STUDIES IN THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS
“Total Depravity” Romans 3:9-20
Introduction: Few statements are more agreed upon than the fact of universal sin.
1. Roman philosopher Seneca - “We have all sinned, some more, some less.”
2. Ovid - “We all strive for what is forbidden.”
3. Chinese proverb - “There are two good men, one is dead and the other is not yet born.”
4. Karl Menninger - “What Ever Became of Sin?” deny, sick, ignorance, social
Central Truth: Humans are as bad off as they can be. This passage presents the biblical description of what the theologian calls “Total Depravity.”
Seven things the natural man cannot do:
1. Can’t enter the kingdom of God: ESV John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
2. Can’t come to God: ESV John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
3. Can’t hear the words of God: ESV John 8:47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
4. Can’t receive the Spirit of truth: ESV John 14:17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
5. Can’t please God: ESV Romans 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
6. Can’t receive the things of the Spirit of God: ESV 1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
7. Can’t stop sinning: KJV 2 Peter 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
I. The Character of Sin. (10-12)
1. None is righteous.
2. None has divine understanding.
3. None seeks after God.
4. All have gone their own way.
5. All sin by nature and character. (Sinfulness of sin)
II. The Conduct of Sin. (13-17)
1. In Word 13-14
a. Corrupting speech
b. Deceitful
c. Uncharitable
d. Blasphemous
2. In Deed 15-17
a. Murderous
b. Oppressive
c. Hate and covetousness
III. The Cause of Sin. (18)
1. No fear of God
2. God is not your buddy.
3. Death penalty
IV. The Conclusion of Sin (19-20)
1. Guilty
2. Helpless
Reflection: Such a hopeless and helpless condition should drive me to seek Christ. In the course of presenting the Gospel have I faithfully communicated the bad news as well as the good news?
The apostle Paul has established that the Jews have the advantage of possessing the Word of God. However, they are no better off than the Gentiles, so long as they are without Christ and under the dominion of sin. The expression “under sin” is an interesting phrase. The preposition “under” means “in the power of, under the authority of.” In Matthew 8:9 solders are said to be “under me”; “under my command.” In this period a schoolboy was said to be “under the direction” of his slave-teacher. And a slave was “under the yoke” of his master. So it follows that in this context in Romans a person in a Christless state is under the control of sin.
To validate his statement that everyone is “under sin,” Paul strings together six OT passages, and in doing so, offers 14 indictments of all humans (unless they have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ). This stringing together so many passages was typical Rabbinic practice in preaching. Literally the Rabbis called it “stringing pearls.” Quotations are taken from Psalm 14”1-3; Psalm 5:9; Psalm 140:3; Psalm 10:7; Isaiah 59:7-8; Psalm 36:1.
It is human nature (sinful human nature) that tries to argue its way out of God’s declaration that all humans are born sinful. Some psychologists who recognize that there are wrong tendencies in children, still refuse to admit that children were born that way. These psychologists fail to explain how those selfish tendencies got there in the first place. Others try every way possible to deny that humans are sinful. They appeal to different standards in different cultures. Or they deny the very existence of God altogether. Such people most often deny the divine nature of Christ, claiming he was just like any other great man. And, as you might guess, they deny the authority and inspiration of the Bible, saying it is only the word of man. However, God is unmoved by these futile attempts to dethrone Him. He still sits on the throne of the universe as its final authority. What He says is true. And what he says still stands. (Quote Barnhouse, p. 194) (2 Cor. 5:18-21)
“As it is written:” Verse 10 lays the foundation for what he is about to say. The expression is found frequently in the Bible, especially in the OT, but it was use here as early as in chapter 1:17. The expression carries the idea of it being the final authority. In Greek it is in the perfect tense, which carries the emphasis that it is not just written, but it stands written. It is no wonder that many have sought to oppose the authority of the Bible by claiming it is the voice of men, not the final authoritative voice of God. There is a natural tendency to want our own way. And that selfishness is a manifestation of our sin. I invite you to hear how God describes human beings in this natural (sinful) state.
From the divine perspective this is an appalling description of all humans. There are no differences here between ethnic, social, financial groups, or levels of education. Everyone is seen as a son of Adam and is in a sinful state. Read Romans 3:10-18.
There is none righteous, no, not one. Earlier in English the word “righteous” used to be spelled “rightwise.” Hence, the idea was speaking of “one who is such as he ought to be.” The only person who ever fit that description was Jesus Christ. So, if you were placed along side Jesus Christ, would you be “one who is as he ought to be”? This is God’s standard of righteousness, not our fanciful idea of what “is as it ought to be.”
There is none who understands. Even Adam was not righteous. He was merely innocent. Even in his innocence he did not understand because he sought his own way rather than seeking God’s way. (1 Cor. 2:14)
There is none who seeks after God. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Even, he did not run toward God; he ran away from God! Luke 19:10 says, “The Son of man has come to seek and save that which was lost.”
It was God who does the seeking, not man. (Ill.) seeker services???? Some may seek the benefits of God. But I came to Christ not because I was seeking Him. No! He was seeking me.
ESV Romans 3:12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. We humans have willfully abandoned the way of God. Like seep we have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. (Isa. 53:6) Consequently we have become “unprofitable.” Another way of saying it is, “We have become worthless to God.” We are useless to God in this natural, sinful state. Unless we understand that it is what God does through us that counts in God’s economy, then we are failing to comprehend John 15:5. ESV John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Not only is no one righteous, now he says that no one does good. And there are no exceptions (except, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ).
In verse 13-18 the apostle Paul describes the wickedness of various parts of the human body. Figuratively, God is saying that every part contributes to our condemnation. They refer to three actions. First relates to speaking – throats, tongues, lips, and mouths (13-14). The second relates to conduct – feet (15-17). And the third relates to seeing – eyes (18). The reason they do all these things is because there is no fear of God before their eyes.
Paul then turns to the conclusion of this first section of Romans in verses 18-20. Paul considered himself under the law as a Jew, but so are we by application. And the conclusion of the whole matter is that we all stand guilty before a holy, righteous, and just God! (Ill.) After you die, how will you respond to God if He says to you, “Why should I grant you entrance to My heaven?
The Law is not an instrument of justification, but of condemnation!