Bible Study: Romans 3:9-20

Romans 3:9-20 None Are Righteous Apart From Christ

I. All Under Sin: Both Jew and Gentile (3:9-18)

• Paul asks the anticipated question of whether the Jews are better than Gentiles and affirms that both are under sin.  (3:9)
  
• Paul then quotes at length from the Old Testament to make his case universal in both the past and present; the use of ‘as it is written’ (or some variant) is used frequently when referring to the Scriptures previously written (3:10a). 
  
• There lies three groups of accusatory indictments: Character, Conversation, and Conduct (John MacArthur, Romans Commentary. p182-194). (3:10b-18)
  

             A. Character of the Accused (3:10b-12): From Eccl 7:20; Ps 14:1-3; Ps 53:1-3

                  1. Not only are none righteous, emphasis is added by saying ‘not even one.  The idea that some are at least a little bit righteous is totally false. (3:10b)

                  2. None understand God’s righteousness because all are in sin. (3:11a)

                  3. Lest one try to accuse God of denying saving faith to the man seeking God, this text slams the door to such charges.  None are seeking God in the first place! This charge is baseless because such a case does not exist. (3:11b)

                  4. All have indeed turned aside and become useless as they have turned to some false system of worship in rebellion against the Lord. In the Hebrew equivalent, uselessness here is used to describe milk gone sour and rancid. Ancient Greek literature would even used this word to describe the senseless laughter of a moron (MacArthur p186). (3:12a)

                  5. There are none good, and Christ, being God, challenged the rich young ruler who declared Christ good. He wanted the man to truly understand what it means to be good, for only God is good (Lk 18:18-19). (3:12b)

            B. Conversation of the Accused (3:13-14) From Ps 5:9; Ps 140:3, Ps 10:7

                 1. Their throat is an open grave as they don’t even cover their stench but just let its horrendous odor permeate everywhere (MacArthur 188). (3:13a)

                 2. They are constantly deceiving others. (3:13b)

                 3. They are like venomous snakes as their speech is poisonous. (3:13c)

                 4. Their mouth is filled with vile talk of cursing and bitterness. (3:14)

            C. Conduct of the Accused (3:15-18) From Is 59:7-8; Ps 36:1

                 1. Their thirst for bloodshed is quite evident today as much then. (3:15)

                 2. They bring much misery and destruction everywhere they go. (3:16)

                 3. They usher in no peace or a false peace at best. (3:17)

                 4. Instead having a great awe and reverence for God, they not only plunge into ungodliness, but they have no fear of His coming judgment either. (3:18)

II. Therefore, None are Justified by Works of the Law (3:19-20)

• The Law came to hold man accountable and close the mouth of men. (3:19)
  

             A. Jews are condemned in their inability to keep the Law as revealed by Moses and the Prophets.

     B. Gentiles are condemned in their inability to keep the Law placed upon their hearts.

• No flesh is then justified by the works of the Law; ultimately, the Law came to bring greater knowledge of sin and thus the need for Christ, the Savior. (3:20)