June 15, 2025

ROMANS 3, 4: EVERYONE’S A SINNER, ALL CAN BE A SAINT

June 15, 2025

 Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Even though we are often surrounded by bad news, i.e., a critical health scare, a financial collapse, etc., often there is good news following the first blow: medicines that offer hope, companies who will work with a family in a financial crisis, and more examples. The same is true in our relationship with God. In Chap 1 & 2, Paul presents the destitute news that all men are born sinners. Not just sinners—but sinners so great that any good works we do when we do not know Him are like filthy rags. Several times God says there is none righteous, no, not one. That triple negative emphasizes a depth of truth beyond the norm, rather like Proverbs 6:16-19 when Solomon writes, ‘There are six things the Lord hates, … yea, [seven] are an abomination to Him.’ Now, in Romans three and four, Paul tells the good news: God has made a way in which sinful man can be restored in a relationship to Him that will last forever. He has a free gift which He gives to us if we believe on Jesus. There is no other name whereby we can have eternal life except through the name of Jesus Christ. He is the gift.

Focal Passages: Romans 3, 4; 1 Cor. 15:56-57.

Looking in the Mirror:

  • Read Romans 3:20. What does Paul mean by ‘the deeds of the flesh’? Do you know people who are ‘good’ people but reject Jesus? Do they do lots of good in the community, even, perhaps, give generously? Why will no one be justified by God for those deeds?
  • Why do works without salvation mean nothing? How many religions do you know that practice this type of ‘salvation’?
  • What does this mean: ‘for by the law is the knowledge of sin’? How does the law teach us about sin? When God gave the Israelites the sacrificial system, what did it serve to do?
  • Read Heb. 10:1-4. Who realized sacrifices do not work: God or man? Read Eph. 1:4. Would God have made Jesus go to the cross if the law had been able to save man’s soul?
  • How did the law show us we are unable to be made right with God by sacrifices? Read 1 Cor. 15:56-57. How is this the bad news and the good news?

It’s not a pretty sight:

  • Read Rom. 3:10-18. Why does God repeat His conclusion twice more when looking on man? What are the twelve descriptions which God gives when assessing our state?
  • How does this passage sound like a verdict on the state of the world today? Read Psalm 14. How did David feel as he looked out on Israel? Was he perhaps writing only for our benefit?
  • Read vv. 21-23. How is this a ‘hallelujah’? How did the Prophets witness this? What is meant by ‘to all and on all who believe’? Why is there no difference?

But God has changed the view:

  • Read Rom. 3: 24-26. How (again!) is this free gift received? What does free mean?
  • What covers the payment? How did this show God is both just and merciful? Did God punish all sins at the time they were committed? Why not?
  • How could we be declared ‘not guilty’? How could we be declared righteous?

And it’s not by what we do, but through what we believe:

  • Read Rom. 3:27-28. When we come to Jesus, do we have something to boast about? Why? In verse 28, what is the conclusion?
  • Read John 1:12-13. If we come to Jesus, is that our ‘will’ that is acting? What then? Read John 6:44. How do we come to God? This should be comforting: is it?

A SAINT through faith:

  • Read Rom. 4:2-4. What does verse 3 declare? When we believe, what happens?
  • Read Rom. 4:20-25. Did Abraham let unbelief or fear cause him to waver in his faith? In vs. 21, why did he continue strong? Will God do that for all of us?

The Bottom Line: While we are all sinners, without excuse, God has made a way back to Himself through the gift of His Son. And this way is the ONLY WAY to salvation. Believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died and rose again is God’s plan for mankind.

Close:

How do you act when someone points out you are in the wrong? Let’s face it, some of us have a really hard time with that. Why?? Because we think we are prefect? Probably not, but for some reason our defense mechanisms go into overdrive when we are criticized, and we respond thusly.

Yet God’s word says all men are sinners. Not just sinners that are ‘a little bit bad,’ but sinners who miss the standard God has set by a distance so great there’s no crossing it.  The good things we do as works with no faith are like handing God really filthy rags. When you think of yourself as a sinner, do you immediately justify yourself? Do you go into a defense of, “But I didn’t know… I didn’t mean…,” or do you commend your other actions with, “But I do this …give that…visit those…” In other words, do you defend yourself or commend yourself? You will not be saved until you see yourself as a sinner in need of God’s free gift of salvation, standing quietly before God, willing to admit your past and present sin and shame, then be willing to turn away from all of it. We have to recognize the holiness of God, and see ourselves as ‘worms’ who have no righteousness until we are given the righteous robe of Jesus Christ to put over our shoulders. His is the only Name that will save you. The only mediator between God and man is Christ Jesus.

By Sandy Day

June 15, 2025

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