Dec. 01, 2024

“From Bad to Worse”
Romans 3:9-20
Central Idea: All people are guilty before God because of their sin.
I. The charge (9): Paul’s two questions:
1. What then? draw a _____________ from his teaching in 1:18-3:8
2. Are we better than they?
• “we” = the ______; “they” = the __________ / answer: not at all
“charged”: a charge against someone in a _________ ___ ______.
“all under sin” = It means all are under the ________, ________,
__________________ and _____________ of sin.
II. The indictment (10-18)
• “as it is written” = the _________ says
• doctrine of total depravity
• Does not mean: (1) you are _____________ of doing anything
good or (2) that we’re all ___________ bad.
• What it does mean: (1) we are all equally _______ & (2) at the
_______ of our being, we are depraved.
#1 - We find ourselves ______________ from God (10-12)
• “none righteous, not even one” (10)
righteous = _______ term - “standing _______ before God”
No one is worthy to stand before God on their own _________.
• “none who understands” (11a)
understand - to bring _____________ - puzzle pieces
• “none who seeks for God” (11b)
No one comes looking for God without God looking for _____
• “all have turned aside” (12a)
turned = to _______ away from, _______ away
• “all have become useless” (12b)
useless = used of rotten _________ and soured _______.
• “none” - absolutely none, no _______________
#2 - We find ourselves hurting other people. (13-15)
• “throat is an open grave”
___________ victims or ________________ of an open grave.
• “tongues keep deceiving”
deceiving = used of fish _______ to lure the fish
• poison under the lips: poison = _________ = human __________
• “mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”
speak actual curses; bitterness = _____________
• “feet are swift to shed blood”: swift to ____________
we have all murdered by our __________ - “if looks could kill”
#3 - We have lost our way in the journey (16-18)
We've __________ from the path that God laid out for us to walk.
• “destruction” = things ____________
• “no fear of God” = ____________ & ________________ for God
III. The verdict (19-20)
• We are ________________ before God.
• The law did its job perfectly in that it makes everyone
_________________ to God.
Applications:
1. God’s _________ is the gospel.
2. ____________ the gospel.
3. _________ the gospel.