GOD.
Vs. 19-20
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who
are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may
become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall
no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of
sin."
The greatest purpose of the Ten Commandments or the Law is to show men
the knowledge of sin. His conscience may tell him that he has sinned but
the Law leaves no doubt. His moral may show him that he has sinned, but
the Law leaves no doubt. His religion may preach to him that he has
sinned, but the Law leaves no doubt. When we put ourselves against the
Law of God, we find we come very short. It shows our complete failure in
our feeble attempts to be righteous.
One day every lost man, woman, boy and girl will stand before God. He or
she will not be able to answer anything in their own defence. He or she
will be guilty as charged. Why? Because they will know beyond a shadow of
doubt that Jesus Christ our Lord is the righteous judge who knows all,
sees all and was witness to every sin and crime that has ever committed.
They will be standing in the place of trembling and silent.
What is the Law unable to do? The Law is unable to justify flesh in the
sight of God. No matter how hard a man tries to perform all the Law, he
can not be justified before God.
But the Law is like a mirror. It reveals the dirt that I may have on my
face. God’s holy law can show me that I am a guilty sinner. It shows that
I am totally incapable of keeping God’s holy commandments. It can only
condemn me and show me that I need a Saviour. Just as the mirror drives
me to wash my face, thus the Law should drive me to the Lamb of God who
can and will take away my sin and the very stain of sin!
Conclusion: Our sinfulness is seen in our walk and our talk. God has
revealed the true us with this portion of scripture. It is a rather bleak
picture. In these last few weeks we saw that the heathen were lost and
guilty before God. We saw that the moralist was lost and guilty before
God. We saw that the Jewish people were lost and guilty before God. We
know that we as the human race are lost and guilty before God.
Since our righteousness is not sufficient, what righteousness do we need?
We need the Lord’s righteousness. Today if you never saw yourself as lost
and guilty before God, then today you need to acknowledge your guilt
before God and ask for His righteousness to come into your life.
Next week I will be covering this more in depth. We saw why we need
justification. We will see the provision of justification and its
relationship to the Law.
Let me give you some practical applications to the fear of the Lord.
1. It will help you to overcome sinful habits. Proverbs 16:6
2. It will help you to begin learning knowledge. Proverbs 1:7
3. It will help you to start being wise.
Proverbs 9:10
4. It will help you to have a longer life.
Proverbs 10:27
5. It will help you to discover the fountain of life. Proverbs 14:27
6. It will help you to learn contentment.
Proverbs 15:16
7. It will help you to grow you grow in wisdom. Proverbs 15:33
8. It will help you to get riches, honor and life. Proverbs 22:4
9. It will help you to experience true worship. Psalm 5:7
10. It will help you to have no want.
Psalm 34:9
11. It will help you to experience God's salvation. Psalm 85:9
12. It will help you to receive daily provision. Psalm 111:5
13. It will help you to experience strong confidence. Proverbs 14:26
14. It will help you to have a satisfying life. Proverbs 19:23
15. It will help you to experience God's goodness. Psalm 31:19
16. It will help you to share the secrets of the Lord. Psalm 25:14
17. It will help you to have constant protection. Psalm 33:18,19
18. It will help you to be delivered from trouble. Psalm 34:7
19. It will help you to be looked to for truthfulness. Psalm 60:4
20. It will help you to receive a special heritage. Psalm 61:5
21. It will help you to be given God's mercy.
Psalm 103:11
22. It will help you to have God's pity.
Psalm 103:13
23. It will help you to bring delight to the Lord. Psalm 147:11

Pastor Mike Walls
Freedom Baptist Church Smithfield, NC
All scriptures are King James Bible
Isa. 41:10