Romans 3:10-20
How Sinners Relate to God
Paul’s harsh words in Romans 3:9 are a hard pill to swallow, we all are “under the power of Sin.” Without giving us breathing room to process such a raw statement, he moves on to explain how Sin affects the way we relate to God in verses 10-12 pointing out that “no one” is or does good enough to match the divine standards. There is no doubt that Sin breaks our relationship with God.
How Sinners Relate to Others
After explaining what Sin does to our relationship with God, the author of Romans explains the pervasiveness of Sin and how it affects the manner in which we relate to the people around us (vv. 13-18). Paul masterfully mentions several body parts and how we use them to destroy fellow human beings. In short, Sin negatively impacts horizontal relationships.
How Sinners Relate to the Law
As we struggle with our inability to connect with God and treat others with love, a third issue arises. We may know what the law says but have no clue how to relate to it. Some decide to ignore God’s law; others try to keep it as a means of salvation. However, Paul highlights that the law is for judgment on and awareness of Sin, the disease we are born with and cannot get rid of.
Still, we face the question, “Is there a cure for our underlying condition? If yes, what is it and how can we get it? Read Romans 3:10-20 to prepare for the sermon!
Reflection Questions
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How do you feel about the fact that we all are under the power of sin and by default unable to relate to God?
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Are you finding it difficult to relate to others? How is that making you think, speak, or do things that show you are failing to love them?
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Keeping the law cannot save us, even though we are called to keep it. In your opinion, what can save us and empower us to relate to God, others, and the law the way we are meant to?