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Below is a breakdown of Romans
3:9–20, verse by verse, of what the Holy Spirit revealed
to me to answer the following question proffered up to me by
Christian Apologetic Rita Williams of Cephas Ministry.
Romans 3:9 begins with the
following accusatory question, “What then? Are we better
than they?” The Apostle Paul concludes verse 9 with the
answer, “No, in no wise: for we have before proved both
Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.” This states
that God’s chosen people, the Jews and also the Gentiles,
who have the potential to be grafted into the vine, are equally
under the same yolk of sin.
Paul continues in Romans 3:10, “As it is written, There
is none righteous, no, not one.” One can infer from this
that each individual is operating in his own flesh, so he is
not capable of righteousness, no matter how hard one tries.
In Romans 3:11 it states, “There is none that understandeth,
there is none that seeketh after God.” Also, no individual
operating in his own flesh is capable to understand what sin
is, nor do we even desire to seek after God.
Paul continues in Romans 3:12, “They are all gone out of
the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none
that doeth good, no, not one.” One’s flesh being out
of the way is a form of being lost in the wilderness away from
God’s purpose. Also sin can cause one to become unprofitable,
meaning that it can cause him to make financial decisions in
his life leading to sin, no matter how hard one tries, so that
none doeth good, no, not one.
In Romans 3:13 it states, “Their throat is an open sepulchre;
with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps
is under their lips.” A sepulchre is Old-English terminology
from the time of King James to describe a tomb, or room where
a human corpse is stored, thus a fleshly throat can cause sins
similar to those that cause death. Also as one’s evil flesh
attempts to deceive through sinful words from his mouth, which
is similar to the toxins from the bite of a venomous snake, or
the poison of asps.
Paul continues in Romans 3:14, “Whose mouth is full of cursing
and bitterness.” This poison takes the form of those obscene
four letter words that are understood not to be proper around
children, or polite company. Cursing has become so prevalent
in the 2020’s, that this inappropriate language has become
a formidable cause of sin among many within America’s counter
culture. Also, an over reliance on these words has the effect
to cause the tongue to become lazy, thus limiting a person’s
potential to expand his vocabulary.
In Romans 3:15 it states, “Their feet are swift to shed
blood.” God made trees to be rooted into the ground from
seed to harvest, if they are utilized to build houses or furniture.
However, a human being has free will and is he is mobile, thus
he may chose to be kind by walking into a field to gather flowers
for his mothers, or he may sin by shedding the blood of another,
thus committing murder. This is one of the worst sins one can
commit, which is the deliberate taking of another’s life.
Paul continues in Romans 3:16, “Destruction and misery are
in their ways.” This is self-explanatory since the sinner
might experience a momentary vindication as a result of his destruction,
but this will soon be followed by misery for the sinner and those
who were wronged. However, a perpetual sinner will always be
miserable, while a perpetrator and she who were wronged can feel
joy again; if they place their faith is in Jesus.
In Romans 317 it states “And the way of peace have they
not known.” To perpetuate his appetite, a sinner must continuously
identify more and more grievances, resentments, and adversaries
to invest one’s time, money and energy to fund his personal
war effort, thus one never knows the way of peace.
Paul continues in Romans 3:18, “There is no fear of God
before their eyes.” This referees to a sinner who might
be narcissistic, or he may be an Atheist, or an Agnostic, who
does not express the reverence due to an ever present God, who
motivates the believer not to sin.
In Romans 3:19 it states, “Now we know that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law:
that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God.” This is a reference to the Law of Moses
and the Jews, or Hebrews who are the people who are under this
law should be encouraged not to speak, but to listen to god.
Also anyone operating in his flesh away from the Holy Spirit
may become guilty before God.
Paul concludes in Romans 3:20, 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. In other words, the passage concludes
by acknowledging that the recognition of law pertaining to sin
is great, but that alone won’t prevent further sinning,
since all have sinned. The only surefire way to get rid of sin
is by one placing his faith in Jesus Christ, him crucified. Amen
By Cephas Contributor;
Mark Carstens
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