The Doctrines of Grace in Scripture: Romans 3:9-12

In this series so far, we’ve covered the following passages that directly relate to TULIP: Ephesians 1:3-6 (U), I Thessalonians 5:23-24(P), Jude 1:24 (P),  John 10:26-30 (U, I, P), I Peter 1:4-5 (P), Acts 13:48 (U, I), and John 6:44-45 (T, U, I, P).  Here we continue with another passage.

The Text

Romans 3:9-12 – “What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin,  just as it is written:“There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands,there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away,together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.”” – Paul (NET Bible)

Relevance

The significance of this text in relation to the Doctrines of Grace is that this passage shows us man’s depravity and inability to come to spiritual good on his own and his need for the sovereign act of God in order to seek Him.  It relates very directly to the T in TULIP.

Historical Comments On It

• “…there is no doubt but that the character of men is described in those words, in order that we may see what man is when left to himself; for Scripture testifies that all men are in this state, who are not regenerated by the grace of God. The condition of the saints would be nothing better, were not this depravity corrected in them: and that they may still remember that they differ nothing from others by nature, they do find in the relics of their flesh (by which they are always encompassed) the seeds of those evils, which would constantly produce fruits, were they not prevented by being mortified; and for this mortification they are indebted to God’s mercy and not to their own nature. We may add, that though all the vices here enumerated are not found conspicuously in every individual, yet they may be justly and truly ascribed to human nature” – John Calvin (1509-1564)
• “The fault lies in the corruption of the understanding; that is blinded, depraved, perverted. Religion and righteousness have so much reason on their side that if people had but any understanding they would be better and do better. But they do not understand. Sinners are fools….Those may justly be reckoned to have no understanding that do not seek after God. The carnal mind is so far from seeking after God that really it is enmity against him….Even in those actions of sinners that have some goodness in them there is a fundamental error in the principle and end.” – Matthew Henry (1662-1714)
• “There is none righteous as Adam was, in a state of innocence; for all have sinned, and are filled with unrighteousness, and are enemies to righteousness; none are righteous by their obedience to the law of works; nor are there any righteous in the sight of God, upon the foot of their own righteousness, however they may appear in their own eyes, and in the sight of others; nor are any inherently righteous, for there is none without sin… they have no understanding of things spiritual; no spiritual knowledge of God; no true sense of themselves, their sin and misery; nor do they truly know the way of salvation by Christ; nor have they any experience of the work of the Spirit of God upon their souls; nor any experimental knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel: no man can understand these of himself….for so men being corrupted by sin, are of no use, service, and advantage to God, to men, or to themselves; but, on the contrary, nauseous to God, and to all that are good, and hurtful to themselves and others…There is none that can do good in a spiritual manner, without the grace of God, strength from Christ, and the assistance of the Spirit” – John Gill (1697 -1771)
• “This is a declaration of the universal sinfulness of men…..Blinded by sin to the perfections and loveliness of God and truth, they have turned from the way which he has prescribed….they have no correct apprehension of God….This depravity is universal.” -Charles Hodge (1797-1878)
• “Paul summarizes the condition of every human being apart from the grace of God in Jesus Christ….This is a serious, indeed a devastating picture of the race, because it portrays human beings as unable to do a single thing either to please, understand, or seek after God. Sin corrupts the heart, the mind, and the will….According to Romans 3, no one unaided by God 1) has any righteousness by which to lay a claim upon God, 2) has any true understanding of God, 3) seeks God.” – James Montogmery Boice (1938-2000)
• “Our problem with sin is that it is rooted in the core of our being. It permeates our hearts. It is because sin is at our core and not merely at the exterior of our lives” – R.C. Sproul (1939-Present)
• ” [I]t is the bent of our nature to exalt our capacities, not to honestly recognize our limitations. But while many are willing to confess the universal existence of sin, it is the universal debility sin brings that is so offensive to the world’s religion and the natural man. Paul asserts that there are none who seek after God…Yet, if there is no God-seeker, how can anyone be saved? Because there is a sinner-seeker, a Savior….That is the vast differences between man’s religions and the Christian faith: One is focused upon man and his abilities…one upon God and His” – James White (1962-Present)