Groundwork to Salvation #

Romans 3:9-

Introduction

Outline for Chapter 3

Paul’s Answers to Objections (3:1-8)
Paul’s Assertion of sin (9-18)
Paul’s Arguments of Justification by Faith (19-31)

Paul has been laying all the ground work for Salvation up to this point. Before you start any project, there is a lot of preparation that needs to be put into place. If you are going to plant a garden, you want to chose the location (not a shaded location, not a soggy location), the next step would be to break up the ground. In these few chapters, Paul has been breaking up the ground. You cannot plant a garden, if one already exists. Once again, Paul is writing both Jew and Gentile. Both have existing religious backgrounds, and philosophies. Paul has to completely cut down their ideas, and turn over the dirt where their religious garden was growing before the Gospel seed can be planted. Paul has spent 2 chapters showing how man, both Gentile and Jew are without excuse before God! He was cutting down what already existed there. In these next few verses, he is about to turn the ground over, so there is fresh dirt, and the soil is prepared to receive the seed.

I. Paul’s Assertion of Sin (9-18) #

A. Sin’s Reach (9-10) #

1. Are Jew’s better because of the advantage? (2) #

2. Jew & Gentile are under sin! (9b) “… all under sin” #

While most Gentiles were well aware of their sin… many Jews thought they were better than that.
They didn’t acknowledge their sin!
No sin, no salvation, Know sin, Know salvation!

3. “It is written” #

There are several OT passages that contain the words that Paul quotes here. Again, Paul didn’t have chapter and verse, so he simple states, “It is written”

Psalm 14:1-3

Psa. 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

Psa. 140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.

Psa. 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

Prov. 1:16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

Psa. 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

4. “None righteous” #

Righteous - 1. Just; accordant to the divine law. Applied to persons, it denotes one who is holy in heart, and observant of the divine commands in practice; as a righteous man
The Scripture is emphatic, that no one is rightous

B. Sin’s Road (11-17) #

1. Corrupts your Wisdom “none that understandeth” (11a) #

The Word of God is a spiritually understood book!
An unsaved man can read it, but an unsaved man cannot fully comprehend it. (Nicodemus - John 3)

2. Corrupts your Will “none that seeketh after God"11b #

I remember hearing a preacher years ago saying:
“This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.”

John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

3. Corrupts your Way (12) #

15 – “Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace they have not known:”

Eccl. 12:1 ¶ Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

4. Corrupts your Words (13-14) #

C. Sin’s Result (18) #

Prov. 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

1. No Fear of God! #

2Cor. 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.