Slides: A Devastating Diagnosis

A Devastating Diagnosis

Romans 3:9-20

⁹ What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. ¹⁰ As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; ¹¹there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. ¹² All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

¹³ “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

¹⁴ “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
¹⁵ “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ¹⁶ ruin and misery mark their ways, ¹⁷ and the way of peace they do not know.” ¹⁸ “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Entire human race

Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin… “There is no one righteous, not even one… All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Entire human personality

• Mind: “no one who understands”
• Will: “no one who seeks God”
• Emotions: “no fear of God”

Entire human body

Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood… There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Total depravity

• Entire human race
• Entire human personality
• Entire human body

Devastating diagnosis

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ²⁰ Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Accepting the doctor’s diagnosis

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. (Matthew 9:12)

Detecting disease

• Feeling bad: conscience or trouble
• Doctor’s diagnosis: God’s written law

Righteousness from God

²¹ But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.