We’re all in the same sinking boat.

Go to Vagabondrun’s blog to get all of the details and join in.

Have you ever sat at church and thought to yourself that person over there really gets this and they follow all of the rules.  How could I ever reach the level they’re at?  On the other hand have you ever looked down on someone and thought man they are a bad sinner.  I don’t sin that much or I would never do that.  Well I have had all of these thoughts before and I am sorry.  Reading the below passage puts these thoughts into perspective for me.  I want to just kick myself and say hey “There is no one righteous not even one.”  I can’t do enough good stuff to be right with God.  Neither can the person two rows away either.

The sins that I do God see’s as vile and detestable.  He compares our throats to an open grave.  Rotting flesh has to be one of the most vile things ever.  There are also some other references to the mouth much like James.  The words that come out of our mouth is compared to poison.

To follow God’s law is not enough to be declared righteous.  The laws are there so we are conscious of our sins.  We can not save ourselves by following all of the rules.  All men except Jesus Christ have come up short of being perfect.  God’s law is also there to show us how to please him.

This is all stuff I have heard before but this time while reading Romans 3 for this post it has sunk in a little deeper than it ever has before.  I’m not the best writer so my thoughts and sentences are choppy but there is no denying the scripture below.  It’s all that really needs to be said.  Read the scripture and decide for yourself.

Romans 3:9-20 (New International Version)

No One is Righteous

9What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
12All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”
13“Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16ruin and misery mark their ways,
17and the way of peace they do not know.”
18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Tags: God, Jesus, righteous, Romans, sin