Romans 3:13-18

Passage

While their throats have been opening a grave, their tongues have been deceiving by falsehood.  The venom of an asp is upon their lips.  Of whom the mouth is full of curses and bitterness.  Their feet hasten to shed blood.  Destruction and wretchedness is in their ways.  They also did not know the way of peace.  The fear of God is not in the presence of their eyes.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

What does it look like to live in a world where all have turned away from God and there is not even one righteous person?  Paul gives us three images that I think will all ring true.  The first image is how people in such circumstances use their mouths.  The mouth of the person who turns away from God is full of bitterness and foul words of others.  Venom is on their lips as they seek to tear down others.  They use their voices to deceive others.  People who have turned away from God are easily identified because their mouths become implements of destruction, poison, and tearing apart relationships.

Does it surprise you to hear the mouth being lifted up as the first example of sin as Paul talks about those who turn away from God?  Have you ever been hurt by the words of another?  How often does this happen to you?  Have you ever hurt another person with your words?  Why does this happen?  How do you resolve such incidents?

Second Thought:

The second image that Paul uses is our feet – which is a symbolic picture of our actions.  Those who turn away from God are quick to shed blood.  They are quick to destroy and see others live in wretchedness.  The way of peace is foreign to them.  People who turn away from God not only hurt others with their words but with their actions.  They do not seek things that benefit one another but they seek things for themselves.  Selfishness is the core; destruction is the result.

How do people hurt you with their actions?  How do you hurt others?  Since this is the result of turning away from God’s ways, how do you resolve the times when our actions hurt one another?

Third Thought:

Finally, Paul tells us that the fear of God is not within their view.  The fear of God is not being afraid of His punishment.  Yes, God does punish those who disobey Him.  But the fear of God is a sense of awe about His ways.  The fear of God is what we feel when we are making a choice and we know the correct choice.  The fear of God is a respect we have for God’s ways, an acknowledgement that His ways are best, and a desire to repent when we stray from His ways.  Those that turn from God do not have this lens.

Do you live in the lens of fearing God?  Do you acknowledge that His ways are best?  Do you acknowledge that you need to repent when you don’t live according to His ways?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 3:19-20