The Guilt of Mankind vs. the Glory of God

You need to admit about yourself is that you are a center everyone is under sin enslaved to sin, which means will never own one and of the others out Jesus Christ came in the world to save those kind of people right. He didn't come in the world the same victim didn't come into the world to save those with addictions. He came into the world to say center meant that some of their fellow human being, don't deserve to go to heaven. Your list might be different from your neighbors, but it's often people like murderers and rapists and terrorists.

We typically think that people like that deserve to go to hell, but what about the rest of us. What about people who are nice and kind and who try to live by the Golden rule. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans three that even the most religious person doesn't stand a chance of heaven. Apart from grace. Here Stephen Devi with a lesson for you called the guilt of mankind versus the glory of God. For centuries the Jewish nation has been celebrating their apparent victory over all other peoples and they have been celebrating a position as sons of Abraham.

They believe they had an edge over the rest of the world of the Gentiles. They believe were losing and they were winning. In Romans chapter 3.

The apostle Paul has just announced to them the shocking truth and let's rejoin his announcement in verse nine, Romans chapter 3 verse nine we left off last Lord's day where he delivers the astonishing news. What then are we better than the day that is on the Jews is really meeting the Genzyme, not at all, for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks were Gentiles are all under sin. All are under sin.you take a closer look at this verse, which is what I want to do this morning to discover that Paul is making to rather sweeping broad categorical statements or declarations. First of all Paul here in verse nine is declaring the verdict of universal depravity, but again we have already charged that the legal term. By the way that speaks of incriminating someone else by virtue of evidence we have already incriminated both Jew and Greek at all are under sin. No one is exempt from the verdict. Nobody has an edge in this game.

No Jew or Gentile has any reason to celebrate. The truth is, everyone is guilty of breaking the law and everyone is therefore in deep trouble with a holy and righteous God.

The world of course doesn't really appreciate this message number of years ago book was written title. I'm okay you're okay probably heard about that. It's basically a book that taught the humanism of the day and still human and is involved today that mankind certainly might have a few problems with your work through them because ultimately the heart of man is good and everybody's gonna turn out all right because everybody is okay and what most believers or unbelievers would appreciate us believers not doing his coming up to them and telling them stop the parties stop the celebration stop jumping up and down for joy. There's nothing to celebrate about a factor in trouble with God. The holy judge.

That's exactly what Paul does here in verse nine as he summarizes and he makes the sweeping declaration that all of humanity is guilty, as it were of universal depravity. Nobody is okay. In fact, to lead this in verse 23 got a circle. By the way the word all in verse nine to draw a line to verse 23 circle the word all there, because it appears therefore all of sin and all fall short of God's glory. God's perfect standard God's holy be what Paul will do in the next verses is, he will simply lay out 14 indictments on the human race. If you feel like he has pounded upon humanity. Up to this point. Just wait for 14 statements of indictments really for expressions of mankind's depravity in the first few verses he describes the evil condition of mankind. Verse 10 he says it's written there is none righteous, not even one, there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have become useless. You ask the sweeping statement. All have done this. None are good. None are right with God.

The next few verses describe the evil communication of mankind. Verse 13. Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and then in the next few verses he will simply express the evil chaos of mankind. Verse 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their paths in the path of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed and here's another. All and all the world may become accountable to God because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight. One of the human race wants to get rid of the objective law of God and the wonder and wants to condemn Ms. nonexistence of the objective standard of holiness they cannot keep that condemns them and leaves without excuse. Ken Hughes wrote in his book the book entitled the disciplines of a godly man that only 13% of people in this country. Only 13% of Americans believe that all 10 Commandments are now binding.

We sort of been whittling away at the list and now only a handful believe that all of them are binding on humanity today. No wonder God is dishonored and parents are dishonored and relationships are dishonored, he went on to reveal that the same survey pose the question. The people at random pressure part of this.

What are you willing to do for $10 million in the asked a series of questions would you be willing to do this for $10 million, 25% of the people were promised anonymity. Of course said that for $10 million they would abandon their families entirely. 23% said they would become a prostitute for least a week 7% said they would be willing to consider killing a stranger for $10 million. Imagine that in a crowded section of a ball containing 100 people, seven of them will take your life. If they could just get enough money for yourself. People will people are doing it for last Sunday not are not people abandoning their families for much less than $10 million. Are they not abandoning their morals for far less than $10 million. The truth is what she she survey also found that 91% of the respondents lied regularly at home and work lying. The office has become so much the American way that even in the highest places of leadership. Honesty is becoming more and more the exception. And that's true in the last 20 years we have developed the cynicism, have we not simply tell you something. We immediately think you're probably not telling the truth about who they are. I pulled a quote sometime ago from Fred Holloman is rather outspoken chaplain of the Kansas Senate. He crafted an interesting prayer which he praises the Senate open session. He said this he prayed this omniscient father, help us to know who is telling the truth today one side tells us one thing the other side tells is the opposite and also neither side is telling the truth would like you to tell us that to end of each side is telling only half the truth is the wisdom up at the right halves together. In Jesus name, Amen. That agreement open the Senate back in verse nine, Paul is declared to basically everyone is filled with lying everyone is filled with seat.

Everyone is filled with dishonesty. Everyone is filled with immorality. Everyone is guilty of universal depravity depravity. By the way, is a word that simply means erection you can use other synonyms like Reuland sinful. We use the word depraved degenerate Web server correctly defines it as wicked perversion. I'm I've met a lot of people in my life have been willing to admit they're not perfect and everybody's willing to admit or not perfect, but few would be willing to admit that there wickedly perverse and they certainly wouldn't appreciate you going up to them and even suggesting that they might be wicked and perverse. No one is exempt. Known as reason to celebrate.

Everyone is in deep trouble with God and that is one side of the gospel that is the verdict. The post just delivered the declaration from Paul in verse nine is not only the verdict of universal guilt. But secondly, the evidence of universal dominion.

Paul wrote for all are under what's the next word sin for all are under sin. Others award this disappearing from the English vocabulary is not the little three letter word sin stayed with me.

Sin city get sent to even to say it imitates the sound of the serpent does sin like that work for one thing, the word doesn't leave is any loophole, no way around it is no way out of it infected relates us to the activity of the serpents will do anything but admit I have sinned Donald Ray Barnhouse wrote in his 1953 commentary on this text enjoyed reading him as he describes some of the scenes with vivid illustrations. He described the man here who has a hard time saying the sender coming under the condemnation of depravity, says that man is like is like a little boy that man stands before God like a little boy stands in front of his mother and swears with crying and tears that he has not been anywhere near the jam jar and who, with an air of outraged innocence pleads the justice of his position in total ignorance of the fact that a good spoonful of the jam is fallen on his shirt just under his chin and is plainly visible to everybody but himself. I haven't had any jail right there. I had to stand on the auto center. I mean I'm not perfect, but I'm not a center.

That's why Paul as he drives this summary home will give the evidence in these 14 sin. I want you to know that this is the first time in the book of Romans that the word sin is a peer that you would probably think as I had that we talk a lot about sin have one of the first two chapters, Paul certainly has discuss Sunnis graphically describe even sinful behavior and sinful thinking. But now, however, for the first time the word itself appears is the Greek word pow Marty audit simply translates to miss the mark to miss the mark.

The mark or the target is God's holy standard and heat in effect declares that everyone on planet Earth is a terrible shot. We've all missed it missed the mark somewhere. The world insisted it hasn't, in fact, it wants to move the target to wherever it has displaced its arrow, it wouldn't admit that it sin the world admits to mistakes we made some mistakes we we committed some errors in judgment. We've made some some wrong miscalculations. Some some boo-boo you know some plunder, but not sin. What are you Victorian or something from the dark ages so guilty. Mankind in his suppose and sophistication simply replaces that little three letter word with a variety more comfortable. John MacArthur published a book entitled the vanishing conscience, in which he just explains this entire issue that volume talks about how sin and guilt have become public enemy number one was get rid of sin. Let's get rid of any talk of sin was get rid of any guilt or talked of guilt and will feel better.

We feel better though. We don't feel better, but he goes on to say these days and is void of everything wrong with humanity is likely to be explained as an illness and addiction a result of some pre-existing disability. What we used to call sin is more easily diagnosed now is a whole array of disabilities all kinds of immorality and evil conduct are now identified as symptoms of some disorder.

Modern culture has created also new gospel man is not a sinner but a victim couple of illustrations that I have filed a way that reveals kind of thinking that has now swept our culture away.

One man was shot paralyzed by committing a burglary in New York sued the store and shot up with the trial's attorney told the jury that the man was first of all, a victim of society driven to steal by his economic disadvantages, and the lawyer said his client was a victim of the insensitivity of the store owner shot him who had no regard for his plight as a victim. Now he would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

He deserves some redress in the jury agreed and the store owner had to pay the thief for settlement and FBI agent was fired some time ago after he embezzled $2000 from the Bureau in a gamble it away in one afternoon in the casino. Later, he soon, arguing that his gambling was an addiction. Thus, the disability being fired was thus an act of discrimination and he won the case and was rehired. One man wrote that this victim is him has so infected our culture that one might even say the victim has become the mascot of modern society ladies and gentlemen. Paul does not refer anywhere to victim. It doesn't even refer to addiction by the way he refers to sinners and he calls it. Why because it sin. He says all are under sin. What is it mean when he says all are under sin word translated under the original word "means it's an interesting word that means under the power of under the dominating influence of under the authority of infected shoes in Matthew chapter 9 verse six of the centurion. He uses it when he tells Jesus, I have soldiers under me as I have soldiers under my command they are under my authority to do my bidding.

They are dominated by me by rank is also used in Greek writings of a student who was under the tutelage of his teacher is a professor that is he was under the direction he was under the leading the authority of his professor, so here Paul says, in effect, all of mankind is under the authority is under the tutelage is under the direction is under the command is under the leading is under the dominating force of sin is helpful as it is for persons they want to do some good things over here now compensate none and we are under sin. John wrote in first John 519, that the whole of humanity lies under the power of the evil Jesus himself and while on earth announce the same truth in his message to Jewish leaders turned back to the gospel by John for a minute look at chapter 8 John chapter 8, where he says exactly the same things that Paul says only uses different words John chapter 8 verse 34 Jesus answered them, truly, truly, I say to you everyone who commits sin and how many people commit sin. Tell me all so all who commit sin are the what slaves of sin enslaved to sin. He says here.

This is the absolute truth. In fact, whatever Jesus Christ is truly truly is not that he dislikes the wording was repeated, is in effect saying, take note now truly all the truth I tell you this.

This is something that I wanted a mark in your minds you are not free. You are enslaved, as it were, to sin, then you reveal that by wife by sinning, then he he speaks specifically to the people in his audience, which were the Jewish leaders and he says in verse 35 something is a little difficult to understand all explained it, he says, and the slave does not remain in the house forever. The sun does remain forever. If, therefore, the son makes you free, you shall be free indeed your enslaved to sin, but the sun will set you free. What's this about being in the house were not coming. Let me illustrate his illustration. Basically, what is he saying is that the Jews believe they own the house by virtue of their relationship to Abraham being of the seed.

They believe that they own the father's house in Christ here informs them they're just servants will illustrate what he saying with illustration of my own when I was in Dallas with my wife and our last year seminary training. Marcy delivered our twin boys into the world. We thought we would have kids until after school and got it. Other plans we had last year, which is really interesting as a result of that fact several months before that she had to go to bed because of the difficult pregnancy so I had taken up part-time job putting food on the table and make ends meet until graduation and that would be out on her own in ministry somewhere and I was able to land a job with a very prosperous commercial real estate firm in North Dallas as a courier. What I did was basically run errands for these men. There were about 11 of them men were making two, three, four, $500,000 in one commission check, and this was in the 80s, mid 80s when everything was incredibly rosy and then with Boston.

They all pretty much lost their shirts, but I ran errands I would run contracts between them and other buyers, bankers, attorneys such so I go after classes and just spend my time in the afternoon on the road one day I came to work in after class and the president of the company pulled me aside and handed me the keys to his carnies and Stephen want to take my car over to the dealership and have the tires rotated winter weather doing okay is it sure and I thought was can be a good afternoon them and I can feel her up. Then hit me. Wait a second take his car. I'd seen his car. It was a limited edition Mercedes sports could not nearly as nice as a Chevy pickup. But anyhow this is what he drugs is a hardtop convertible was white affirmative deeply revisit virtually brand-new. I'd seen a description of the Carney office. All the guys were how erratic and new that it costs nearly hundred and $50,000 and I was 16 years ago, so I very gingerly slipped into the driver seat and I pray Lord of an seminary can afford diapers, much less a dense Dean scrape even even swift air, you know, please do a Red Sea moment in part the traffic.

As I drive north Dallas you know to this dealership five was about 5 miles away and so IE's out of the parking lot and onto the Parkway and began his 5 mile trip wasn't long before I noticed something I noticed it. People were looking at me is as they drove by. I member pulling up to the read the first red light and people on both sides of me looked at me as different, look that I never had. It was it was in the looked at that car and he looked at me. I could tell old man was I making people guilty of deep sin coveting that day. I never had that look. When I drove down the Parkway my green Velarde.

No one ever looked at me in any way other than sympathy, but here I am in a pull of this red like him on both sides are looking at me and I know they're thinking this guy has made it to the top.

He is some body you what I did not invent fix the rearview mirror and pick up the car phone you to get everything on it is now amended great.

He told me on my way there or on my way back whichever to to get some gas to fill it up and and I've been worried about that. But now, when I was looking for the busiest gas station I could find a pool in there and I did people everywhere. I got on the guy next to me immediately said head is a beautiful car. I said things. He said how long you had it now. It oh I do you know temptation. I did the right thing is that I've added about 10 minutes is not mine, is my bosses car goes off one of the let the air out of the stars and with the papers gas and and five seconds away from being somebody that nobody I got to admit though it was fun acting for a few minutes like that car belong to me. I know one shiny hinge of that car. I was a servant. I was a hired hand. None of the belong to me. This is what he's saying Jewish leaders in effect had this smirk on their faces. This sense of confidence. We own the house and Jesus is no use a hired servant.

The only people you get to stay in the house were those were some of your slaves to sin slaves to sin slaves don't stay in the house. Paul will amplify that in chapter 3 of Romans, and he will say is not just the Jew and Gentile. Everyone is under sin enslaved to sin, which means will never unwind the English of the father's house were not getting in were headed in the wrong direction.

We have nothing for which to celebrate. We haven't won anything fact unless something dramatic happens when the final score is tallied going to lose again all of humanity is sinful and guilty and under this irresistible pool this undertow. This domination of sin. What's the evidence call for you to make that kind of sweeping statement that covers everyone on planet Earth is ever lived who lives and who will ever live in the he will give it in those 14 indictments he will deliver them to the human race as he describes the depravity of man. The evil condition of man, the evil communication of man. The evil chaos of man and ultimately the other side of the gospel which is the deliverance of God through Christ Jesus.

Christ came into the world to save those kind of people right.

He didn't come in the world the same victim didn't come into the world to save those with addictions. He came into the world to say sinners came slaves save them even entitled guilt of mankind versus the glory of God comes from a series out of Romans three called the depravity of man, the deliverance of God. This was lesson two in that series and I hope you'll be with us for all of it in the days ahead. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi our offices close today as our staff enjoys an extended holiday. If you'd like to interact with us, please visit our website which is wisdom online.org if you want to call us. You can certainly do that and leave a message.

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