God's righteousness and the hopelessness of humanity

God's righteousness and the hopelessness of humanity

This lesson is leading the way to the topic of justification, but before we can get to discussing and truly understanding “justification”, we need to clarify two very important points, 

1. God is absolutely and utterly righteous.
2. Humanity is absolutely and utterly guilty and hopelessly lost.

God and people are completely incompatible. They cannot be reconciled. They repel each other! Paul lays this out clearly in Romans chapters 1 to 3. He emphasizes the facts of men’s utter guilt and hopeless condition. Mankind is so far fallen (in sin, unbelief, and rebellion) that they cannot approach God, and they cannot save themselves!

Without God’s intervention, there is NO HOPE for humanity to be saved! Romans chapters 1 to 3 settle the fact that ALL human attempts to justify themselves, and try to work for their salvation, is useless. 

• Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

What is ungodliness?

This is sin against God. It is denial of God. Disobedience to God. A lack of reverence for God.

What is unrighteousness?

This refers to sinful actions in thought, word, or deed. It is a state of being unrighteous.

In addition, these verses above also tell us that nobody can deny that God exists, because God has revealed Himself internally, in the heart, to everybody. God's creation also proclaims His existence. Atheists deny that God exists, but the truth of God is clearly seen. The point is this; they know there is a God. God has manifested and confirmed His existence to every human. They just prefer to deny this, thus lying to themselves and eventually they will suffer the consequences of this lie if they continue to resist His grace.

Three Categories of Humans

Throughout Romans chapters 1 to 3, Paul presents three types of lost humanity. Every unsaved person falls into one of these three categories. Paul refers to these categories to prove that all humans are lost and without hope irrespective of how immoral, or how moral, or how religious, they try to be. The three categories are loosely defined as follows,

• Immoral = pagan, no morality, wicked, ungodly
• Moral = law abiding, proud, rely on their own works, no faith or reliance on God, kings of their own existence
• Religious = (pointed to Jewish) religious law (but today this can represent any religious person outside of Christ) who put their faith in their own works of righteousness, and devotion, to justify themselves

IMMORAL MAN (ROM 1:24 >)

• 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ... 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: ... 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

MORAL MAN (ROM 2:1 >)

• 1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgestanother, thou condemnestthyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

RELIGIOUS MAN (ROM 2:17 >)

• 17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you,

Romans 3:12 ends with the statement that all men have become unprofitable.

• Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

What does this mean?

In the context, to become unprofitable means that one becomes unfit and unable to bring forth any good fruit, whether to profit God, themselves, or others. This description provides a very clear understanding of our value without Christ. Think of it, what do you do with unprofitable merchandise?

We will get into discussing "justification" in another post, but for now, it is important to understand who we are without God's gift of righteousness through Christ. Without Christ we have no excuse, no argument, no value! The reason why it is important for us to know this is so that it contrasts with the fact that justification is a work of God, and that it highlights the value and need of God intervening for us in our hopelessness.

Until we truly know how hopelessness we are, we will never really accept "justification" as a gift of God, as it will always leave the door ajar where Satan can lie to us and tell us that we can earn it by being good and working for it. No! This is not possible, and the sooner we know this and accept it, the sooner we can receive the grace of God in our weakness and need, and to His glory in Christ.