Romans describes every human being — the immoral, the moral, and the religious — as guilty, unrighteous, and separated from God, while also revealing justification freely by His grace through Christ.
Paul builds God's case against the whole human race in the opening chapters. He starts with the obviously guilty immoral person, then moves to the good moral person, and finally to the religious Jew, concluding that all have failed and none are righteous. Romans 3:23 caps the argument: "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." But Romans does not end in hopelessness — it immediately presents being justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23 — This is the central verse Paul uses to summarize humanity's condition before God: all have sinned and come short of God's glory.
Romans 3:10 — Paul's quotation that there is none righteous, no, not one, directly answers the question of humanity's condition before God.
Romans 1:18 — Romans begins by revealing God's wrath from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, setting the stage for the indictment of all humanity.
The opening chapters of Romans show God's case against humanity. Paul writes that "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men" (Romans 1:18). By Romans chapter 3 he concludes that "both Jews and Gentiles... are all under sin" (Romans 3:9), and he quotes Scripture: "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). The capstone is Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." The cause reaches back to Adam: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12). Yet Romans immediately reveals the remedy: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24), for God set forth Christ as "a propitiation through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:25).
Les Feldick emphasizes that Romans is God building His case against the whole human race. He groups humanity into three categories: the immoral, the good moral person, and the religious individual. Even the person nobody can find fault with is as guilty before God as the immoral man, and the religious person is no better for depending on his religion. The verdict is guilty on all three. Les points to Romans 3:9: both Jews and Gentiles are under sin, meaning every person has disobeyed the revealed will of God. He teaches that Romans 3:23 is the great conclusion — all have sinned and come short of God's glory, so every person in his natural state is separated from God because he cannot meet God's standard. But Les also stresses the mercy side: Romans does not leave humanity in hopelessness. He calls attention to Romans 3:24 and 25, where sinners are justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood. He also notes that in this Age of Grace, where sin abounds, grace is always greater.
Les Feldick explains that God builds His case against all of humanity by starting with the most obviously guilty — the immoral. From there Paul moves to the good moral person, the one people cannot find anything wrong with, and then to the religious individual who thinks his religion gives him everything he needs to meet his Maker. Paul's conclusion after all three is that all have failed, all are guilty, and there is none righteous, no not one.
The Scripture says both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin (Romans 3:9) and there is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10). Paul's capstone is Romans 3:23: all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Les explains that every human being in his natural state is separated from God because he has fallen short and cannot meet God's standard. This reaches back to Adam, because by one man sin entered the world.
No. Immediately after stating that all have sinned and come short of God's glory, Romans 3:24 says sinners are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:25 adds that God set forth Christ as "a propitiation through faith in his blood." Les emphasizes that we are not left with the dilemma of hopelessness, because God's grace is greater than sin. He also notes that in the Age of Grace, where sin abounds, grace is always greater.
What Does It Mean to Present Your Body as a Living Sacrifice?
Ok, now let's get right back to what this program is all about, Bible study. As I've said so often, we're just an informal study. We have no axe to grind with any particular group. We do not try to criticize anyone, but we just simply teach the Book and hopefully let the chips fall where they may, but we trust that the Holy Spirit will enhance your understanding as you read and as you study, becau…
God's Case Against All Three Categories
Les explains that Paul moves from the immoral to the moral person and then to the religious individual, and the conclusion is that all have failed, all are guilty, and none are righteous.
Jews and Gentiles Are Under Sin
Les points out that Romans 3:9 proves both Jews and Gentiles are under sin because every person has disobeyed the revealed will of God, which is sin.
Fallen Short of God's Glory
Les teaches that every human being has sinned and come short of the glory of God, leaving every person in his natural state separated from God, yet not without hope.
All Three Are Guilty
Les shows that Paul's conclusion over the immoral, moral, and religious is guilty on all three, and that God is building His case against all of humanity.
Justified Freely by His Grace
Les connects Romans 3:23 with Adam's sin in Romans 5, then immediately points to Romans 3:24: being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Wrath Revealed, Yet Grace Abounds
Les notes Romans 1:18 reveals God's wrath against ungodliness, but in this Age of Grace, where sin abounds, grace is always greater.
From Adam to Redemption
Les emphasizes that every human being from Adam onward, Jew and Gentile, has come short of God's glory, and then highlights Romans 3:25, where God set forth Christ as the propitiation through faith in His blood.
Romans 1:18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
This verse opens Paul's indictment of humanity in Romans, showing that God's wrath is directed at ungodliness.
Romans 3:9: What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Paul states explicitly that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin, setting up the universal guilt of humanity.
Romans 3:10: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Paul quotes Scripture to show that no one is righteous before God.
Romans 3:12: They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
This verse reinforces that none do good and all have become unprofitable.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
This is the central conclusion describing every person's condition before God.
Romans 3:24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
This immediately follows the verdict of guilt and shows the remedy: justification freely by grace.
Romans 3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Les uses this verse to show Christ is the propitiation God set forth for sin.
Romans 5:12: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
This traces the universal condition of sin back to Adam, as Les mentions.
Yes. Romans 3:9 says both Jews and Gentiles are under sin, and Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Les Feldick points out that this includes the immoral, the moral, and the religious person.
Les says that even if nobody can find anything wrong with a person, God has as much to say against him as against the immoral person. The moral person is as guilty as the immoral.
Yes. Romans 3:24 says sinners are justified freely by God's grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, and Romans 3:25 says God set forth Christ as a propitiation through faith in His blood. Les says we are not left with the dilemma of hopelessness.
Romans 5:12 traces it to Adam: by one man sin entered the world. Les says every human being, from Adam on, has come short of God's glory.
Watch the Teaching: What Does It Mean to Present Your Body as a Living Sacrifice?