Daily Devotions
Romans
" Are we better than they?"
Text: Romans 3:9
AT LEAST THREE GROUPS OF SINFUL PEOPLE DESCRIBED
Paul had now described at least three main groups of people (Romans 1-3):-
1. The Gentiles who engaged in idolatrous practices (Romans 1).
2. The Jews who exuded self-righteousness (Romans 2).
3. Perverse people with a warped sense of reasoning (Romans 3:1-8).
AVOIDING THE SNARE OF “HOLIER THAN THOU”
Paul was in none of the above categories! How did he see himself? His humility impacts the heart deeply.
“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all.
For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks
that they are all under sin.”
Romans 3:9
1. A difficult position to articulate
Could Paul have come up with a fourth position? Would a “holier than thou” constitute a viable fourth position?
2. Jews and Greeks
Paul had already proven that both Jews and Greeks were guilty of sin (Romans 1-2).
3. The Perverse
He had already declared that “their condemnation is just”.
DID PAUL SEE HIMSELF AS A SINNER?
Paul intimated that he saw himself as a sinner in the following text.
“For if the truth of God has increased through my
lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?”
Romans 3:7
In writing about sin and sinners, it was inevitable that Paul classified himself as a sinner!