Romans chapter 3 is the decisive conclusion to God's case against humanity—every person, Jew or Gentile, is guilty.
In Romans 3:9, Paul states that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin. The chapter then declares that none are righteous and that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10-12, 23). Les Feldick calls this the capstone of the case God builds in Romans 1-3 against the immoral, the moral, and the religious. The chapter does not end in hopelessness, because verses 24-25 immediately present justification through faith in Christ's blood.
Romans 3:23 — This is the central verdict of the chapter: every human being has sinned and come short of God's glory.
Romans 3:9 — Paul states that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin, setting up the universality of human guilt.
Romans 3:9 says, "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." The chapter then quotes Scripture: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Romans 3:10-12). After laying out this verdict, Romans 3:23 states plainly, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." The very next verses give the remedy: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:24-25).
Les Feldick teaches that in Romans chapters 1 through 3, God is building His case against the whole human race. The case starts with the person most obviously guilty, the immoral person, then moves to the good moral person, and then to the religious Jew, because the Jews were the only real religion of Paul's day. The conclusion, Les says, is that whether they were immoral, moral, or religious, they were all enemies of God. He points to Romans 3:9 as the proof that every Jew and every non-Jew has been guilty of disobeying the revealed will of God, which is sin.
Paul writes in Romans 3:9 that Jews and Gentiles are all under sin. Les Feldick explains that in Romans chapters 1 through 3 God builds His case against the whole human race. He begins with the immoral person, moves to the moral person, and then to the religious Jew. The conclusion, Les says, is that all are guilty—they are all enemies of God.
Scripture says "there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Romans 3:12) and "there is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). Les Feldick notes that people often object to this, saying they are good citizens and give to charities, but he says that is not what God is looking at. God's case still concludes that the moral person, like the immoral person, is guilty.
The verdict is universal guilt. 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 says every human being in his natural state is separated from God because he cannot meet God's standard, and the guilt reaches all the way back to Adam.
Yes. Romans 3:24 immediately follows the guilty verdict with the remedy: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Verse 25 adds that Christ was set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood. Les Feldick says this is what believers rest on in this Age of Grace; they are not left with the dilemma of hopelessness.
Why the Law Can't Save You — Romans 3:19-20 Explained
Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick. Okay, good to again have everybody in.
The Case Against All Humanity
Les teaches that God uses Romans 3 to bring the conclusion that the immoral, moral, and religious are all guilty, and that God is building His case against all of humanity.
Jews and Gentiles All Under Sin
Les points to Romans 3:9 as proof that every Jew and every non-Jew has been guilty of disobeying the revealed will of God, which is sin.
Moral, Immoral, and Religious Are All Enemies
Les explains that God's case in Romans 1-3 moves from the immoral person, to the moral person, to the religious Jew, and the conclusion is that all are enemies of God.
The Capstone: All Have Sinned
Les calls Romans 3:23 the capstone of the argument—all have sinned and come short of God's glory—and then points to the next verse where justification is freely given through redemption in Christ Jesus.
People Reject the Verdict
Les says people won't agree with Scripture's verdict that none are righteous, because they think their good citizenship and charity matter, but that is not what God is looking at.
Separation From God in the Natural State
Les teaches that Romans 3:23 means every human being in his natural state is separated from God because he cannot meet God's standard—yet the believer has something to rest on even in this Age of Grace.
The Guilt Reaches Back to Adam
Les connects Romans 3:23 to Adam, showing that every human being, Jew and Gentile, has come short of God's glory, and then moves to the grace of redemption in Christ Jesus.
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;
Establishes that both Jews and Gentiles are equally under sin, not just the immoral or pagan.
Romans 3:10: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
The first line of Scripture's verdict on the guilt of every person.
Romans 3:11: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Shows that the problem is not only outward behavior but inward failure to understand or seek 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.
Declares that no one does good by God's standard.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
The central conclusion that every human being has sinned.
Romans 3:24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
The immediate remedy to the guilt stated in verse 23—justification is by God's 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;
Shows that Christ's blood is the basis of God's righteous justification of believers.
Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Les Feldick calls this the capstone of God's case against humanity, showing that the immoral, the moral, and the religious have all fallen short. The verse immediately leads into the remedy of justification by God's grace through Christ.
Romans 3:9 says both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin. Les Feldick explains that God's case moves from the immoral person, to the good moral person, to the religious Jew, and the conclusion is that all are enemies of God. Good citizenship and charity are not what God is looking at.
Romans 3:24-25 says believers 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. Les Feldick says this is what believers rest on; they are not left with hopelessness.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Law Can't Save You — Romans 3:19-20 Explained