Romans 3-1 - Without the Lord Jesus, there is no way for man#
Romans 3-1 - Without the Lord Jesus, there is no way for man
(JP Text Group - Organized by Yun Dan Feng Qing)
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for your grace. At this time, we gather again before you. No matter what problems or doubts we have in our hearts, we will draw strength from your words, receive your affirmation through your words, and completely dedicate this time to you. May the Holy Spirit work wonderfully in each person's heart, guiding us through your words, making us strong and empowered. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
The topic of sharing is: Without the Lord Jesus, there is no way for man.
Romans 3:9-20
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all! For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one! There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
God tells the Jewish legalists that even if you have the law and have known the Bible since childhood, if you do not believe, circumcision is of no benefit to you. The law cannot save you unless you are willing to act according to God's words. After the New Testament, God allows us to see His grace again. God has given us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. As long as a person is willing to believe in Jesus and accept Jesus as Christ, then their sins will be cleansed. God will no longer remember that person's sins.
Under God's great love, what is man's response? Are they really willing to accept it?
Many people say, "I have never heard of Jesus, I do not believe in Jesus, so I will do whatever I want..."
Verse 9: What then? Are we better than they? Not at all, for we have already proven that both Jews and Greeks are under sin.
Whether there is God's law or not, all mankind is in sin.
Verse 10 states clearly: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God; they have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.
When reading this verse, isn't it quite discouraging, especially for those who have not yet accepted Jesus? It seems so absolute: there is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who does good, not even one. Have people really not done any good deeds?
The purpose of this passage is not to accuse people's sins or to reprimand them, but to say that there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles; they are all in sin. God gives people hope, encouraging them to believe in the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ and to live, restoring the correct relationship with God.
Verse 10 states that although we are not righteous, and although there is not a single righteous person in the world, God has prepared a righteous one for us; Jesus is that only way.
John 14:5-7
Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
The original meaning is: Jesus said, He is the only way. Apart from Him, it is impossible to reach the Father through any other way. There is no other name given among men by which we must be saved. Jesus is the only truth; you may have heard other truths, but Jesus said, He is the only truth. No matter how the world changes, He remains the only truth. He is the only life; without Him, we have no life, and we are all in death. There is none righteous, no, not one; this is the condition of mankind. But we can be justified through Jesus Christ; without the Lord Jesus, there is simply no way. It is impossible to be justified by any means of our own.
Verse 11 says: There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.
The difference between the religions of the world and Jesus is this. God knows that people will not seek Him, so He sent Jesus into the world to seek us. Other religions in the world are about people finding God. For example, in a certain religion, the founder discovered God through ascetic practices in a certain place, and his followers follow his methods, hoping to find God in this way; this is called religion.
The God that people find is all false. Only the Christ we believe in came to seek us. Jesus found each of the twelve disciples one by one. God clearly understands our hearts. After people sin, they are in darkness and fear the light, fearing that being illuminated by God's light will judge and punish them. The first reaction of people is to hide from Him. After Adam sinned, he did not approach God boldly or pray to God with a repentant heart; instead, he hid from God.
Genesis 3:8-10
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
When people are in sin, they do the same as Adam. This is why people are unwilling to come before God. Why are people unwilling to believe in Jesus? It is because they fear the true light. But Jesus came not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Because people misunderstand God, thinking that God comes to judge the world, they hide when they encounter the true God. They do not understand God and are unwilling to seek Him. It is the Lord who repeatedly seeks mankind through believers, sharing the gospel with the world, helping people understand the love of Jesus Christ.
God gives people hope through Jesus Christ, restoring the correct relationship between people and God. Without the Lord Jesus, there is no way for man.
What is the condition of a person who leaves the Lord Jesus? Human nature is under sin. Verse 9 says: Whether Jew or Greek, this is a comparison of two types of people. Jews have the law, while Greeks do not. Regardless of whether you have God's law or not, all are under sin; this is the true condition of humanity.
What does it mean to be under sin? The original meaning is: to belong to a certain authority or to be under a certain authority. Those who are outside of Jesus Christ are under the power of sin and cannot escape. Religious people, including Jews who have God's word, are also under sin; therefore, religion cannot make people acceptable to God.
Paul tells them not to think that Jews are better than Gentiles just because they have the law. Even if their ancestor is Abraham... this does not save them. Even if your father believes in the Lord and believes well, it does not automatically save you.
Many people do not read the Bible correctly and misunderstand God. Some say, If one person believes in the Lord, the whole family will be saved; this is wrong. The Book of Acts does record such a verse, but the original meaning is not this. When Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they sang praises at midnight, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. The jailer awoke and, seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Acts 16:25-34
But at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awakening from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.
This is the meaning of this verse. Many people think that as long as one person in the family believes, the whole family will be saved. But the Bible does not say this. You must read this passage completely. The Bible clearly states that after they brought Paul into their house, he and his whole family believed in the Lord Jesus. This passage is important!
Even if you have the law in your hands, living with the Bible every day, and sleeping with it under your pillow, this cannot save you unless you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, unless you believe in the words of the Bible that can be fulfilled in your life. You must view this matter correctly; it is not about what you possess that can protect you from death, but accepting Jesus Christ that provides a way out. There is no other method to be saved. Just like the Pharisees who teach others to obey the law but do not obey it themselves, they still cannot be saved.
Paul here says that whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, you are all under sin. God is telling everyone that all humanity is under sin. If you carefully observe the world, you can clearly see this point.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Yesterday during our Bible study, a brother asked me whether human nature is inherently good or evil. Some say, "Man is inherently good," while others say, "Man is inherently evil." Which is correct? The Bible clearly tells us that there is no righteous person among us; we are born with sin. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and it is not that you became a sinner after doing bad things. Where does sin come from?
Romans 5:12: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.
The reason people are called sinners is because of one man, referring to Adam. Even if you have never done anything wrong, you still carry the sin that comes from Adam. Some people say, "I don't even know Adam; how can sin come upon me?" This is how sin comes; from a theological perspective, it is hereditary. As long as you are a descendant of Adam, you are a sinner.
Some say, "I don't believe this." According to God's standard, if a person has no sin, they would not die. For the wages of sin is death. If someone says they have no sin, ask them one question: "Will you die?" Apart from Jesus, no one can escape death because Jesus has no sin, so He cannot be held by death. This is very important!
Mankind is born with sin. How does this principle manifest? When the law appears, the sinful nature of man is stimulated. What is the nature of a sinner? First, the nature of man is unjust because God is just, and we are enemies of God. The previous verses state that there is none righteous, no, not one. According to human nature and behavior, there is not one who is righteous; no one is without sin or perfect. Everyone's words, actions, and thoughts have problems. Second, because people have sin, they are ignorant; there is no one who understands. Because of sin, many spiritual wisdoms are blinded by the devil. Otherwise, when people look at the world and gaze at the stars, they would know that the more advanced technology becomes, the more it proves that there is a God!
In the past, people had less knowledge and might have thought the earth was flat. With the advancement of technology, we now know that besides the earth, there are Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, etc., which are all larger than the earth and are in motion, orbiting the sun. Although we do not feel the earth spinning, it is indeed rotating at a very fast speed.
Because sin blinds people's hearts, they become ignorant, and people say, "Where is God in the world?" But the world is designed so exquisitely, with so many planets moving in order without colliding. If they collide, the earth would be finished. For thousands of years, the world has been operating in a very orderly manner, with the seasons changing without any problems. There has never been a case where winter directly turns into summer, and trees do not bear fruit. God has always allowed the seasons to change! Where is the answer in the Bible? After Noah's Ark, the Bible provides the answer, but people do not believe it. They would rather believe that their ancestors were monkeys than believe in a God who is thousands of times smarter than monkeys! Because of sin, people become ignorant. Because of sin, people become indifferent to God, selfish, and unwilling to seek God. No one is willing to spend their thoughts on this; all their thoughts are spent on themselves, on how to eat better, how to live better, and how to enjoy more. Everything is focused on themselves, disregarding the lives of others. This is the sinful nature of man, exposing their lifestyle, worldview, and values, all of which are different, all because of sin.
Some people's strange behaviors are due to sin. If sin is not removed, there is no way to change because the root remains. The bad fruit produced by a tree is due to the problem of the root. Solving the root problem will resolve everything. To truly change one's behavior and thoughts, one needs to declare the words of Jesus Christ, allowing the words of Christ to fill their hearts every day. Do not define yourself with the words of the world, because that is wrong. When people encounter problems, they should seek God, but instead, they try to solve it with their own methods. Those who do not know God, when they reach a dead end, choose to commit suicide because they do not know there is a saving way, which is Jesus Christ! No matter how big your problem is, if you are willing to seek Jesus, God will surely make a way for you. If the enemy pursues you from one way, God will surely provide you with seven ways to escape.
But people are controlled by sin. People do not seek God but end their lives with their own methods. Even if a person possesses half of the world's assets, what good is it? When a person leaves this world, they take nothing with them. Jesus said clearly, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" Many people only understand this when they are about to die, but by then it is too late; they have already lost everything, and their lives have ended.
What sin produces is evil. As mentioned earlier, it is exactly the opposite of God's words. God is good, while sin makes people evil. The world is full of injustice, and God is just; the contrast is very obvious. People have nothing to boast about.
The tongues of those who do not know God are evil, filthy, and corrupt. The Bible says, "Their throat is an open tomb." What does an open tomb refer to? When a tomb is covered with soil, nothing can be seen. But once the tomb is opened, what is seen is filth and decay. If a person's tongue is evil, it is like that open tomb, from which comes dirtiness, evil, and uncleanness, which is offensive to others. Some people enjoy crude and dirty jokes; the most immoral words in the world come from people's mouths, just like an open tomb. This not only corrupts themselves but also corrupts those who listen.
Matthew 12:34: "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
Do not speculate on how a person's mind works; look at what a person often says. The heart is like that. Some people say, "I'm so worried I could die," "I'm so angry I could die," "I'm so thirsty I could die..." Those who say such things are bound by anxiety and pressure.
When a person constantly complains about society, complains about their children, complains about their parents, complains about their boss, as if everyone in the world has wronged them, in reality, they are filled with bitterness. Under sin, the tongues of people are like this; evil tongues are deceitful, and their tongues practice deceit.
How do the Hebrews understand this saying? The original meaning is that they make their tongues smooth. We often say, "This person is really smooth," thinking it is a good term, but among the Hebrews, when a person speaks smooth words, it means they are deceitful.
Deceitful tongues speak false words, lies, flattery, and misleading words, continuously practicing deceit. What they say with their mouths is different from what they think in their hearts. Ecclesiastes mentions that when eating with a ruler, be careful; when they say, "Come, eat, come, drink..." be careful and pay attention to who is before you, as they might spit out what you have eaten.
Do not just look at what a person says; if their tongue is deceitful and skilled at using their tongue to protect their emotions and disguise their true thoughts, be especially careful of such people. Their mouths are filled with the poison of asps; asps are cobras that can be deadly. God refers to the tongues of such people as being like a deadly cobra that can stab and poison people. The tongues of these people have brutal characteristics; their hearts are malicious, and as soon as they open their mouths, they can hurt others.
You may encounter such people around you, cursing without repetition, making others furious. Some people's tongues are malicious, spreading rumors and injecting poison into people's hearts, slandering others' character and reputation. We do not want to be around such people; spending too much time with them will lead to injury.
May the brothers and sisters who listen to the word keep the words of Jesus Christ in their hearts. Speaking such words not only builds oneself up but also builds others up. Jesus said to the Pharisees, "You are evil; how can you speak good things?" The meaning is: when you want to use filthy words to curse others and poison them, the first person you poison is yourself. Do not let your heart be in filth; God does not want us to live like this. How should such people escape this life? This is a life under sin. We have said that without the Lord Jesus, there is no way out. Unless you return to the Lord Jesus, your tongue can be transformed. The original bitter water pot can become a river of living water. Only through Jesus Christ can change happen.
What does an evil tongue look like? It is filled with cursing and bitterness. The previous verses say they are full of cursing and bitterness. I have seen two families cursing on the street early in the morning while others are still asleep. Many people speak curses and bitterness; they not only curse others but also curse themselves. Many Christians still do such things inadvertently, for example, saying, "I'm so hot I could die" when it's hot; "I'm so cold I could die" when it's cold; "I'm so worried I could die" when under pressure; "I'm done for..." Not only cursing others but also cursing themselves. Do not let our mouths speak such words; this is the tongue of people under sin.
Using blasphemous words to curse God and curse people, some people curse others with words like, "Curse your ancestors," "Curse your children..." These are ineffective because God will not allow these to come upon you. You are already righteous, already separated by God from the world. How can the words of people under sin come upon you? When others insult you, remember: The insults directed at you have fallen upon the Lord Jesus and will not come upon you.
Many people curse society for being unfair; even when it does not rain, they curse God. Even when there is too much rain, they curse God. In short, they curse heaven and earth. When seeing such people, we should have compassion for them because they are under sin. Many of the characteristics mentioned earlier are traits of people under sin. These people are not the perpetrators but the victims; the true puppeteer behind them is sin.
The tongue should speak words that build up, but instead, it speaks curses, lies, making people unsure of what is true and what is false. Christians must remember: Do not have a double tongue. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. This is what the Bible tells us. The mouths of people are filled with bitterness, often filled with resentment, mockery, indifference, and even speaking words that are hard to hear. Any of these behaviors are considered sin in the eyes of God.
God knows they are under sin, and their tongues are like this, but God desires people to be filled with love, to have hearts filled with joy and peace. He desires people to use their tongues to turn these into praise, to praise God and to praise others, to commend others, but God does not want us to live in bitterness.
Some people say that every time they go to church, they must praise God, as if not praising Him would make Him not God. Brothers and sisters, whether people believe in Him or not, He is still God. Whether you praise Him or not, He is still God. He will not cease to be God because of your curses, nor will He become proud because of your praises. Our actions cannot change God, but they can change us. When you live according to God's ways, you will be filled with joy. When you praise, your heart changes; when you think of the grace of Jesus Christ, your faith begins to work. When you speak words that build up to those around you, your friends will begin to change, and your relationships will start to mend. God wants us to do these things for our benefit. Amen!
Everything God does is for our good. God gave us Jesus Christ for the same reason, because we are under sin, our behavior is terrible, and we are unwilling to seek God. Our tongues have become bitter, used for complaining and cursing. God desires to change our lives, hoping we can receive joy from Him, receive abundant grace. When you accept God's grace, He places the best gift inside you, which is the Holy Spirit! When the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart, there is absolutely no malice in the Holy Spirit. If you are willing to live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you will be victorious! Your life will be joyful.
Do not strive to become joyful; for Christ is the source of joy. Just meditate on the words of Christ. What people need to do is to give up their own thoughts and rest under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. You will be in rest and joy because it is the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness, joy, goodness, peace... all of this you can obtain effortlessly. People experience pressure all day and then go to KTV to sweat it out, shouting into the microphone, but when they return home, a great emptiness attacks them again.
The Holy Spirit dwelling in you gives you lasting peace and joy. Human nature is cruel, proud, selfish, greedy, loves sin, enjoys violence, and likes to fight. When there is a fight in someone else's home, they enjoy watching the excitement. When our hearts lack peace and we have lost peace, we will constantly experience conflict within. This is human nature, as we live under sin.
We are already in grace, not under the law. When can we see that human nature is evil? It starts from the moment we are born with sin. If a person says, "I have not made any mistakes; how can you say I have sin?" That is because sin has not been stimulated through a medium. For example, some people behave well in various aspects and cannot be said to have committed a crime because they have not violated national laws. But in God's eyes, they still have sin. When can their sin be manifested? Suppose there are twenty people in a room, and you take out one million and say, "This one million is for one person in the room." When you leave, the consequence is that these twenty people will fight over the one million. Those who usually appear cultured will become vicious. The human heart reveals its true nature in the face of interests.
What stimulates sin? It is the law! If the law does not tell you that this is called greed, you would not know that it is called greed. The role of the law is to make people aware of sin, but it cannot remove people's sin. We have been saying that all of this comes from sin, from the tongue, from the sinful nature, causing people to sin continuously. Even if the law tells you this is sin, it still cannot solve your sin. Where is the way out? Without Jesus Christ, you cannot find the way. Relying on your own efforts to restrain yourself from sinning will not help you overcome the flesh; all people are under sin. They are under the power of sin. Now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from the law, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. The grace outside the law is a person, named Jesus Christ.
If your family is facing various problems, such as chaos at home or various physical issues, you need to come before the Lord Jesus and seek help. He is your only way out. Seeking help from others may solve some issues, but people cannot solve all problems. When you seek the Lord Jesus, He is the answer to all your problems.
The law will tell you this is sin, that is sin, but Jesus has already fulfilled the law for you. You are not under the law and do not need to strive to change your tongue. Just come before Jesus and meditate on Christ's love, and people can change. This matter is too simple for God; He can change.
The Bible tells us that no one in the flesh can be justified in the sight of God by the law, meaning do not think that you can be justified before God through your good deeds; it is fundamentally impossible. What does it mean to be in the flesh? Recently, I was discussing with someone what it means to be in the flesh. Being in the flesh, being earthly, being carnal, all mean the same thing. But the body is not the same word; the body is just the body. Being in the flesh means being earthly and sensual. Such people rely on their own abilities and behaviors. No one can be justified before God by the deeds of the law because the law is meant to make people aware of sin. The more one understands the law, the more they realize their own sin, but this does not solve the problem of sin!
The more people come to know Jesus Christ, the more they can overcome sin. The answer is in Jesus Christ. Today we have talked about many people's problems; this is a heavy topic, discussing many current situations in the world. Sometimes it feels like there is truly no way out, but Jesus is your way out. When some people boast of having the law but cannot keep it, what should they do? Jesus Christ is still your way out!
Before the law, no one can escape. People cannot stand boldly before God based on their own actions. The Bible mentions that there is none righteous, no, not one. All who rely on the law are cursed. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." We cannot keep all the laws; the law will only tell us that sin increases. When that group of Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery before Jesus, wanting to stone her, Jesus said, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." As a result, they went out one by one, beginning with the oldest. Living under the law, the longer one believes, the more they feel their own sin; this is the effect of the law.
Why emphasize believing in the grace of Jesus Christ? When you turn your gaze to Jesus, the more you know Jesus Christ, the more you know you are righteous, the more you understand His forgiveness towards you, and the more you receive the love of Jesus Christ. The more you can live out these truths, the more you will be willing to draw near to Jesus and help others.
People can change a family with the words of Jesus Christ, repair relationships, and when broken families are reconciled, people's hearts are joyful. Jesus Christ is willing to place lasting joy in your heart, and you will be more willing to do things for the Lord. The more you draw near to Jesus, the more meaningful your life will become. You will feel that your value in this world is greater.
One day, God will bring us back, and there we will see greater glory. In this world, your value still exists because you have the power of Jesus Christ. You are to use this power to heal the sick and tell others about Jesus Christ, and their lives will also change. It is not about telling others the law; the more they know the law, the more they feel like sinners and continue to sin because they cannot overcome sin.
But when you lead people to Jesus Christ, their lives begin to change. The life of Jesus within them begins to take root, grow, and eventually bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This is very important. Without the Lord Jesus, there is no way out. Without Jesus Christ, we can do nothing.
Jesus said: "I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." May the brothers and sisters keep these words in their hearts. Everything is led by Jesus Christ. When you go to work, it is Jesus Christ who leads you. When you do business, it is Jesus Christ who leads you. When you take care of children, it is Jesus Christ who is watching over you. With this heart, live with Jesus Christ at the center in everything. Many of the bad things mentioned earlier will not come upon you. You can overcome those sins because grace absolutely can overcome sin!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for your grace. Under the law, life is terrible. Those who have not accepted Jesus Christ are all under sin, under the law, and under God's judgment. The only way out is to believe in Jesus Christ. Because without the Lord Jesus, there is no way for man. Although people strive to achieve goodness, they cannot do so. People want to strive to be justified before God, but they cannot be justified.
Whether Jew, Greek, or Gentile, they are all the same, all become worthless. Heavenly Father, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to seek us, sending your messengers to tell us the gospel. Through God's words, draw near to Jesus Christ, and when Jesus is received into the heart, the essence of life changes, external behavior will change, the heart changes, the mouth will change, and behavior will become correct.
Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit, dwelling in our hearts. We are willing to rest under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Jesus Christ, for preparing such a rich gift for us. Heavenly Father loves us so much, giving us a simple and effective method, which is to draw near to Jesus Christ. All glory be to you! We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!