'Ro 3:9-20

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All humankind is sinful (Ro 3:9-20)

From his discussion on the state of the Gentile and Jewish worlds, Paul concludes that the whole human race is under the power of sin (Ro 3:9).

He quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures to show how sin affects every part of human life. Sin causes people to be rebellious against God, both in their thoughts and in their actions (Ro 3:10-12).

It causes their speech to be harmful and destructive (Ro 3:13-14) and their plans to be violently selfish (Ro 3:15-17).

They have no respect for God, but live to please themselves (Ro 3:18).

Those Scriptures were written originally not in relation to Gentiles, but in relation to Jews, to whom God had given his law. But if Jewish people are judged guilty because they could not keep God’s law, the Gentiles, who show the same characteristics, must also be under God’s condemnation. The whole human race is guilty, and the law can do nothing but show up that guilt.

There is no possibility that a person can be put right in God’s sight by keeping its commandments (Ro 3:19-20).