READ: Rom. 3:9-20: … There is none righteous, no, not one …
Paul continues his argument. It comes down to this: truly all people, without exception, because of their sins deserve God’s wrath. All live in opposition to God’s revealed will, the law—Jews and Gentiles alike.
No one can claim that they are better than others by themselves. Not Jews, but also not Christians. No one is righteous before God on their own: no one stands in a right relationship to God, fulfills His law, and is innocent. Moreover, no one lets themselves be guided by God’s Word (v.11) because by nature people do not seek God.
The Jews do have privileges; they even have the Word of God, the Old Testament (v.2). But that gives them no right to feel better than others. The Lord may even demand more of them. And even with these benefits, they stray from Him and are not serving in His Kingdom. In the eyes of the LORD, no one does good out of themselves.
Verses 13–18 make clear how the sinful nature shows itself in thinking, speaking, and acting. The whole of human existence is sinful and guilty. Paul demonstrates this with quotations from the Old Testament, which he calls “law” as a whole (v.19). He concludes: “The fear of God is not before their eyes” (Ps. 36:2): man by nature does not even desire reconciliation with God.
In the Heidelberg Catechism we confess as believers in Lord’s Day 2: “By nature I am inclined to hate God and my neighbor.” Paul’s conclusion cannot be otherwise than that the whole world, including Jews, is deserving of condemnation before God. No one can object to this. You cannot appeal to your own good works before God. Observing the law does not bring acquittal, but rather insight into your many sins.
Do Paul’s words also apply to us?
Sing: Ps. 51:3