Romans 3:9–14 (ESV) —
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
NOTE: Apparently, Paul quotes from four different Psalms (14; 53; 5; 10) in these verses, and more passages in the next four verses. The verses don't completely match the Hebrew verses, partly because he may have been quoting the Greek Septuagint (which matches better), and partly because Paul in the power of the Holy Spirit wanted to emphasize key points.
The key point is that whether you are a Gentile or a Jew, you have a sin problem. Without the law, the Gentiles pursued an idolatrous and degrading lifestyle, and the Jews failed to put the law into practice despite their privilege position (Mounce). Sin affects us, our goals, our words, and our actions. There is NO ONE who does good. There is no such thing as a good person. God does not use a good versus evil measurement system as Islamists falsely believe. There is only one standard, God himself. Everyone fails, and everyone needs a perfect savior, which is only Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God.
John 14:6 (ESV) — 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
PONDER:
- Are you trusting in the fact that you are a mostly good person? -- God calls you a fool.
- Do you even understand that you have a sin problem?
PRAYER: Father, I know I am a sinner in need of your grace, and I have put my faith in Jesus and have a guarantee of eternal life with you. People may see me as a good person, but my salvation is based upon Jesus alone.
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