No One is Righteous | Romans 3:9-20

Many believe that we can make ourselves righteous with enough effort. In Romans 3:9-20, God’s Word emphatically rejects this, stating that “No one is righteous, no, not one.. no one does good, not even one.. for by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight.” The difference between Christianity and every other religion is that Christianity claims we’re declared righteous by what Someone Else did. As one scholar put it, justification is outside-in, not inside-out. We are saved by something outside of us: Jesus’ finished work on the cross. God chose to save us in a way that made it abundantly clear we had nothing to do with it: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8) 

Since Romans 1:18, Paul has been telling us that the wrath of God is coming. God’s wrath will deal with all unrighteousness, and all will be held accountable to God. When God’s wrath comes, the Bible says, “the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Rev. 6:15-17) There is only one escape from the wrath of God, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)

Take-Home Message: I cannot save myself.

All are under sin (9)

The corruption of all mankind (10-12)

The harmful speech of all mankind (13-14)

The evil actions of all mankind (15-17)

No fear of God in all mankind (18)

All will be held accountable (19-20)

Take-Home Lessons

No one relying on their own works will be saved from the wrath of God.

All who are “in Christ” will be saved from the wrath of God.