Romans 3:9-11

Passage

What then?  Do we have an advantage?  Not at all!  For we have already been charged to be under sin – both Jews and Greeks, all of us.  Just as it has been written, “There is not even one righteous person.  There is not one who understands.  There is not one who seeks out God.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul’s first comment is important to understand.  Remember that in this section of the book Paul is specifically talking to those who are born into a Jewish family and who think that they will be saved because they were born into a Jewish family.  In a word, Paul says that this is ridiculous.  Everyone is a sinner.  Both Jew and Gentile alike are guilty of breaking the Law.  There is not one righteous person.  Of course, we can easily extend this into Christian circles.  Just because a person is born into a Christian family does not mean that they have any advantage, either.  We are not saved by our genealogy or by our circumstances.  We are only saved through Christ and our humble submission to Him.

Do you really believe Paul when He says that among humanity there is not even one righteous person?  Do you really believe that a person can only be righteous through a relationship with God by grace through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ?

Second Thought:

Paul then adds that there is not one who understands.  This is another powerfully packed statement.  There is not one person who understands God.  We don’t understand His Law on our own. We don’t understand where and how He is working on our own.  We don’t understand anything about God on our own.  Without Him, we are essentially clueless.  However, through His Holy Spirit we can indeed understand Him.  But it is only through His Holy Spirit that this is at all possible.  Without God, there is nobody who understands.

Do you believe this is also true?  Do you believe that the only way to understand God is to listen to the Holy Spirit’s call in your life?  If so, then how does listening become important in our walk with God?

Third Thought:

Paul then says that there is no one who seeks out God.  In other words, we find God only because He seeks us out.  We can find God not through our own power but because He is already looking for us.  We may have to turn to Him.  We may have to humbly submit before Him.  But even in those steps we are only successful because He is already seeking us.

Do you believe you can only find God because He is seeking you?  Where in your life is it evident that God is seeking you? 

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 3:12