If you had the power to fix one problem in this world, what would you fix?
This week, we finally arrived at Paul’s conclusion to his long, long case he has been building. All this time, he has been asserting that we all have one really big problem that needs solving. His case started in Romans 1:18:
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Romans 1:18-20 NLT
And he wraps it up with these two summary statements:
Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
Romans 3:9 NLT
For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Romans 3:20 NLT
So is Paul asserting that God gave us a “solution” to a problem that doesn’t really work?
I think Paul is trying to show us that “the good news is only as good as the bad news is bad.” How do you interpret that?
The news is pretty bad. Paul’s case is actually that we ALL have ONE HUGE PROBLEM. Here is how it is described in the Old Testament:
Only fools say in their hearts,
Psalm 14:1-3 NLT
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
not one of them does good!
2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
if anyone seeks God.
3 But no, all have turned away;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
not a single one!
Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 NLT
How is God’s perspective on human depravity different from the world’s perspective? What is the the world’s solution? What is God’s?
Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Romans 3:19-20 NLT
So, what is the function of the law?
Why is the law not enough to save us?
What is our only hope? What should we be doing about this?