Summary:
This chapter reveals one thing. There is not one person that is FREE from sin! The key verse in this chapter is clearly Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; We fall short. We all do. There is no covering it up. This chapter is heavy in telling us we are a sinful people no matter where we are at in our every day lives. No matter how good we may think we are. We fall short! The words in this chapter are descriptive and easy to understand. There is no misunderstanding of this chapter. This chapter reveals characteristics of the lost (one who does not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).
God is good, righteous and God will judge the world in righteousness!
Verse 10 states the is NONE righteous, no not one! There is no explaining away this verse.
Verses 11-18 states several characteristics of the lost:
- There is none that understandeth. No understanding. This takes me back to a couple of verses. 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
- There is none that seeketh after God. The lost will not seek after God, because they have no interest in Him. They go about their daily lives not realizing they are headed down a path of hell and destruction.
- They are all gone out of the way. They avoid God. They are willing to go out of their way to avoid that encounter!
- They are together become unprofitable. Useless. They are fruitless. They are not worth investment because they have no way of benefiting God! That is pretty heavy!
- There is none that doeth good, no, not one. They may think they are doing good but they really are not!
- Their throat is an open sepulchre. What goes in a sepulchre? Dead things.
- With their tongues they have used deceit. I other words they are liars!
- The poison of asps is under their lips. What does the poison of asps (a venomous snake, Egyptian Cobra) do? It has a neurotoxin, Can kill an adult elephant in three hours. The venom destroys nerves and tissues and also causes paralysis and will result in death due to respiratory failure within a short period of time.
- Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. The foul mouth of a lost person is atrocious, foul, offensive, and nasty! The bitterness is brutal!
- Their feet are swift to shed blood. They are worried about one thing themselves! They are willing to do whatever it takes to be on top!
- Destruction and misery are in their ways. Their misery is noticeably sad!
- And the way of peace have they not known. There is no peace in their lives. It is chaos!
- There is no fear of God before their eyes. This is a very dangerous place to be in!
Words Looked Up:
No words to look up.
Application:
This chapter reminds me of where I came from. A life of sin and destruction. A life that was destined for hell! A place of destruction! I was not a good person. That old self was crucified on that cross with my Lord Jesus Christ! It is a humbling thought that a God so gracious can forgive a wicked person such as I. The thought humbles me. I should be reminded of my past on a daily basis. The thought drives me to my knees in worship of the One who took my place on that cross! Thank you Lord! The solution to the sin is not works. The solution to sin is not baptism. The solution to sin is repentance, faith and grace! That broken relationship with God cannot be fixed by belief alone. It does not work that way. We must fix our relationship with Christ by repentance and turning to Jesus!
Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.