And by the way, I want to name
our study of the morning. We have a guilty verdict, or
our title is guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty on all charges. That's our title and our study
of the morning. With that, let's read verse 19
and verse 20. Now all that Paul has said about
depravity and all of the scriptures that he has quoted from the Old
Testament to support and sustain that all men are unrighteous. Now look at verse 19. Now we
know, he said, that what thing soever the law saith It saith
to them 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 there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. I'd like to read the last half
of verse 19 again. That every mouth may be stopped
and all of the world become guilty before God. Now with that in
mind, it is almost impossible to give our text this morning
its proper due unless we consider it in the context in which it
appears. its relation and its connection
to the flowing context that Paul is making. So the question then
becomes, what is the context? That is, what is the larger context
or the subject of that section from chapter 118 down through
chapter 3 and verse 20? Now we know that a main topic
of the Roman epistle is the saving righteousness of God which he
has designed and has provided, and it is declared, proclaimed,
or set forth in the gospel. You have that in chapter 1 and
verse 16 and 17, where Paul says the gospel is the power of God
unto salvation to every believing one, both to the Jew and to the
Gentile, because in it, that is the gospel, is the righteousness
of God revealed. And then in chapter 3, verse
21 through 31, the apostle gives us a summation of the divine
procedure of this justifying righteousness. But in that section
from 118 to 320 there is first given a strong declaration of
the need of a saving and justifying righteousness because of the
universal depravity of the race, including both major party, Jew
as well as Gentile, that they are all under sin as we read
in chapter 3 and verse 9. and that Paul says the Jews are
no better than the Gentiles when it comes to sin and guilt. Now even though Paul concedes
that the Jews have an advantage in being a Jew and how God has
dealt with them because they have the circumcision of Abraham. They have been given the oracles
of God and they have been given special privileges and we read
that in chapter 3 and verse 1 and 2. Again in Romans 9 and verse
4 and 5 Paul gives a fuller catalog of
the privileges of the Jew down through the century. So, as to
being justified by their race, they were no better than the
Gentiles, had no betterness at all, chapter 3 and verse 9. Now, as to the manner of their
being saved, there was no difference between them and the Gentile,
for whosoever believeth upon him shall be saved." And though
Paul deals with the two classes separately, basically, in this
section of the scripture, for in chapter 118, I'll repeat again,
down to chapter 3 and verse 32, really, chapter 1 and down through
chapter 3 and verse 20, the apostle traces out the birth of idolatry
and paganism that had been embedded in and practiced by the Gentile
for ages upon ages. And what have they done? The
Gentiles had violated the natural revelation that God had made
of himself in creation, and they had suppressed, or they had held
under the truth, Romans 1 and verse 18, even though they also
violated the law of conscience and thereby they were self-condemned
and we see that in chapter 2 verse 14 and 15. Now this makes them
guilty for it was a violation both of the outward or the natural
revelation and they violated their conscience because they
did things that they were convinced were wrong and evil. Now, this made them guilty, for
it violated both inward conscience and outward revelation. And so
they are without excuse. Romans 1 and verse 20. They have no excuse. They are
excuseless before the just and holy God. Why? Because in creation,
there is made a manifestation of God's eternal power and divinity. Chapter 20 and verse 1. In verse
19, God has showed it unto them of chapter 1. Verse 20, they
are clearly seen. So the Gentile had a credible
outward revelation of God that left them excuse-less for bowing
down unto their idols. We should remember, I guess,
or mention that great passage in Psalm 19 where God, or where
the psalmist, speaks of the revelation of God, leaving the world without
excuse. whatever nation, whatever nationality,
or whatever part of the world they might live in. Because you
see, creation supposes a creator. And that means that not the created
But the creator is to be worshipped. How stupid it is for man to worship
something or one that is no better than themselves, or to even worship
something that is inferior unto themselves. Worshipping the thing
that God has created like four-footed beasts and creeping things in
Romans chapter 1 and verse 23. How stupid to worship a serpent
or a bird, or a fish, or the sun, or the moon, or the star,
or the sky. In their plunge, therefore, this
is what they have done. In Romans 1 and 25, who changed
the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the
creature more than the creator. I think it says the creation
more than the creator. Now, in Romans 125, there are
two words here that I think we ought to give special attention
to, especially as they are in the King James Version. The two
words are, in Romans 1 and verse 25, that we need to consider
so that we not misunderstand them, so that we not misuse them,
and that we not misapply them. And the words are, number one,
that word changed, and number two, the word more. Who changed the truth of God
into a lie, and who worshiped and served the creation more
than the creator. Now, the first word, changed,
means to exchange. They exchanged one thing for
another. Not that what was true actually
was turned into a lie or is to be considered. Not that a truth
can become a lie or vice versa. Just as many hold that what is
a lie is actually the truth, vice versa, minnehole, that what
is the truth is actually a lie, because, you see, men have turned
things upside down. They call evil good, and good
they call evil, Isaiah chapter 5 and verse 20. So to see the
force of the word here rendered change, In chapter 1 and verse
25, we have to but notice where the same word is used again down
in verse 26. It says there in verse 26, Even
their women, the Greek says females, even their females did change,
or exchange is the word, the natural use into that which is
against nature. Of course, this is describing
lesbianism. And in verse 27, likewise, also
the men, The Greek just simply says males. They also exchange the natural
use for that which is against or contrary unto nature. Now what they are charged with
doing in verse 25 and verse 26 is casting away, suppressing
the truth that God had made known of himself, such as creation,
and replacing it with a lie, that is, serving and worshipping
created things. And this, in effect, is what
we call nature worship, and that's what they were guilty of. Now,
like today, the rabid environmentalists and the tree-huggers, those who
speak of Mother Earth as sustaining us. This is a form of nature
worship. And you will find many of them
also to be in error. Because you will find many of
them, if not most of them, comfortable and accepting of evolution. You will also find many of them,
maybe most of them, comfortable with and accepting of abortion. And you will find in that movement
so many esteeming animals to be more important than human
beings. I've even read, may you heard
it, where they're calling Columbus a racist for coming over here
and discovering this country. And I read the other day, I read
last Columbus Day, that some places and cities are refusing
to observe Columbus Day because he was such a racist in coming
over here and taking the country away from what we call Native
American. But enough of that, back onto
our text. What they did was espouse a lie
and put away or suppress the truth. They exchanged the truth
that God had revealed to themselves for the lie. Now the second word
is the word more. We just ought to take a look
at it so that we get its meaning. They worship and they serve the
created more than the creator. Not that they served and they
worship God in some lesser or minor way and worship the creation
to a greater degree. But that they still, and it is
not that they still worship God and also, as aside, worshipped
created things. It means that they worshipped
the created rather or instead of God the Creator. That's the
meaning of the word more here, I think. They worshipped what
was created rather or instead of the Creator. John Murray put
it like this, the notion of exchange applies in this case also." For
this they stand guilty and God is just and he is righteous in
the sentences that he passes upon them. And we notice in Romans
1 what he did. He gave them up unto vile affection. He gave them over to a reprobate
mind. Then in verse 21 They became
vain in their imagination, I think it means reasoning or speculation,
and their foolish or their senseless heart was darkened. Because they violated the revelation
that God had made, God re-attributed against them in this manner.
Thus Paul's conclusion is, concerning the Gentiles or the nation, the
non-Jews, that they had sufficient revelation. which they transgressed
and they perverted, to render them guilty and deserving of
punishment, even apart from the gospel revelation. Then, in the
second chapter of Romans, the apostle brings a stinging indictment
even against his fellow countrymen, the Jew. Now the Jew thought
themselves righteous in the sight of God by their observing of
the law. They thought themselves secure
in their covenant status that God had made with them, and in
favor with God by being the descendants in the flesh of Abraham. We have Abraham to our father. We be Abraham's children. and
trusting in their having the brand of Abraham's circumcision
in their flesh, having the laws of God, both moral and ceremonial,
as well as the scripture conceded unto them. Paul concedes their
privileges. He concedes that indeed God had
dealt with them in a privileged way, and that they had an advantage. in being Jews, being given the
oracle or the speech or the words of God, the sayings of God, and
yet not all of them were believers. With all of these privileges,
not every Jew was a believer. And Paul charges them with being
self-condemned in chapter 2 and verse 1 for doing themselves
what they condemned in others. You know that's a disease fairly
widespread among the human family today that we condemn in others
what we justify in our own behavior and therefore especially in verse
23 and verse 24 of chapter 2 of this great Roman epistle and
what I say chapter 2 verse 23 thou that makest thy boast of
the law, thou breaking the law dishonorous thou God for the
name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it
is written. Now laying that foundation coming
to chapter 3, where our text is today. He then, in the first
part of it, lumps the whole human family together. Jew, Gentile,
literally the whole world. And then, proving from scripture
that all are under the power of depravity, as seen in their
spiritual poverty and action. So he concludes this section
with verse 19 and verse 20 that we have read. Having finished
this digression begun in chapter 1 and verse 18, he then in chapter
3 and verse 21 returns to the subject of the saving righteousness
of God set forth in the gospel. The saving righteousness which
is revealed in the gospel fits perfectly with chapter 3 and
verse 21, but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested. Now in verse 19 and in verse
20, where Paul declares two things. Number one, The guilt of all,
the whole race, none excepted Jew and Gentile. And number two,
that there is no justification to be had by any, by any works
of law. That's stated in verse 21. So
let's immerse our thoughts and focus on verse 19 and verse 20. Now look at the opening words. of verse 19. Now we know. Not now as to time, but now we
know. This is a conclusion from what
or all that he has recently written unto them. We know that what
the law says, it says to them who are under the law and to
them who are guilty before God. In other words, Paul says, we
know it to be a fact. We acknowledge it to be the case. It is beyond dispute. We know
assuredly and for sure that what the law says It says to them
who are in the law, I think it might be, or to them that are
under the law, like he did in Galatians chapter 3 and verse
10, as many as are of the works of the law or under the law and
under its curse. Now, we know what things, soever
the law said, it is speaking to the ones who are in or under
the law. Now, let's ask a question. Here's
another word that we need to be careful with in our study
of the Bible, New Testament, and particularly of Romans. How
does Paul use, or how does he intend to use, and for us to
understand the term law? What law does he mean? That is,
what law does he have in his mind? Is it a moral law? Is it the ceremonial law? Is
the Pentateuch, that is, the five books of Moses, sometimes
called the law? Is it the Scripture, sometimes
called the law? Or is it the law of nature that
we read about in the Scripture? Or is it, in this case, the Old
Testament Scripture, the Word of God? We do notice it, Paul,
especially in Romans, uses the word law in several different
senses, and as you study through, you'll read that. For example,
in chapter 7 and chapter 8 of Romans, and they're all from
the exact same Greek word nomos, from a word that means to partial
out, or it means to regulate. to regulate and to partial out. And here are some examples of
Paul's use of the word law, and by the way, all of them from
the same one Greek word. Listen to him in Romans 7 and
verse 21. I find then a law, that when
I would do good, evil is present. I think it means a regulatory
principle. I find then a law. In chapter
7 and verse 23, I see another law in my members. Could that be the law of nature,
the moral law or whatever? I think not. Chapter 7 verse
25, he mentions the law of sin. And then in chapter 8 and 2,
he mentions a couple of more. the law of the spirit of life
in Christ Jesus, and the law of sin and death. Now here's one for us. In Romans
7 and verse 7, he used it in referring to the moral law or
the Ten Commandments. The law said, Thou shalt not
covet. This was a part of the Ten Commandments
that were given at Sign me up. So in Romans 3 and verse 19,
which sense of the word law does Paul have in mind? Now some expositors
have noted, verse 19, has the article that is the law while
verse 20 does not in the Greek have the article it is simply
law. By works of law no flesh justified
in his sight or by law is the knowledge of sin. Now as we might
expect and come as no surprise Commentators are not agreed upon
which law the Apostle has in his mind, some applying it to
the moral law, others refer it to the Old Testament Scripture
because he has quoted and cited them. Now in reading Haldane's
commentary, he seemed to apply verse 19 to the Jew and verse
20 unto the Gentile, the whole world. One thing is clear though,
Paul intends to include the Gentiles in his all-inclusive universality. The whole world, even though
they had not the moral law or the scripture in the sense that
the Jews did. But as John Murray then wrote,
the Gentiles are regarded as in the law, in the sphere of
law, in which Paul has quoted examples and they had relevance,
unquote. For it is clear here in Romans
chapter 3 that Paul tells the Jews that they are no better
than the Gentiles, in verse 9, as far as their being sinned
and guilty, and their condemnation was concerned." Now, concerning
the words here, the whole world. We can back it up to verse 9,
verse 10, verse 11, and verse 12, and see there also and all
inclusive universality if you would. Verse 9, both Jew and
Gentile that they are all under sin. Verse 10, none righteous,
no not one. Verse 11, none that understand,
none that seeks God. Verse 12, they're all gone out
of the way they are together become unprofitable none of them
does good. Thus Paul is declaring what John
Brown Crawl called the true spiritual state of the race. They are to
the last individual to the last individual all under sin. Now this with the two consequences
that are in the end of verse 19. There are two consequences
of that in the last part of the verse. A. Notice, they're all
under sin, they're all under the law, the law speaks to them
under the law. A. That every mouth may be stopped. That's a very interesting passage
we need to look at. And the word stopped is a word
that literally means to fence in or to enclose roundabout or
to block up with the ultimate meaning to silence, to silence
that tongue that it has absolutely nothing to say. It's a forensic
term. By that I mean it is a term that
we might find in law or that we might find in court brought
against the one accused of a crime. In other words, the thought is
this. The evidence is so overwhelming against them that there is nothing
that they can say in their defense. There's not a word that they
can bring out of their tongue in their defense. They are so
guilty and the evidence is so overwhelming. Not one thing can
they answer to proclaim their innocence and talk themselves
out of this charge. I think the word might carry
that meaning. They cannot talk themselves out of the charge
that is against them. And the idea expressed is this,
every mouth, in other words, everyone is silenced before God
and His law, being beyond question guilty and unable to even set
forth anything in their defense or behavior. Every mouth, therefore,
is equivalent to the whole world, that the whole world's mouth
might be stopped. And yet, this is not delayed
until the final judgment. It does not have to meet or wait
until an after-death judgment. The sentence is passed even now. They need not die. to become
guilty before God, for even in the prime of their life they
are so. Even now, even as they live,
they cannot justify themselves, they cannot claim righteousness,
they cannot lay claim to having kept God's word or God's law
so as to be justified and spared condemnation. Let me let you
hear Proverbs chapter 20 and verse 6. These things are very
insulting to the unregenerate and to the non-christian. To
be told that he or she is guilty and that there's nothing they
can say in their defense is offensive and insulting and it makes them
downright angry and mad. But Proverbs 20 and verse 6,
most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness. Isn't that true? Don't you find
that to be so? Charles Bridges wrote a commentary
on Proverbs and he said on this verse, We have but to hear such
men's estimate of their self, and it is proof of his ignorance
of knowledge." Consider that. Every man will
proclaim His own goodness. Every person can find something
good about themselves they think might commend them to God or
classify them as a good person, but not before God. For example,
the Pharisees boasted of their righteousness and of their zeal
for the law, but Christ called them blind hypocrites. He condemned them more severely
than any other that he met in his ministry. 2 Kings 10 and
verse 16. Remember old Jehu over in the
Old Testament? Wasn't he the one that ran his
chariot speeding? Wasn't he the one that speeded
in his chariot? Well anyway, he said in that
verse, 2 Kings 10 and 16, Come see my zeal for the Lord. He commended himself. But in
verse 31 of the same chapter, Jehu took no heed to walk in
the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. He did not
do that. Let's take old Absalom, 2 Samuel
15, 1-6. Now Absalom was a son of Abraham. if you remember that and remember
the family. And Absalom here in this place
reminds me of a modern politician. Absalom is acting like a politician. He stands in the gate and he
promises to fix the government and to reform the justice system. He said, Oh, would the Lord God
that I were in charge I would handle this in a just and a fair. I would have the most open administration
in the history of the country. And yet, in verse 6, all of his
pretensions were but devious means that he might steal the
hearts of the men of Israel away from the king who was his very
own father. You know, it's amazing. how easily
deceived are people. When a smooth-tongued, accomplished
liar ascends the pulpit or the political chair, how easily people
can be led to believe a lie. We must be guided by the measure
of the Lord. Thy word is truth. We must be
guided by the Lord's standard. Luke 16 and 15 That which is
highly esteemed of men is an abomination unto God. We need
to think about that. That which is the most popular
in the world, you can bet, is an abomination unto God. And you can also bet that which
is an abomination unto God will be popular in the world. But
then there is a second consequence in verse 19 that we want to look
at. of the speaking or of the sentence
of the law, that is, that all of the world may become guilty
before God. Now here we note the operative
word. As to the subject, all of the
world, both Jew and Gentile. And as to the gravity or the
seriousness of the whole world, may become guilty before God. Now the word guilty is from a
word that has as its prefix a word that means under. Under. So keep that in mind. To be under. Thus to be reckoned under sentence
is the meaning of here. Liable to judgment. Subject to
penalty. Some with knowledge of the Greek
do tell us that this particular word is found only here in all
of our New Testament. But then commentators are agreed
that the word that we read in our English King James as guilty
actually has the meaning of to be subject unto judgment or condemnation. So what Paul is saying that all
of the world brought under the judgment of God. All of the world
accountable to God. everyone blameworthy, charged
with a crime in violation of the law of God, and notice for
sure that being under the judgment is said to be before God, not
before men, but before God. Now, This case and the judgment
and the sentence will not be handled in a human court. It
will not be presided over by a human judge. Where there a
pricey, smooth-tongued lawyer might gain their acquittal, while
bribery might occur, or a corrupt judge might subvert justice in
a case. or the charge might enter a plea
of not guilty and deny and contest all of the charges that are lodged
against him and claim that he is an innocent person and in
a human court might walk away free. It will not happen in the
case in Romans. Quickly, I think of Joseph's
brethren. In Genesis 42 and 21, you remember
they sold him into slavery told the father he'd been devoured
by a wild animal. But when they came before Joseph
and he had a power over them, he had the reign of government
in his hand, they became fearful and they said one to another,
quote, we are verily guilty concerning our brother when he besought
us and we would not hear, unquote. Joseph now having power over
their lives, and they stand before Him knowing that He could give
life or death according to His good pleasure. Now, says our
text, that, or so that, in order that not only every mouth be
stopped, but also by the same saying, the whole world become
guilty under judgment before God. Now, let's outline this
verse. Let's look at it, for there's
some things here. What is the standard, number
one? What is the measure by which
the judgment is rendered? Well, the answer is the law of
God, the word of God, the sayings of God. For we know that what
the law says, it says to them under law. Now, the second thing,
who is the judge? Who shall judge the case and
pass the sentence? Answer, before God, that all
the world may become guilty before God, in the sight of God. Do you remember when Abraham,
in Genesis chapter 18, verse 25, referred to God as, quote,
the judge of all of the earth, and that he will do right, unquote,
1 Samuel 2 and 10? The Lord shall judge the ends
of the earth. Psalm 58 and 11. He is a God
that judges the earth. Psalm 94 and 2. Thou judge of
the earth. But then thirdly, the charge.
What is the charge? The whole world is the charge
or the charge one. Not one is personally righteous
by their own character or their own acts. Then number four, what
is the verdict? Ah, ladies and gentlemen, you're
not the jury or the judge, but the Almighty God. What is the
verdict? There shall be but one guilty
on all counts. Guilty as charged. Guilty, guilty,
guilty, subject to judgment. And number five, what's the sentence? How severe is the sentence? The
sentence, condemnation, dead in trespasses and in sin. So let's look at a word again
in verse 19 in the King James, and it is the word that, T-H-A-T,
so that. Some have it read in order that. And the question is, Does Paul
here intend, by using the word that, to express, one, is it
the intended purpose of the saying, or number two, is it the consequential
result of the that? That goes before, or could it
be forth, or both, or are we even able to decide, because
a, by deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in the sight
of God or before him, and then b, for it is the law that any
gain, it is that law give any a proper knowledge of sin. The law tells us our sin. By the law is the knowledge of
sin. Remember what Paul said, Romans
7,7, I had not known sin except by the law. Paul thought himself
a righteous man. He thought himself blameless
until the law said thou shalt not covet. Not only does it say
don't go steal another man's property, but it says don't even
have the thought in your heart. Don't even think a covetousness. Now this expresses the deception
of multitudes in the world today who imagine that they, as did
the Pharisees, are going to be saved by partially keeping the
law. or a few good things they did,
or that they worked in a charity, or they kept a set of rules,
or they followed a moral code, or they met an ethical standard. But Paul is clear and very clear,
none shall be saved by any deeds of law. No matter what law you
might imagine, none shall be saved by it. Their goodness,
therefore, becomes as nothing more than filthy rags in the
sight of God. And I want to illustrate that.
I want to emphasize it by using this. If we could combine all
the works of law of all people from the beginning and then we
could take every one of those and impute them to one son or
daughter of Adam, they would not be sufficient to justify
that one person. If we lay all the good deeds,
and all the observances of law, of all people in the world, of
all time, of all nationality, and of all places, it would not
be enough to justify one person. Never will a sinner be justified
by keeping law, or by his works, or by what he doesn't do, or
she doesn't do, or by keeping a part of the scripture because
it would require absolute perfection and none can give it and none
but Christ ever gave it so therefore not by deeds of the law article
but by deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his
sight that means not one human being shall be justified by their
works, or by their deeds, by their goodness, or by their helpfulness
in the sight of God. If that be the case, grace is
no more grace, Paul said. Grace would no more be grace.
And so all are subject to condemnation. Is there no remedy? Yes. The next verses we read, God
has sent forth Christ in perpetuation through faith in His None can
be saved apart from or out of Christ. None in the world. I
don't care what their religion is. They can't be saved apart
from Christ. There is a remedy and thank God
for it and for those whom God has called into it.