This argument that everyone has sinned and therefore is worthy of the wrath and judgement of God is greatly seen in Roman 3:9-20.3 Paul is arguing that no race has an advantage when it comes to salvation. The Jews seemed to be under the impression that they had an advantage because they had the Law, but Paul destroys that thought by quoting from the Psalm 14:1-3 which states that “None is righteous, no not one.” No one is able to gain righteousness, and therefore no one is able to gain salvation on their own. Paul is making it quite clear that every single human has been tainted by sin. Neither Greek nor Jew is left untouched. Because of sin there must be punishment, and the Law was not able to exempt anyone from that punishment. He is wanting them to understand that all are under sin and their only hope is the divine salvation of Jesus.
Paul legitimizes his argument by quoting from the Old Testament. He quotes from Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah. He is saying that not only are there no righteous humans, but that no one is even seeking after God on his own. Paul goes on to tell what this unrighteousness looks like. First, Paul shows that sin manifests itself in several ways, but it is “Nowhere more evident than human speech.”4 In verses 13-14 Paul gives images to show just how destructive the tongue alone can be. He claims that their mouths are full of “Curses and bitterness.” “Paul is complaining that those of whom he speaks do more than utter a bitter curse now and then; this kind of speech is habitual with them.”5 It seems to be an indwelling sin that is returned to day after day.
Second, Paul moves on to show how sin “Expresses itself in society.”6 He shows how this sin is put into action. He speaks of people being quick to murder and leave a path of “ruin and misery.” Just like their speech they “Live in such a way that destruction and unhappiness are characteristic.”7 They seem to love their sin and bask in it. Saint Augustine understands and explains how one can love sin more than God when he tells a story of his childhood in Confessions. He tells a story of when he was a child and he stole some pears from a neighbor. He says “For no sooner had I picked them than I threw them away, and tasted nothing in them but my own sin, which I relished and enjoyed. If any part of those pears passed my lips, it was the sin that gave it flavor.” 8 This is exactly the argument that Paul is making; all of mankind loves and seeks after sin instead of loving and seeking after God.
Paul closes his Old Testament quotations by showing the root sin. The root of this sin is not fearing and honoring God. Proverbs 1:7 says that the beginning of knowledge is the fear of God. Paul is submitting that all of humanity does not even have the beginning of this knowledge.
Paul concludes his argument that all are under sin by stating that “Every mouth may be stopped.” In the presence of God no person will be able to justify himself. Their mouths will be closed in the presence of His holiness and perfection. To be sure that everyone understands the vastness of this sin, he goes on to say that “The whole world will be accountable to God.” This is an all encompassing statement. Paul was repeatedly pointing out that every single person is affected by sin, and subject to judgement. The Jews at this time knew that they would face judgement, but they thought they would automatically be saved. “It is this to which Paul is objecting. The whole world (no exceptions!) will be silent as it comes under God's scrutiny, knowing at last that it has nothing to say in the judgement.”9
Not only is this sin inherited by every person, but sin has invaded every part of every human. “It is not just that some parts of us are sinful and others are pure. Rather, every part of our being is affected by sin – our intellects, our emotions and desires, our hearts, our goals and motives, and even our physical bodies.”10 It affects every area of life in every person. There is not one part of any person that is able to escape this inherited sin.
Knowing and understanding the vastness of sin and its appearance in every person will greatly influence all parts of one's theology. One's understanding of sin will affect their doctrine of God, humanity, and salvation. “If God is a very high, pure, and exacting being who expects all humans to be as He is, then the slightest deviation from His lofty standard is sin.”11 However, if God is not viewed as holy and perfect, then sin does not seem like a very serious offense, nor does it need a punishment. If one has a low view of God then their view of sin will become less offensive.
One's View of sin also affects one's view of humanity. “If intended to reflect the nature of God, a human is to be judged not by comparison with other humans, but by conformity to the divine standard. Any failure to meet that standard is sin.”12 Because it is an impossibility to meet this divine standard, then a divine salvation must be initiated and accomplished. On the other hand, if humanity is not being compared to God's perfect standard, then sin is not a condemning, and horrific offense. This also means that a great and divine salvation is unneeded and purposeless. If sin is just being held to a human standard then one only need be better than the next human. “The more severe the problem of sin, the greater is the need for the supernatural, salvific intervention of God.”13
It is clear that Paul has a high and lofty view of God. He knows that God is a holy and perfect God, therefore his view of sin is affected by that. Paul sees sin as that which causes death, and the only hope of life is through Christ. His views are evident throughout Romans 3:19-20. As discussed before, Paul teaches that sin leads to the humans mouths being full of “curses and bitterness” as well as outright actions of “leaving paths of ruin and misery.” Paul teaches that there is no man that can escape this sin. “The overwhelming truth of the Bible is that all people, in all places, are subject to the presence, power, and penalty of sin.” (Akin 452)14 Because of this truth, no man is able to justify himself in any way before God. Later on in Romans 5:12, Paul states “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” All humans are from Adam, therefore no one is able to escape this death. If one truly understands the depth, effect and consequences of sin then one will recognize their need for a savior. It will become clear that there is no way to earn righteousness or escape sin. This means that one must have intervention from the divine God.
1Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), 22
2Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988),19
3The Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007) (All other Scripture is from the ESV unless otherwise noted)
4Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, 166
5Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 168
6Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, 167
7Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 169
8Saint Augustine, Confessions (London, England: Penguin Group, 1961), 49
9Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 171
10Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (United States: Zondervan, 2000), 497
11Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic. 2009), 580
12Ibed. 581
13R. Stanton Norman “Human Sinfulness,” in A Theology for the Church, ed. Danial L. Akin (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2007), 411
14Ibed. 452
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