"The Kindness of Conviction" Romans 3:9–20

I'm going to read a quote from a Citizen article two and a half weeks ago.

Philippe Hébert will serve no time in prison following his guilty plea to manslaughter in the homicide of his partner, his husband and partner for over 40 years, Richard Rutherford, a judge has ruled.

It's the first sentence of that article.

Like I mentioned, it was written in the Citizen two and a half weeks ago.

The title of the article was, quote,

Don't let me down, sir. Judge gives man no prison time in mercy killing of husband.

If you read the story, it's very clear that Philippe Hébert faced hardship and turmoil.

His partner was elderly and was dying.

It was COVID lockdowns and there was a lot of confusion of what was available for help.

He was a primary caregiver.

He was experiencing compassion fatigue.

He reluctantly promised his ailing partner that he would end his suffering when the time would come, when Richard Rutherford deemed it so.

Hébert was living a very difficult life.

A lot of stressors, a lot of difficulty.

However, in the end, he killed a man.

It's in my notes, but I'm not going to describe how it's done.

He killed a man.

Call it a mercy killing.

Take into account all the extenuating circumstances.

Consider all the stressors and variables.

Do it all.

In the end, Mr. Hébert committed murder.

And he was not given jail time.

He was essentially exonerated from his crime of murder.

I tell this story not to complain about the justice system, not to rehash COVID legislation,

or even debate the ethics of assisted suicide.

All legitimate things.

We're not talking about that today.

Instead, I tell this story to highlight a deeply problematic reality that exists in our city,

in our neighborhoods, in our homes, in our hearts.

Everybody here struggles with this.

And what is it?

It's that we seek to excuse and avoid responsibility for our sin at any cost.

And we want to be exonerated without any recourse.

As the Apostle Paul concludes his discussion of humanity,

and specifically the human problem from verses, chapter 1, verse 18,

to the end of our section today, Romans 3, verse 20,

Romans 3:20

he makes an unmistakable point that all humanity is plagued with sin.

He sums up that entire section from 1, 18 to 3, 20.

And in this summary statement, he pulls no punches.

He is as clear as crystal about the problem with humanity.

We're going to jump right into it, looking at verses 9 to 20.

And we're going to look at three aspects of what the Apostle Paul says about sin.

And I'll just say this before we get into it.

We've been looking at sin and God's wrath and God's judgment for five weeks, more or less.

And it's heavy.

And the argument's going to shift in verse 21.

If you're feeling like it's heavy and it's a bit much like I am, if I'm honest,

stick with me for one more week.

Because what we have here isn't just another week of Paul explaining how crummy humans are.

But it is the basis by which liberation will come.

So, he's going to talk about sin.

First, that sin is ubiquitous.

It is everywhere.

It touches everyone.

Second, that sin is penetrating.

And then finally, and most importantly, that sin is ungodly.

Look with me at verse 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.

Verse 10.

As it is written, none is righteous.

No, not one.

If you were here last week, you'd remember Paul argued that the religiously observant Jewish person

was just as much under God's just wrath as the pagan, as the non-Jew.

Relying on the law and circumcision as the basis for right standing before God.

It didn't serve them at all as a means of salvation, as a means of justification.

So, what he does next is he continues the argument by anticipating those objections to what he said in the previous chapter.

And it's addressed in verses 1 to 8.

They're important verses for the sake of time and focus.

We're not going to discuss them today.

But simply put, the Jewish people, despite having the privilege of being responsible for spreading God's word among the nations,

are still subject to God's wrath because of their sin.

And this actually touches on this first point, the ubiquity of sin.

How sin touches all.

Paul has laid out this devastating truth.

That whether Jew or Greek, pagan or Torah observant, licentious or very devoted,

all people are equally under God's rightful wrath.

Because, as he says in verse 10,

none is righteous.

No, not one.

He doesn't give an exception to this.

He's making a very, very sweeping general statements.

We struggle, I think, in rightly, with people that make general statements.

You never do this.

You always do that.

Early on in our premarital counseling,

and something I've used for the people that I've married in premarital counseling,

avoid saying such things.

Avoid it.

Don't say you always do this, because nobody always does that.

It's super dismissive.

You never do this.

Do they really never do that?

No.

So, we avoid such sweeping comments.

Here, the apostle Paul is making a sweeping comment.

There is no exception to this.

Paul is quoting this none righteous, no, not one.

He's quoting from Psalm chapter 14.

Psalms 14 · chapter mention

And it's not as if here that, and this is an important bit,

because it's not as if Paul here has made this elaborate case that all have sinned,

and this is some new revelation that God has beamed down to him.

God used to do things differently in the Old Testament, in the Old Covenant,

but in this new dispensation, this new covenant,

he's moved the goalposts, so to speak.

He has changed the rules.

He has raised the bar.

Not at all.

Throughout Scripture, again and again,

we can see how God's most faithful servants,

kind of the cream of the crop of God's people,

constantly commit wicked acts.

You think of Abraham.

He flees a famine.

He goes to another kingdom.

He lies about his wife, being his wife,

says it's his sister,

all to avoid the possibility of getting murdered.

You think of Moses.

What does he do?

He, in a fit of anger and rage,

takes it upon himself to provide for God's people,

and as a result, it costs him the chance to see the promised land.

King David, we've talked about this actually a number of times in the past few weeks,

he commits the most atrocious kind of adultery.

Not that there's lesser kinds of adultery,

but for him, it's followed by murder,

and followed by cover-up,

and complete deception.

You can think of Jonah saying to God,

I'm not going to listen to you.

You can think of the patriarchs,

or the judges,

or the kings of Israel.

Fast forward to the disciples.

What's the point?

That the best of God's people

are constantly doing unrighteous things.

No one is righteous.

None.

No, not one.

Sin is the great tyrant

behind all tyrants.

The tyrants like the Kims in North Korea,

or the Avatans of Stitzville.

Sin is the thing

that is touching every human being.

Just listen to this next part.

Paul emphasizes how widespread this sin is.

Again, no one.

No one.

Not one.

Altogether.

No one.

He is doubling down,

tripling down on this.

And at the heart of this unrighteousness,

what do we see?

We see a heart that is turned away from the Lord,

that is cold towards the things of God.

I'll read verse 10 again,

and then we'll read 11 and 12.

As it is written,

none 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.

It is a knockout blow

for the self-righteous person,

which happens to be a lot of us this morning.

And maybe you're here,

and you are nodding,

because you are like a very good churchgoer.

Yes.

Amen.

The Bible is right.

But deep down in your heart of hearts,

you might be thinking,

yeah, not me.

Yeah, little bits here and there.

Okay.

But am I really that bad?

My good deeds are actually very good.

I'm very kind.

I have acts of kindness.

I'm committed to those around me,

to my friends,

to my family.

If you have children,

your children,

to your spouse,

if you have a spouse,

to your coworkers.

Actually,

like,

take a poll of the people in my life.

I'm actually pretty solid.

What Paul isn't suggesting here

is that good cannot come from human beings.

If I was to say that,

well,

it doesn't matter about your goodness at all.

It's not really good.

That's not true.

That's not what Paul is saying.

What Paul is suggesting,

however,

is that no matter what we do,

even our good acts,

they can never be considered righteous

by God's standards.

Why?

Because they are stained and strained

by the effects of sin.

We've looked at this,

I think about two weeks ago

or three weeks ago,

that even our motives of doing good

are inherently self-satisfying,

self-justifying.

So yes,

we do good,

but our good is,

again,

stained and strained

by the effects of sin.

How so?

God's glory,

which is really at the core

of what it is

to be a part of God's people,

it's not at the forefront

of our decision making,

at least not in a consistent way.

Faith that seeks to follow

and trust isn't readily exercised.

And again,

the heart

that isn't

regenerated,

isn't infused

by God's help

is the heart

that is turned inward,

never directed

towards the Lord.

Let me give some proof.

Isn't our tendency

to excuse

or downplay

or nuance

our sin?

Is this not a reality

that proves

what the apostle

is saying?

We all have personal kingdoms

that compete

with the kingdom of God.

We don't want to

show ourselves weak

in a way

that will inhibit

or get in the way

of what we're trying

to build,

the good things

we're trying to build,

the progress

we're trying to make

as a family

or as an individual

in my career.

So when we sin,

when we do something

contrary to God's law,

by the way,

that's why we read

the entirety

of the Ten Commandments

during the Lenten season.

It's to help us

to understand

the ways

we've tripped up.

One of the reasons

why we read it.

But anyways,

what do we do?

We don't

readily admit

our sins

because in doing so

that might hinder

our progress.

It might mean

we have to take

a few steps back.

It means we're

maybe not as

put together

as we put forward

to others.

So what do we do?

We excuse,

we downplay,

we nuance.

We have these

pseudo-kingdoms

we are compelled

to defend.

And these fortifications

that we build,

they must be

reinforced

and they must

exist to guard

against any threat

even if that threat

is God

and his perfect word.

Oof.

So what do we do?

We diminish

God's word.

Right?

We treat it

in a way

so that it is

arbitrary

and we

just

take its

legitimacy

down a notch.

Okay?

Because if God's word

isn't legitimate

then it ceases

to have claim

on my life

and then I can

get away with things

or I can just

take the edge off

or I don't have

to truly repent.

I don't have to

truly come into

agreement with

God's good

and perfect

and holy will.

it touches

all of us

in different ways

but in many ways

the same.

But how deep

does this sin

really run?

Is it merely

an issue

of our motivations?

Is it something

that we can

easily overcome

with a bit more

hard work,

a bit more

mindfulness?

Let's look at

this next section

and this brings us

to our second point.

The question

before I read

verses 13 to 17.

How deep

does sin go?

How affected,

how infected

are we really?

Verse 13.

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

and their paths

are ruin

and misery

and the way

of peace

they have not known.

Paul here

in these

few

sentences

uses

eight

scripture

references

mostly from

the Psalms

and he gives

seven observations

about how deeply

this sin penetrates

and it goes

all the way down.

It goes all the way down.

It extends right

into the depths

of our being

and what does it do?

It influences

our will,

our volition,

our words,

our actions,

all of which

again are directed

away from God

towards the self

and the self

is elevated,

the self

is preserved,

the self

is justified.

It affects

our realities,

our perception

of reality,

our relationships,

our goals,

our values,

everything that

makes us

who we are,

sin touches

and it's pervasive,

it penetrates

all the way down.

We are a church

of the English

Reformation

but of the

Reformation as well,

a part of the

Church Catholic

and the reformers

would call this

total depravity

and again

it is not to say

that humans

are incapable

of doing good

but that every

aspect of the

human experience

is touched

by sin

and it has been

the case

since the

beginning

when our

first parents

disregarded

and obeyed

God in the

garden.

That's not the

way God

intended it.

It's not the

way God

intended it.

Our bodies

and our minds

they are gifts

from God.

This material

world,

a gift from

God.

He made

our bodies

and minds

to enjoy

all that

he created.

We were

created to

bring him

glory which

means living

lives aligned

with God's

ways through

worship and

praise which

is like the

focal high

point of the

human experience.

We are also

called to

serve others

ensuring our

lives are

directed to

bless and

support,

helping rather

than hindering.

Additionally,

we are to

enjoy creation

again using

all of our

senses but in

a properly

ordered way.

Only then can

we truly enjoy

these godly

pursuits.

What we see

instead in this

section is the

complete opposite.

No matter

how hard we

try to live

this godly

life in our

own strength,

we find

ourselves

constantly

facing our

own faults

or those of

others.

Our pursuits

become hampered

and hindered

and we

indulge in

pleasures

excessively,

often at the

expense of

or the

neglect of

others.

Again,

how can we

mess this up?

Like,

unlimited

ways.

So,

two examples

from this

list that

the Apostle

Paul gives.

The first

is he

mentions our

words and

how we use

our words.

You can

read with me

again verses

13 and

14.

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.

So,

the first

example,

how we use

our words.

Our words

should be used

to bless

and encourage,

to build

up,

to speak

words of

life to

others.

Yet,

often,

we use

our words

to deceive

and justify

others,

but really

ourselves.

We struggle

with others

when,

sorry,

we struggle

when others

enjoy what

we want.

So,

even when

we congratulate

others,

do we do

so in a

way that's

fully

authentic

and happy

for them?

or do

we do

it with

a tinge

of jealousy

and envy?

Some bitterness

maybe.

Why am I

not experiencing

the blessings

that they

are enjoying?

Our hearts

are not

focused above

but within.

So,

therefore,

our hearts

then will

dictate what

our mouths

speak.

The second

example,

I could have

gone longer,

but just for

the sake of

time,

the second

example,

verses 15

and 16,

their feet

are swift

to shed

blood,

and their

paths are

ruin and

misery.

The human

experience has

always been

marked by

conflict.

I'm going

to give

two stats.

Did I

fact check

them?

No.

Okay,

so sue

me.

One was

from the

commentary I

used.

It sounded

good,

and I'm

going with

it.

It sounded

legit,

so here we

are.

In the

last roughly

3,500

years of

recorded

history,

only 268

years have

been without

war.

Okay,

maybe it's

more,

maybe it's

a bit

less.

It makes

sense to

me.

That's

93% of

the last

3,500

years have

seen some

kind of

armed

conflict

between

two groups.

So here's

the other

bit of

unsighted

statistics,

and I

use

chat

GBT.

I'll be

very honest

with you

guys.

I resist

on a

daily

basis,

to be

honest,

using

chat

GBT,

but I

felt like

this was

a great

question

to ask.

I asked

chat

GBT this

question,

again,

pouring out

of the

first stat

I gave

you.

How many

rounds of

ammunition

were fired

in 2025

across all

armed

conflicts

worldwide?

First

thing it

said,

there's no

way this

stat can be

fully known,

but here's a

best estimate,

and the

estimate was

10 to

30 plus

billion rounds,

billion rounds,

in armed

conflict.

I was very

specific to

say armed

conflict,

not like

robberies,

or not

like,

you know,

murders in

the streets,

but armed

conflict.

Could it be?

I mean,

it seems,

it seems

likely that

that's maybe

even downplaying

it.

Here's the

point.

whether or

not you

fact check

all this,

and I'm

wrong or

just off a

bit,

we are a

warring

people.

We are a

warring

people.

What we've

experienced in

Canada post-World

War II is an

anomaly.

An anomaly.

We call our

military up for

domestic issues

to clear the

sidewalks and

streets of

Toronto because

they're not

strong enough,

like us Ottawa

people, to

clear the

snow.

That is what

our military

does domestically.

Now, our

military is an

incredible unit,

but all that to

say is we don't

have armed

conflicts within

our borders.

And praise God

for that.

But understand

that we live in

the exception of

exceptions that

just prove the

rule of how

violent humanity

is.

We might

believe we are

immune, but we

are certainly

not.

Sin, it is

not only

ubiquitous, but

it goes to the

very depths of

who we are as

a human race.

Maybe you want

to push back.

That's okay.

I think it's good

to push back.

Not everybody's

like this.

In fact, it's

not the common

person that starts

the war.

It is the

power brokers.

It is the

tyrants.

It is the

leaders of every

generation.

They are the

ones that

should have

these accusations

hoisted upon

them.

And I think

there is

legitimacy to

that.

But Paul

isn't just

using hyperbole

to make a

point.

He is

really giving

us the

knockout blow

of the human

experience.

and he

really, really

goes for the

knockout blow

in verse 18.

And this will

be our third

and final point.

Verse 18.

There is no

fear of God

before their

eyes.

The question

is what lies

at the core

of all our

human problems?

How deep

does sin

truly go?

Why are we

unable to

resist sin?

Why do you

find it impossible

to live even

one day?

Be honest.

Okay?

Why do you

find it impossible

to live even

one day without

thinking ill

thoughts,

saying hurtful

words,

or holding

on to

bitterness,

or giving

into temptation?

Why?

Why?

Why have you

been unsuccessful

even this

morning?

Verse 18 is

the answer.

There is no

fear of God

before their

eyes.

There is no

fear of God

before our

eyes.

We have

turned away

from God

and as a

result we

plunge headlong

into sin.

We effectively

reject God's

rule.

Again,

I've mentioned

this just

briefly in

the other

section,

but we

are the

new king.

We are

upon our

own throne.

We

effectively

say we

do not

believe that

the source

of life

is strong

enough to

sustain us.

No amount

of money or

possessions can

satisfy us.

For long we

deny that

true satisfaction

can be found

in worshipping

and praising

anyone other

than ourselves.

our desire

for praise

and glory

is never

fulfilled.

There is

no fear

of God

before our

eyes.

In fact,

you'll notice

that the

neglect of

God is

precisely what

drives this

entire section.

Notice that

Paul, he

frames this

section at

the beginning

and at the

end with

this sentiment.

Turn with me

back to verse

11 and the

second part of

verse 11.

What does it

say?

No one

understands.

No one

seeks for

God.

And then he

ends the

section,

there is no

fear of

God before

their eyes.

It frames

the whole

thing.

Okay?

Sin at

its very

core is

ungodly.

It's

ungodliness.

And ungodliness

isn't, again,

just a neutral

thing.

It causes us

to be less

flourishing,

less bright,

less upright.

We are dull,

we are bent,

we are sputtering.

It does not

make us

strong, it

makes us

weak.

And not in

the good kind

of weakness

where we,

we'll see

shortly,

admits that we

need help,

but a type of

weakness that

parades itself

around like

ultimate strength.

The worst

kind of

weakness.

When our

heart is

turned away

from the

fear of the

Lord,

virtues become

vices.

good things

are twisted

into evil

things.

What Paul is

saying here,

and what he has

said in verses

1 to 8,

and what he has

been saying

from chapter 1

verse 18

all the way

here,

is that whether

you are people

of the law,

the law given

at Sinai,

the Jews,

or people who

have the law

written on their

hearts,

we saw that in

chapter 2,

which is to say

a God

consciousness,

we are both

Jew and

Gentile,

all people

inclined to

deny God's

rule and

standards,

and what do

we do?

We minimize,

we downplay,

we excuse our

sin,

and we are

experts at this.

we are experts

at this,

and in a way,

we regularly

commit,

at least by way

of a thought

experiment,

a kind of

regicide against

God.

His judgments

are so perfect

and just

that we have

to find a way

around them.

But here's the

thing,

I can rail

at the

justice who

all had

exonerated

Philippe

Hebert for

his partner's

murder.

I can,

and I think

there's a place

to rail against

that kind of

injustice.

But I

exonerate

myself every

day.

I do.

I do.

And maybe

you do as

well.

Exonerate

yourself every

day by ignoring

what God has

said and who

he is.

how often

do you say,

as the

justice said

in his

ruling,

I've gone

through too

much, or

the situation,

I mean,

like can you

blame me?

I look to

exonerate myself

all the time.

The reality is

God is holy.

And no matter

how much

self-exoneration

I do,

I, apart

from him,

am not.

sin is

incredibly

ungodly,

and that

ungodliness

at the very

core of all

our sin,

that's the

problem.

So,

sin,

it's ubiquitous.

Sin,

it penetrates

all the way

down,

and sin

at its very

core is

ungodly.

It is

giving

God

the finger,

saying to

him,

to hell

with you.

Paul has

presented us

with this

problem,

and I believe

he has done

a marvelous

job,

because,

again,

I can only

speak for

myself and

how I feel

from this.

I feel pretty

crummy.

I'm kind of

glad to move

on from this

in some way,

which only

shows that

I'm very

uncomfortable

with my

sin,

and that

really Paul

has done

a great

job here.

The evidence

has accumulated

since verse

18 of chapter

1,

the prosecution

has finished,

now it is

our turn

to defend

ourselves.

Verse 19,

we're there,

the prosecution

has said

everything,

what are we

going to say

in our

defense?

Verse 19,

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.

What can

we say?

The answer

is nothing.

What can

we say that

holds any

weight against

the damning

evidence laid

out before

us?

Can we

appeal to

our good

behavior?

Can we

self-justify?

Can we

simply work

harder to

uphold God's

law?

The answer

is no.

Paul concludes

in verse 20,

for by works

of the law,

whether that

is from the

Torah of

Sinai or

the morality

that we know

to be true

in our

hearts,

for by works

of the law

no human

being will

be justified

in God's

sight,

since through

the law

comes knowledge

of sin.

The verdict

is in,

friends,

you're guilty.

I'm guilty.

But here

at Messiah

West,

we don't

like to

end our

sermons

without hope.

Okay?

So where

is the

hope?

Even though

we may

have endured

difficult

childhoods,

we struggle

with self-esteem,

we have

challenges

with school

or had

challenges

with school,

with society,

with parents,

with marriages,

with friendships,

with family,

real problems,

okay?

I don't want to

downplay any of

these things,

and I'm sure

you could fit

in a few

more things.

Real problems,

okay?

Things that

kind of put us

on the edge

of sanity,

put us on the

edge of

of what we

can take.

Nothing

can justify

sin.

Sin is so

heinous and

sinister that

it will take

our deepest

hurts and

biggest struggles

and use

them as

an excuse

to justify

behavior

and to

call sin

something else

other than

what it

truly is.

Sin is

unbelievably

deceptive.

Because of

this,

we can never

truly diagnose

sin.

And friends,

if you can't

diagnose a

problem,

there is no

hope for a

solution,

okay?

You can't

just see a

lump and say,

is it cancer,

is it not

cancer?

Like,

you need to

have a full

diagnosis before

a solution

can happen.

So this is

why,

here's the

hope,

the law,

even though

everybody is

guilty under

the law,

it is a

gift.

Okay,

the law of

God is a

gift to

us.

It was

never meant

to be the

means for

us to

climb out

of the

pit,

but rather

it shows

us how

deep and

dark that

pit truly

is,

and how

no length

of rope

or number

of rungs

can help

us to

escape.

It is

good to

know the

problem

before you,

okay?

It is never

good to

stick your

head in the

sand like

an ostrich.

What the law

does,

it reveals our

nature,

and more

importantly,

though,

it reveals

God's

nature.

And what

is God's

nature?

That he is

holy and he

is perfect

and we

are not,

but more

that he is

good and

that he is

patient and

that he is

mighty to

save.

Why?

Because he is

a God of

love.

In fact,

it says that

God is

love.

So,

with sin

and the

utter totality

of depravity

as the

background,

we then

consider the

gospel,

the good news

of salvation,

that God

will not

leave us

to wallow

in hopeless

darkness,

but will

save us.

And here's

the thing,

we know how

deep the

darkness is,

and maybe

it's even

darker than

we think,

and God,

what he

doesn't do

is just,

you know,

this God

is fantastic,

he knows

how deep

this pit

is,

so he

has the

length of

rope needed

to reach

us.

So we

climb out,

he throws

us the

rope,

he doesn't

do that,

okay,

he doesn't

just take

this giant

cosmic ladder

and put it

down the

pit.

What does

he do?

He belays

himself down,

okay,

all the way

down to

the pit,

from the

top to

the bottom.

We are

there,

we are

blind,

we are

dirty,

we are

scared,

we are

hopeless,

and what

does he

do?

He

attaches

us to

him,

and then

he brings

us up,

okay?

He's the

one who

does the

climbing,

he's the

one who

gets us

out of

the pit,

and what

do we

need to

do?

We need

to cry

out for

help and

then embrace

him as

he saves

us from

certain

defeat and

despair.

So you

see,

there is no

amount of

climbing we

can do,

but friends,

it is to

our benefit

that we know

how deep we

truly are.

So the law

is good,

and it's

glorious,

not

for its

intended

purpose.

So read

God's

word.

Become

convicted

of your

sins.

Don't

try to

cloak

them,

dissemble

or cloak

them before

the face

of Almighty

God,

but instead

be very

honest with

your sins.

And yet

more importantly,

remember that

even though you

are a great

sinner,

that God

is an

even greater

savior,

and that he

is not just

willing,

but he

delights in

salvation.

So remember

that the

gospel is

the power

to save

all people,

for in it

the righteousness

of God that

we need,

that we do

not have,

is being

revealed.

Praise be

to God

and his

son Jesus

Christ forever.

Amen.