No One Righteous
If no one is righteous, what do we do? We are all standing before God because each one of us is a sinner. What is the answer. We need to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.
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“These verses indicate that the whole of man’s inner being is controlled by sin: his mind (‘none that understandeth’), his heart (‘none that seeketh after God’), and his will (‘none that doeth good’). Measured by God’s perfect righteousness, no human being is sinless.” (Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary Old Testament Wisdom and Poetry [Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004], 521)
9. Paul “is showing that God judges sin.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983] 662)
“Man is a sinner four different ways. God is giving man four strikes (In baseball you only get three).
1. Man is a sinner by act.
2. Man is a sinner by nature.
a. Sinning does not make a sinner; we sin because we are sinners.
3. Man is a sinner by imputation. We’ll see that later in this epistle.
4. The estate of man is under sin. We all are under sin—the entire human family.
(McGee, 662)
Old Testaments about Righteous
10. “Paul strings together a series of OT quotations that indicate the character (vv. 10-12), conversation (vv.13,14), and conduct (vv. 15-17) of all people.” (MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. [Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005], 1512)
“This is quoted from Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3” (MacArthur, 1512)
There is no one righteous, not even one. [NIV]
“Man is universally evil. (cf. Ps. 14:1)” (MacArthur, 1512)
“What does it mean to be righteous? Well, it means to be right. Right with whom? We are to be right with God…If we are going to be right with God, we are going to play according to His rules.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 662)
“To be right with God, then, means to accept His salvation.” (McGee, 663)
11. “No one has genuine understanding (v. 11) …By nature people simply do on seek out or search for God.” (Mounce, Robert H, The New American Commentary, Volume 27, Romans. [Broadman & Holeman Publishers, 1995], 108)
All Turned Away
12. All have turned away
“That their failure to seek God is more than an accidental omission is seen in the fact that they have deliberately turned away from God.” (Mounce, 109)
There is none that doeth good, no, not one.
This tells me that none of us do good. We must rely on Jesus.
13-14.”in vv. 13-14 Paul cited passages that deal with the throat, the tongue, the lips, and the mouth…Their tongues were used to deceive. The poison of vipers was on their lips. Their mouths were full of cursing and bitterness.” (Mounce, 109)
“As an unsealed tomb allows those who pass to see and smell what is inside, the unregenerate person’s open throat—that is the foul words that come from it—reveal the decay of his heart.” (MacArthur, 1513)
Proverbs 10:31-32; 15:2,28; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 3:7; 12:34-35; James 3:1-12; Psalm 140:3
15-17. See Isaiah 59:7-8
15. Their feet are swift to shed blood
This is true in our world today. Innocent people are killed daily.
16. “Man damages and destroys everything he touches, leaving a trail of pain and suffering in his wake.” (MacArthur, 1513)
17. Peace
“The way of peace is unknown to those who turn from God. Their lives are marked by unrest and lack of genuine satisfaction.” (Mounce, 109)
Spiritual Condition
18. Fear of God
“Man’s true spiritual condition is nowhere more clearly seen than in the absence of a proper submission to and reverence for God. Biblical fear for God consists of: (1) awe of His greatness and glory, and (2) dread of the results of violating that holy nature.” (MacArthur, 1513)
Psalm 36; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 16:6; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 11:30
19. Them who are under the law
“Jews received the written law through Moses (3:2), and Gentiles have the works of the law written on their hearts (2:15, so that both groups are accountable to God.” (MacArthur, 1513)
All the world may become guilty before God.
“There is no defense against the guilty verdict God pronounces on the entire human race.” (MacArthur, 1524)
20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
“No human being can be brought into a right standing with God on the basis of doing what the law requires. Why? Because the law makes a person conscious of sin.” (Mounce, 110)
“Neither Jew nor Gentile can obey God’s law; therefore God must save sinners by some other means. The explanation of that means by which man can be saved occupied Paul for the rest of his letter.” (Wiersbe, 522)
“It is only when we stand silent before Him [God] as sinners that He can save us. As long as we defend ourselves and commend ourselves, we cannot be saved by God’s grace. The whole world is guilty before God—and that includes you and me.” (Wiersbe, 522)
References
In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.
NIV Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005
Mounce, Robert H, The New American Commentary, Volume 27, Romans. Broadman & Holeman Publishers, 1995
Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004
