Romans 3:19-20 - The Law and Accountability

Romans 3:19-20

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Message: The Law and Accountability

Time: Paul probably wrote Romans between A.D. 57-58 while he was at Corinth in the home of his friend and convert Gaius. He planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money from the Gentile churches to the poor in Jerusalem. Then he hoped to visit Rome on his way to Spain. His hopes were later realized, but not as he had expected. When he finally arrived in Rome in early A.D. 60, he was a prisoner under house arrest (Acts 28:11-31).

What the Lord is Saying:

I studied the passage previously. I went back and looked at that lesson that I did on Monday, August 4, 2014 and it is centered on the Gospel and the idea that the Law cannot save us. No one can say to God, look what I have done. Even going one mile over the speed limit is breaking the law. Now, we may not get caught but getting caught does not mean the law has not been broken. It needs to remind us that we are sinners, we are guilty and that fact alone reminds us that we are not righteous and we need Christ to be righteous in our place. 

Paul is laying the groundwork in these passages as he explains why human beings need the Gospel. What I have focused on so far in these lessons is quite simply the problem -- sin. And our sin makes us all guilty, the Jew and Gentile alike. The natural response of doing something poorly is to improve and not do it again. It is to learn from one's mistakes. It is to be a better person. This is normal and right. The problem is this does not excuse our sin. But mankind thinks that good outweighs bad. So when bad goes before the judge, man pulls out the resume and talks about how he has reformed himself and is different now and will never do it again and has learned from his way --- all good things, but the issue is the law has still been broken. Thus, this verse -- by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. 

I read this and it assaults my own thinking because in my life this is how I am not trained. I am rather trained that good outweighs bad. 

The law teaches us many things that I have not named here but in the area of justification it simply reminds us we are sinners. We will break the law and through this God wants us to say, "Yes, I have broken the law and so I need someone to pay my debt." That's it. Our conscience was given by God and reminds us we have broken the Law. But even this becomes dull over time as we repeatedly break laws and do not acknowledge the sin. This is what was talked about previously as evil is now called good. The moral law defines what is good and bad, what is good behavior and bad behavior. The Law gives us this. The 10 commandments explain the moral law. This law condemns us first and foremost. 

Promise: As we look at the Law, it needs to move us to continue looking to Christ for salvation. Consider shortcomings but Jesus is our redeemer. 

Prayer: O God your message of the Law assaults my thinking at times because of the way I am trained so often in this world in which I live. But thank you for giving me understanding of your truths so that I live by Your Words. Keep me open to your truths. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of June is about justification; May was about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God.

 - The Sins of the Gentiles - Though born with God being evident, Gentiles do not honor God or give thanks, look to their selves for truth, and God gives them over to their sin, and in the process God's wrath is sin which will culminate on the Day of the Lord. The Sins of the Jews - Jews thought their status meant only Gentiles were true sinners. Romans 2 and 3 explains the Jews are just as guilty before God.