There is None Righteous
A Sermon on Romans 3:9-20
Scripture
9What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that …
Sermon Description
Is there anyone without sin? What characterizes human nature apart from God? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones outlines Romans 3:9¬-20 as Paul explains human characteristics when they are apart from God. First, there is none righteous apart from God, as He is the only way to salvation. No one fully understands spiritual truth or divine things because their mind has only a secular nature. They lack much understanding when it comes to sin, the wrath of God, true happiness, and their own eternal understanding. Humanity is so lost in its understanding that it naturally strays from God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates how these natural inclinations are manifested in human behavior, where sin starts in the heart and then to progresses to mouths and feet. While human instinct is to run from God, Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows the absolute necessity of God’s way of salvation.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul gives a list of scriptural quotations to prove that all people, Jews and Gentiles, are under sin.
- The list of quotations can be divided into three main sections: verses 10-12, verses 13-17, and verse 18.
- Verses 10-12 give a general description of the actual state of people under sin.
- Verse 10: "There is none righteous, no, not one." All people lack original righteousness and the righteousness God demands.
- Verse 11: "There is none that understandeth." No one has spiritual understanding or wisdom. They lack understanding of God, themselves, sin, salvation, happiness, and eternity.
- Verse 12: "They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." As a result of their state, their conduct and behavior is affected. They have all turned from God's way. They are worthless and useless to God. None do good in God's sight.
- Verses 13-17 give a particular description of the manifestations of sin in people's lives.
- Verses 13-14 describe sin in words. "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." Their speech is foul, deceitful, venomous, and bitter.
- Verses 15-17 describe sin in deeds. "Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known." They are prone to violence and bloodshed. Sin leads to destruction and misery. They do not know the way of peace.
- Verse 18 gives the explanation for this condition: "There is no fear of God before their eyes." They have no reverence or awe of God.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.