God's crushing verdict

We're going to have the Bible reading now.

So we're reading from Romans chapter 3, verses 9 through to verse 20.

Romans 3:9

So Romans 3, verse 9.

Romans 3:9

What then? Are we Jews any better off?

No, not at all.

For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written.

No one is righteous. No, not one.

No one understands. No one seeks for God.

All have turned aside. Together they have become worthless.

No one does good. Not even one.

Their throat is an open grave. They use their tongues to deceive.

The venom of asps is under their lips.

Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.

Their feet are swift to shed blood.

In their paths are ruin and misery.

And the way of peace they have not known.

There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law.

So that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

For by the works of the law, no human being will be justified in his sight,

since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Dave's going to come up and speak to us soon from that passage.

Just now would be a great time if you have kids age three to year two at school.

We have a program called Grace Kids.

Where kids will learn more about God and be looked after.

Just out in the grass area between the hall and the auditorium.

That's where that's happening.

So if you guys would like to head out now.

Just while that's happening, before Dave comes up,

I just thought I'd read a part of the short article excerpt that was on the bulletin.

I'll just read that to us.

I've been really enjoying the messages on Romans that we've been going through.

Obviously all parts of the Bible are extremely valuable,

but it's just been so good to hear the messages from Romans just presenting the gospel so clearly.

The article says,

Some would argue that Paul's letter to the Romans is not for the faint-hearted.

It confronts us with the reality of God's justice and his considered commitment to judging sin,

which must include my sin.

But coming to terms with sin is not natural or easy for us.

God makes clear that sin is a self-deifying attitude,

resulting in self-asserting actions against both God and people around us.

But our dishonest, self-excusing view of self refuses to accept that our rebellion against God

is as offensive as God declares it to be, deserving his unrestrained wrath.

Individuals giving expression to their ruthless self-centeredness

are more inclined to attempt to dismantle any notion of God's righteousness

than to admit sin and guilt before him.

However, the mess of life cannot be ignored, even by the most dishonest.

People know they are broken and dysfunctional,

behind the image of happiness and success.

In their more honest moments, they long for something better.

They sense that they are made for something better.

That's why the gospel of Jesus is great good news,

announcing that God has intervened in history to put things right,

to put people right so that the good life may be enjoyed.

So the gospel is very much for the faint-hearted.

Come unto me, you who labour and are heavy laden,

and I will give rest for your souls.

Yeah, if Dave would like to come up now, we'll hear from that section in Romans.

Well, I'd like to start this morning by quoting some song lyrics.

It's a pop song.

I think it's pop.

I don't know.

I don't know music and genre as well enough.

It's by John Bellion, if you know John Bellion,

and the song is called The Internet.

So here's some lyrics from this song.

Life became dangerous the day we all became famous.

No one cares if you're happy, just as long as you claim it.

No one cares if you have it, just as long as they think you do.

I don't need the foot.

I just need you to think I kick it.

I don't need the wood.

I just need you to think I hit it.

I don't need the good.

I just need you to think I did it.

I don't need the good.

I don't need the good.

I don't need the word.

I just need you to think I said it.

I don't need to learn.

I just need you to think I get it.

I don't need the sermon.

This might be relevant right now.

I just need you to think I read it.

I don't need the sermon.

I don't need the sermon.

And then it just repeats just as long as they think you do.

and it's quite a very like bouncy tune but it's quite a piercing social commentary isn't it

do you find that piercing I think what he what he's saying is substance reality doesn't count

it's not important to get by in the world today the only thing that counts is if people accept

whatever image of yourself that you present to the world

does that do you think that describes the day we're living in

now as much as the internet has changed the way we live this thinking is has been around

far longer than the internet just take the people of Israel when they're appointing their first king

king Saul this is kind of relevant to the kids talk who did who do they choose like who's going

to be their leader what qualities are they going to look for well they look around and go oh there's

a guy whose head and shoulders above the rest Pete might have been chosen that day who knows but

they pick Saul he is he is tall he can tower over our enemies he can keep us safe

and here's God's here's what God says in 1 Samuel 16 man mankind looks at the outward appearance but

the Lord looks at the heart this thinking has been around since the beginning of human history

human beings we were made in the image of God each of us were meant to reflect the character the

substance of God in everything we did every word we speak all our choices as we engage in the world

but instead of expressing God's character the substance we often settle for just getting one another's praise

by what we present on the outside

like Adam and Eve who so fig leaves

fig leaves I don't know leaves together

to cover

their shame

psychologist Larry Crabb he says that's a picture of how we relate to one another

how we relate to God

we have a covering we present an image a mask a layer

so that you you accept me based on that layer because if you get too close

and see what I'm really like that's too dangerous you might reject me

we're bouncing off each other we're all presenting these layers

not the substance of God's character

I wouldn't blame you if you're thinking at this point what has this got to do with Romans 3

and the Bible reading we just read

here's how I think it connects

Romans 3 9 to 20 and Romans 1 to 3 which we've been looking at for a few weeks now

it's like a mirror

it's it's like a MRI scan

that tells us what I am really like

what you are really like

what

all humanity is really

like

and it bypasses any image

any mask that we present to the world

and it shows us the substance

it shows us the reality

the true condition of our hearts

it is difficult to hear

it is difficult to accept

and our normal way of operating in the world

like that song was talking about

it doesn't care about substance

it doesn't help us to hear

what God says to us this morning

it's going to be in direct competition to what God says to us this morning

because

if my self-assessment

based off the approval I get from others

like I want you to think I'm a good husband

I'm a good father

a good pastor

a good whatever

whatever

if my self-assessment based off your approval

says one thing

but God's assessment

says my heart is corrupt

I've got to choose

which assessment is me

which one's more accurate

it's hard to accept

so I went to the dentist with Emma a few years ago

for a general check up

she went first

and I was a bit nervous

in the waiting room

and she came out

with a glowing report

like her teeth are amazing

I was like oh good

that gave me confidence

went in

let's just say

I got a different report

the dentist had something very different to say to me

and driving home

I felt deflated

I felt like my ego was just

gone

I even resented

Emma's

I'm not sure if I told you this

but I resented

your glowing report

I'm just

what

because it highlighted my problems

it wasn't pleasant

it wasn't pleasant to hear

that some of my teeth

had rotting holes

you're not going to look at my smile

any

the same after this

but

they've been filled

what if my dentist

had just lied to me

and gone

I'll just keep what you're doing

keep

keep brushing the way you are

your teeth look great

wouldn't be a very good dentist

he didn't want

my mouth

to rot

it was loving truth

Romans 1 to 3

is an assessment

of our condition

that

is hard to accept

but it comes from a place of love

God doesn't want us to rot

it's hard to accept

but it comes from a place of love

so before we get

we're about to dive into the passage

but

I think we need to ask ourselves

before we hear this

will you

entertain the possibility

that God

knows you

better than

you know you

will you allow

the righteous judge

to show you

what you're really like

what I'm really like

or are you going to just cling

to your own self-assessment

that you think is true

because others

are approving

what they see in you

okay

well

let's dive in

shall we

please have your Bibles open

to Romans chapter 3

Romans 3 · chapter mention

or just listen along

so verse 9

verse 9 gives us

Paul's main point

he's been driving home

from chapter 1

verse 18

and he's now reaching

the climax

he says in verse 9

we have already charged

that all

both Jews

and Greeks

Jews and non-Jews

all

are under sin

whether the openly

immoral person

the morally sensitive person

the religiously privileged person

none of us

live up to the good

we know

we should be doing

none of us

live up to the knowledge

of God

his character

we should be

so Paul

finishes

this main point

this main section

by bringing home

scripture

to bear witness

to prove

that even the Jewish people

are not

righteous

and if the Jews

fall short

even while having

God's perfect law

than all humanity

too

falls short

so in a sense

these verses

there's nothing new here

it's kind of a summary

it's a climax

he's already made the case

and now he's bringing

God's word

as witness

he's adding

further weight

to what he said

but he does use

a new phrase

if you notice

in verse 9

to describe

what is the root

problem

for us all

what is the problem

why aren't we righteous

we've got a new phrase here

all are under

sin

that's an interesting

expression

isn't it

this is more than saying

that people are basically

good

and sometimes

we get it wrong

it's not just saying

that people

commit sins

like lying

and cheating

and gossiping

and slandering

and so on

and so on

it's not just saying

that we

commit sins

any Jew

of Paul's day

would openly admit

that they sin

they commit sins

and that's why

they need the

sacrificial system

Paul is saying

something more than that

he's saying that

we are under

sin

he's describing

sin as

as a force

a power

a controlling

principle

over our lives

that keeps us

captive

we are under

the control

of sin

this is quite

a claim

because Jews

would have thought

of themselves

as under God

that God

is the controlling

principle of their life

Paul is saying

no

sin

is the controlling

principle

of your life

it's a big claim

and Paul

backs it up

by quoting

scripture itself

quoting the Old Testament

the Jews

boasted

in having the law

well

listen to what

the law says

so here's the quotes

you can see in the outline

where Paul quotes from

he jumps

all around the Psalms

and then he goes

to Isaiah

in verses 10 to 12

his point there

is the problem

it's universal

and then

in verses

13 to 17

we can see

the problem

in our words

and in our actions

that we

are under sin

and we can see

the fruit of that

it reveals

what's in our heart

and then verse 18

describes the root cause

we don't fear God

so let's

let's take these

one at a time

first

the power of sin

is universal

no one

or none

one is righteous

no

not one

no one

understands

no one

seeks for God

all have turned aside

together they have

become worthless

no one

does good

not

even

one

like

it's self

evident

that those

who don't

believe in God

don't seek

for God

but

like there's

plenty of

religion going

on in today

in our world

today

there's plenty

of Buddhist

and Hindu

monks

there's plenty

of Muslims

praying five

times a day

there's plenty

of Jewish

synagogues

still gathering

there's so much

religion in our

world today

maybe not

in our culture

as much

but around the

world

it is full

of religion

and in Paul's

day

atheists

was very rare

everyone was

worshipping God

how can Paul say

no one

seeks

for God

I think we come

to that answer

in verse 20

but I want you

to pause on that

I just want you

to feel the weight

of it

no one

wants God

lined up

before the

heavenly

courtroom

bench

God says

of all of us

everyone in

this room

not righteous

no one is

righteous

some Christians

ask of these

verses

okay Paul

do you

actually mean

no one

do you mean

every single

person

is that what

you're saying

because when

you read

the context

of the

Psalms

the context

of those

Psalms

is

a lot

of the

Psalms

are by

King

David

and he's

saying

those who

oppose him

those who

oppose God

they are in

the wicked

camp

me and

everyone

who seeks

for God

they're in

the righteous

camp

so the

original meaning

is

there were

some Jews

who were

righteous

but then

there's the

enemies of God

they're in

the wicked

camp

and so

some Christians

interpret this

as saying

it's not

literally

everyone

that Paul

is talking

about

we can't

just dismiss

this

that's an

important tool

for understanding

the Bible

we've got to

understand the

quotes in

their original

context

there's a few

reasons I'm

not convinced

that Paul

leaves any

room for

some Jews

to be

righteous

the main

basis

I think

is that

more important

than the

original

context

is what

is the

apostle Paul

using the

verses to

do now

in this

in Romans

he understands

the original

context but

he's not

restrained

by the

original

context

to leave a

caveat of

righteous

Jews would

contradict what

he said in

verse 9

that all

both Jews

and Greeks

are under

sin

it contradicts

his whole

argument so

far

and then in

verse 19

Paul explicitly

applies it to

Jewish people

we know that

whatever the

law says it

speaks to

those who

are under

the law

so it

would undermine

his argument

to say

oh there is

some who

are righteous

and then he

applies it to

Jews saying

what the law

says it says

to you if

you're under

the law

and then the

implication he

draws from

this is

universal

every mouth

will be

stopped

the whole

world

held accountable

to God

the other

reason I'm

not convinced

is that it's

a little

selective to

say that

Psalms the

context of

Psalms is

righteous and

unrighteous

because the

Isaiah quote

is talking to

all Jews

that is the

original context

so what I

think Paul is

doing is going

Jews you think

you're in the

righteous camp

and everyone

else is wicked

but you are

in the wicked

camp

and that's

you can see

that by the

fruit of what

you say and

what you do

that the law

is for you to

hear but you

don't do it

so none is

righteous

Paul is saying

all are under

controlling power

of sin and

Jewish history

is testimony

to that

scripture leaves

no one exempt

so where

does Paul turn

in scripture

to prove this

to give

evidence of

this

I thought about

that like

where would you

go like

maybe the

golden calf

incident in

the giving of

the law

immediately they're

worshipping other

gods

like how would

you prove that

someone isn't

righteous with

all the religion

going on in

Jewish day

I think it's

interesting that

Paul goes to

the mouth

look at all the

references to

the mouth

he looks at

the flesh

there's lots

about the mouth

the feet

the eyes

what reveals

the true

condition of

our heart

is seen

very clearly

by what comes

out of our

mouth

our choices

tell us

something

but he's

like the

apostle James

and Jesus

himself

who really

focus on the

mouth as

evidence of

what's in

our heart

so look at

all the

imagery there

their throat

is an open

grave

like it

just smells

of death

in there

it produces

death

they use

their tongue

to deceive

the venom

of asps

is under

their lips

their mouth

is full

of curses

and bitterness

their feet

are swift

to shed

blood

and their

paths

are ruin

and misery

and the

way of

peace

they have

not known

there is

no fear

of God

before their

eyes

brutal

pictures

as we

compare

the words

that come

out of

our mouths

to the

words that

come out

of God's

mouth

we shouldn't

compare to

one another

we need

to compare

to God

his

righteousness

our state

reveals itself

so I want

to draw on

Psalm 19

which really

just rejoices

in God's

words

God's words

are sure

and true

you can rely

on them

but do you

hold back

the whole

truth

when it

benefits you

have you

been quick

to say

something

if it

backs up

your

argument

and you

don't really

care if

it's true

or not

you'll work

that out

later

you just

let it

fly

God's

words

are always

true

and sure

God's

words

revive

the soul

has

poison

come out

of your

mouth

recently

where

someone

feels

bitten

by you

aren't

there some

phrases that

just eat

away at

you

like you

might have

forgiven that

person for

it but you

still remember

that exact

phrase don't

you

words can

be

poison

to

relationships

God's

words

bring

rejoicing

to the

heart

have you

used words

to make

others feel

rejected

by you

our words

expose us

out of the

overflow of

the heart

the mouth

speaks

so there

might be

lots of

religion

going on

lots of

rituals

happening

but our

words

our flesh

shows what's

really going

on in the

condition of

our heart

man might

look at the

outside but

God looks at

the heart

and ruin

relationships

misery

doing harm

to one

another

lack of

peace

if we look

back on our

lives we can

see the

carnage

we do

violence with

our words

and this

all comes

we're told

verse 18

there's a

lack of

fear of

God before

our eyes

so fear of

God is to

live in

awe of

him

utter

respect

utter

worship

but our

words that

spew out of

our mouth

show that

we aren't

worshipping

God

otherwise

like James

says we

would be

blessing

people

how can

blessing and

curses come

out of the

same mouth

rather than

worship of

God being the

principle of

our life

always before

our eyes

everything we

see everything

we do

through that

lens of the

worship of

God

we live

lives our

own way

all Jew

and non Jew

are under

sin

and so we

come back to

that question

all this

religion going

on in the

world and

in people's

lives why

is that not

seeking God

why is that

not good

enough

verse 20

for by works

of the law

no human

being will

be justified

in his

sight

if you

did God's

law

God's

law is

good

it's good

to do

God's

law of

course

but thinking

it's by

your own

efforts

thinking

that you

are doing

what's

right

that that's

the basis

of your

goodness

that's

man-made

religion

that's

like trying

to climb

a ladder

up to

God

but true

religion is

taking God

at his

word

I think

Paul is

playing with

the word

flesh

here

so in

verse 20

by works

the law

no human

being

that is

literally

no flesh

will be

justified

in his

sight

I think

he's playing

with that

word

you're putting

confidence in

yourself

your own

flesh

your own

goodness

what you

can achieve

but look

at your

flesh

it is

producing

things that

God

doesn't

do

you might

be very

religious

on the

outside

but your

flesh

betrays

you

your

words

show the

character

of what's

going on

that's

because

our

flesh

is under

the

control

of

sin

the

law

of

Moses

the

ten

commandments

and so

on

they were

never

meant

to be

a ladder

up to

God

even

at the

moment

of

God

giving

the

law

like

I've

already

said

Israel

was

breaking

the

law

worshipping

other

gods

people

could

not

keep

the

law

obeying

the

law

is

good

it

gives

expression

to what

God's

character

is

like

but

it

never

made

it

possible

to

be

acceptable

to

God

the

law

could

never

save

us

from

the

controlling

power

of sin

in our

lives

what the

law

could do

is show

sin

comes the

knowledge

of sin

now

I think

we

my gut

instinct

my gut

instinct

is to

take that

negatively

that

to be

shown our

sin is a

negative

thing

but I

think that's

further

grace of

God

to be

shown our

sin

the Jewish

people should

have been

the first

to go

I need

help

I need

a

saviour

my

flesh

can't

keep

the

law

I

need

you

to

do

it

God

they

should

have been

the

first

to

cry

out

for

grace

it

is a

good

thing

to be

shown

our

sin

the

law

was

never

meant

to

be

the

basis

of

your

acceptance

with

God

the

law

does

show

our

need

for

God

to

save

us

so

every

mouth

will

be

silence

as

we

all

appear

before

God

and

he

asks

why

should

I

let

you

into

my

heaven

why

should

I

bless

you

with

life

now

and

forever

what's

the

answer

we

give

to

him

what's

your

answer

you

give

to

him

if

you

put

confidence

in

your

own

flesh

in

being

a

good

person

you

will

not

be

justified

God

will

not

pronounce

over

your

life

a

verdict

of

righteous

our

flesh

is

under

sin

and

we

see

the

effects

of

that

we

are

left

whether

a

religious

person

or

not

religious

person

we're

all

left

without

excuse

none

of us

can

say

to

God

I

didn't

know

none

of us

can

give

anything

to

God

to be

the

basis

of

our

acceptance

our

mouths

will

have

nothing

to

say

there

will

just

be

silence

guilty

you've

not

lived up

to my

righteous

character

now I

know this

is heavy

I

can

feel

the

room

maybe

that's

the

way

I'm

presenting

it

but

maybe

it's

just

the

weight

of

these

verses

as

well

this

is

heavy

none

of us

have a

leg

to

stand

on

that's

the

main

point

of

Romans

1

18

to

320

who

needs

the

gospel

we

all

do

the

whole

every

person

you

ever

come

across

we

all

do

but

this

section

of

Romans

isn't

the

main

point

some

people

might

sadistically

enjoy

condemning

people

God

doesn't

he does

not

delight

in the

death

of the

wicked

he wants

all to

repent

as

brutal

and

as

these

chapters

in

Romans

are

they're

not

the

main

point

they're

preliminary

they're

preparing

us

if you

bypass

it

you'll

miss

the

main

point

we

need

to

hear

this

but it's

preparing

us

for the

main

point

and I

just want

to give

we'll

focus

on the

main

point

the

delightful

passage

next

week

from

verse

21

that

paragraph

there

but I

feel like

I need

to give

a sneak

preview

this

morning

the

question

at this

point

isn't

what

people

often

say

how

can

God

be

loving

and

send

people

to

hell

that's

not

the

question

that's

a

man

centred

question

if

we

listen

to

these

chapters

we're

all

exposed

that's

not

the

question

but

there

is

a

question

still

looming

if

God

is

righteous

and

takes

our

sins

seriously

and

he

must

condemn

sin

he's

got

to

be

righteous

he's

got

to

be

just

but

then

he's

promised

in

his

word

that

he

will

save

his

sinful

people

he's

committed

himself

to

saving

his

sinful

people

how's

he

going

to

judge

sin

and

save

sinful

people

and

keep

his

word

we

know

his

words

are

trustworthy

and

sure

how

will

he

be

righteous

how

is

that

reconciled

but

now

verse

21

but

now

the

righteousness

of

God

has

been

manifested

apart

from

the

law

although

the

law

and

prophets

bear

witness

to

it

the

righteousness

of

God

through

faith

in

Jesus

Christ

for

all

who

believe

for

all

have

sinned

and

fall

short

of

the

glory

of

God

and

are

justified

by

his

grace

as a

gift

through

the

redemption

that is

in

Christ

Jesus

whom

God

put

forward

as a

propitiation

by

his

blood

to be

received

by

faith

the

crushing

verdict

is to

prepare

us

for

this

main

point

our

own

flesh

cannot

make us

right

is not

good

cannot

give us

a good

relationship

with God

does not

give us

any

basis

to

receive

any

blessing

from

God

we

should

not

put

confidence

in

our

own

flesh

but

we

are

righteous

we

can

be

righteous

in

the

blood

of

Jesus

and

this

is a

gift

to be

received

by

faith

the

guilty

verdict

lands

on

him

and

his

righteous

life

and

all

the

blessings

of

being

in

relationship

with

God

become

ours

the

verdict

of

righteous

is

said

over

my

life

over

your

life

it's

not

by

works

your

own

confidence

in

your

own

flesh

but

receiving

by

faith

faith

taking

God

at

his

word

taking

God

at

his

promise

God

I've

done

for

you

what

you

can

never

do

for

yourself

all

the

blessings

that

Jesus

enjoys

are

yours

it

leaves

us

all

with