Romans 3 All Have Sinned
- Read Romans 3
When it comes to salvation, is there an advantage to being an American? Let me ask you again, when it comes to salvation, is there an advantage tp being an American? The answer, Yes, there is. There are many advantages, when it comes to salvation, to being an American.
For one, God is mentioned in our very founding documents. In the Declaration of Independence, it says, “WHEN in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.? We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness—-
Nature’ God. Endowed by their Creator. We have to learn that in school.
In our country, there is preaching on many TV stations, and on many radio stations. At Christmas, many of our neighbors have nativities displayed in their yards, and at Easter, many display 3 crosses.
In A Charlie Brown Christmas, a tradition in many homes, Charlie Brown asks, “Doesn’t anybody know the meaning of Christmas? And Linus answers, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not:" "for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'" That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
In our country, in the south, there are churches on nearly every street corner, and right now there are vacation Bible schools going on all over the place.
Our capital buildings in Washington DC, are covered with biblical quotes. When our president takes the oath of office, he does so with his hand on the Bible. When a person is sworn in to give testimony in court, he is asked, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God”.
Oh, when it comes to being saved and having a relationship with God, there are many advantages to being an American. The hints, the clues about the importance of being saed are all around us.
That, in essence, is what Paul is asking in verse 1 of this passage in Romans 3. When it comes to salvation, is there an advantage to being a Jew? And again, the answer is yes!
- Read Romans 3:1-2
Paul says, “The advantages are considerable.”
1. First, they were entrusted with the very words of God.
What other nation, what other people can say, “Our nation, our people, were there when the law was written by the very finger of God? What other people can say, “The Founder of our nation met with God and was personally given God’s 10 commandments?”
- Read Romans 3:1
2. Second, they have circumcision. Now, circumcision is common in our country and in our culture, but for the Jews it meant more than it does in our culture. When, or if we choose to have our sons circumcised, it is done in another room, by a doctor, before he leaves the hospital. We don’t even see it. All we hear is our screaming child.
For the Jewish people, one of the first peoples to practice circumcision, it was an act of obedience to God. In Genesis 17, when God called Abraham, God told him, you and all of the males of your dependents are to be circumcised. It is a mark of the covenant between you and Me.
In a world where almost no males were circumcised, it set them apart.
And again, if our males are circumcised, it happens behind closed doors. For the Jews, the males were circumcised on the 8th day. There was a ceremony. It marked the boy as being one of God’s people. It was an act of dedication, and each time it happened it was a reminder of the long cultural ties between God, and His chosen people.
Paul asks the question, “When it comes to salvation, is there an advantage to being a Jew?” And he answers his own question. “Sure there is. We have the law, the commands of God. We have circumcision, which ties our people and our heritage to a relationship with God.”
What other people can say they were led out of captivity by God? What other people can say they were fed in the wilderness for 40 years by God? What other people can say they were led by a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night? What other people can say God brought them into a new land and gave them victory over those living there? And today, what other people can say they lost their homeland for 2000 years, and in fulfillment of prophecy, on May 14, 1948, became a nation again?
Paul asks, “Is there an advantage to being a Jew? And he answers, “Yes. Our whole nation and our existence points us to God.”
Now look at verse 3.
- Read Romans 3:3
Now, if in spite of everything God has done for the Jewish people, if some are unfaithful, and some Jewish folks don’t obey God or don’t remember God, does that nullify God’s faithfulness? No.
Now, if in spite of everything God has done for our nation, and in spite of the fact that we have churches all over the place, and Christianity preached all over the place, and in spite of the fact that we have Thanksgiving each year to remind us to be thankful to God; if in spite of that, some Americans choose to forget God and live in rebellion to Him, does that erase the faithfulness of God? No.
Paul answers in verse 4. Absolutely not.
Now, look at what Paul says in verse 9.
- Read Romans 3:9-12
Now Paul states the problem. He says, there are advantages to being Jewish, but your nationality doesn’t make you right with God. You, have a sin problem.
Someone was once asked if he was a Christian. He answered, “Sure I am. I’m an American.”
Oh my friend, you can be Jewish, and have a rich cultural heritage of a people loved by God, but you still have a problem. Sin.
And my friend, you can live in the United States of America, and have a great religious culture; and you can celebrate Thanksgiving each year and remember how God saved the pilgrims and they were thankful; and you can put your hand over your heart and recite the pledge of allegiance and confess that we are one nation under God; and you can stand on July 4th and proudly sing “God Bless America”, but you still have a problem. Sin.
Paul says, you have advantages. You have a heritage that points you in the right direction. You have a history of being from a people who have a relationship with God, but none of that does you any good if you don’t address the sin problem.
Verse 10.
- Read Romans 3:10
There is none righteous, no not one.
But, my granddad was a preacher. Doesn’t matter what he did. There is none righteous, no not one.
But, my mom taught Sunday School. Doesn’t matter. There is none righteous. No not one.
But, I attended Vacation Bible School. I was baptized. I have attended church for decades. Doesn’t matter. There is none righteous. No not one.
Now, if there is none righteous, how do we address the issue? How do we take care of the righteousness issue? How are we made right with God?
- Read Romans 3:21-24
The righteousness of God is reached how? Verse 22. Through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved.
> Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Picture with me please, the place of the skull, Golgotha, and the 3 crosses there. 3 Crosses. IN front of one of the crosses I grieve. In front of one of the crosses I worship. And in front of one of the crosses I celebrate.
Let’s go to the first cross, the cross with the cursing criminal.
I. THE THREE CROSSES
1. The cursing criminal
Here we have a thief, a rebel, a criminal, who is shouting at Jesus. He is cursing. He says, “I don’t believe in you. I don’t believe in God, and I certainly don’t believe you are He. But, If you are, get down off the cross and take us with you.”
If that isn’t a picture of much of our world today. I don’t believe in God. I don’t believe in Jesus. Just leave me alone and let me be. I’ll do my own thing, thank you very much.
If there is a god, fine. I hope he gives me something, or helps me in some way, or helps my family, but I really don’t believe in him. He’s never done anything for me.
In front of that cross I grieve. I cry, because there I see so many of my neighbors. I see people who are blinded by the devil and the world. People who are unable to see the hand of God, and unwilling to believe in the love of God.
There I cry, because on that cross I see so many of the children in our schools, who have never been taught about God.
2. The Crucified Christ
I worship at the second cross. For there I see the Holy Son of God. There i see Jesus.
>John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but hath everlasting life.
> Romans 5:8 But God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
> Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
At the second cross I worship. For there I see the light of the world. There I see the Holy Lamb of God Who was given as a sacrifice for me. There I see the love of God for me.
3. The converted criminal.
On the 3rd cross I see a converted criminal and I celebrate.
At one time he was just like the other criminal. Just hours earlier he too was cursing Jesus. Just hours earlier he too was saying he wanted nothing to do with God. Just hours earlier he too was doubting God. I don’t believe in you, but if you are god, what can you do for me.
But now, he cries out, “Master, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus answers him, “This day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.”
What in the world took place to move him from hell bound, like the thief on the first cross, to heaven bound? How in the world could that happen?
The answer is in our passage for today.
- Read Romans 3:23-24
1) Justified
How can a man enter into a right relationship with God? The picture is that of a man on trial before God. If a man comes before God and is innocent, he is acquitted. But the whole point here is that when a man comes before God he is anything but innocent; he is utterly guilty; and yet God, in His amazing mercy, treats him as that he’s innocent. He is justified. God treats him just as though he had never sinned.
The thief was justified.
Now, how was he justified? What did it cost him?
2) Freely
He was justified freely. There were no good works he could do. There was no way he could work enough or pay enough to be justified. He was justified freely, at no expense to himself.
“The story is told of a widow whose only daughter was very sick and in need of fresh fruit. But it was winter; grapes and oranges were expensive and the widow was poor. Walking the streets of the city, the woman found herself outside the royal palace. She looked through the gate and saw in the royal greenhouse great clusters of the most appetizing and tempting grapes. As she gazed a them wistfully, the princess came by and, taking in the situation at a glance, with her own hands cut a magnificent basketful of fruit. With trembling hands the widow offered the royal lady the few copper coins she had in her purse, but she received instead this noble reply. ‘Madam, these grapes are not for sale. My father is a king and he’s much too rich to sell, and besides, you’re much too poor to buy. You can have these grapes for free or not at all.’ That’s it. Our Father is a King! He does not sell. He offers salvation free or not at all. (Exploring Romans, John Phillips, Moody Press, 1981, pp 69-70).
I have been justified. How? Freely. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.
3) Grace - By His grace. There is that word grace. Grace is getting something we do not deserve. God’s riches at Christ’s expense.
Because of God’s grace, the thief is justified freely, at no expense to himself.
Allister Begg tells the story of when the thief on the cross gets to heaven.
Think about the thief on the cross. What an immense… I can’t wait to find that fellow one day to ask him, “How did that shake out for you? Because you were cussing the guy out with your friend. You’d never been in a Bible study. You’d never got baptized. You didn’t know a thing about church membership. And yet—and yet, you made it! You made it! How did you make it?”
That’s what the angel must have said—you know, like, “What are you doing here?”
“Well, I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
“Well, ’cause I don’t know.”
“Well, you know… Excuse me. Let me get my supervisor.”
They go get the supervisor angel: “So, we’ve just a few questions for you. First of all, are you clear on the doctrine of justification by faith?”
The guy says, “I’ve never heard of it in my life.”
“And what about… Let’s just go to the doctrine of Scripture immediately.”
This guy’s just staring.
And eventually, in frustration, he says, “On what basis are you here?”
And he said, “The man on the middle cross said I can come.”
That’s why I celebrate in front of the 3rd cross. Because that man, though he could do nothing to save himself, was heading to heaven because of what Jesus did on that center cross.
Oh, I started on the first cross but ended on the third.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
II. THE PATIENCE OF GOD
Some people claim that it’s not right for God to judge people, and for Him to separate them from Him for all eternity. It’s not right for a just and loving God to condemn someone to hell.
- Read Romans 3:25
A number of years ago, my brother Dusty and I went to Memphis to put a roof on a friend’s house. We took all of our tools and such up there with us.
I didn’t enjoy the job very much for several reasons. First, up there, they don’t put the shingles and such on the roof for you, like suppliers often do down here.
Second, the roof was steeper than most of them I work on down here, so I was nervous the whole time I was up there.
Anyway, we got the roof torn off and started putting the new one back on. But, my nail gun kept jamming. I’d put in about 10 nails and the gun would jam. It’d fix it, shoot 5 or 6 nails and it would jam again. After a while I got sick of it. Here I am doing my best to keep from falling off a roof that is too steep and I can’t even get my gun to work, and in one of only 2 times I’ve ever done it, I took that gun and slung it off the roof and across the yard. I taught that gun to fly.
Now, think of the patience of God. In the Garden of Eden He gave Adam and Eve 1 command. Don’t eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. On the day you do you’ll die.
1 command and yet both of them disobeyed. Eve was tricked, and Adam chose his wife over God.
At that point, God could have, and should have chucked them both off the roof, and got Himself another gun; started all over again with another couple. But He didn’t. He slaughtered a lamb, covered their nakedness, and gave them time.
The Bible tells us, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
Many folks tell God again and again, “I don’t want you in my life. I will do things my own way, thank you very much.” Again and again, they say, Leave me alone.”
God in His patience overlooks that for a while, but after a while, He says, “OK. Have it your way. I’ll leave you alone.”
And that my friend, is what hell is. It is a place where God leaves us alone.
The Bible tells us that God is love. Hell is a place where there is no love. Jesus is the light of the world. Hell is a place where there is no light. The Bible tells us God gives His beloved rest. Hell is a place where there is no rest. Jesus says, My peace I leave with you.” Hell is a place where there is no peace. That is what I deserve.
There are advantages to being a Jew, or living in America. Those things help point us in the right direction, but citizenship will not save us. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
I started on the first cross but ended on the third. Praise God, for His love and His patience.
Soon and very soon - Andra’e Crouch
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King
Hallelujah hallelujah
We're going to see the King
No more crying there
We are going to see the King
No more crying there
We are going to see the King
No more crying there
We are going to see the King
Hallelujah hallelujah
We're going to see the King
Let me ask you my friend, are you prepared to make that trip? Will you be seeing the King? And if so, let me ask you, who are you taking with you?
