Romans 3:9-20
“Do You Measure Up?”

Introduction
1. I watched a video by R.C. Sproul (theologian, lecturer, author) asking young adults how to get
to heaven. Very few had any clues, but they all felt that in the end somehow, they would make it.
2. When there is no standard, we compare ourselves among ourselves. Because of our relative
standard we measure up and make it in the end.
3. Do you measure up...by what standard?
4. Romans 3:9-20 Paul pulls out an absolute standard:

Do you measure up...by what standard?
I. THE CONDITION OF MAN 3:9
Note the ‘we’ and ‘they’. Some think he is talking to ‘Christians’ in the church. To me Paul
tells us. The Jew (Paul) and they (Gentiles). In the Jewish thinking the Jew was superior to
the Gentile, but before God in their natural state both is guilty! Jew and Gentile…they
are all under sin.
A. The Problem “Sin”
1. This is the first time of many the word sin occurs. This is not acts of sin, but the
nature of sin. It became mine at birth.
2. Sin means, ‘to miss the mark.’ It is implied that there is an absolute standard.
3. Out of the nature of sin flows the acts of sin. If you are looking for a cause of
misery, heartache and heart break look no further!
B. The Pressure “Under”
1. The word does not simply mean beneath, but to be totally under the power, control
and authority of something or someone.
2. In means, subservient, in bondage. Mankind loses his freedom. Man is under sin’s
Dominion…Downfall…Dread…Diminishing Returns.
3. There is a dreaded disease with only One Remedy…the Good News, the Gospel.
C. The Pervasiveness “All”
1. All means all and that’s all that all means.
2. It is as universal as man and woman!

Do you measure up...by what standard?
II. THE CHARACTER OF MAN 3:10-12
Notice the all-inclusive words: None…No note one…all which reinforces the statement of
verse 9. As it is written…God’s Word. This is God’s point of view. It stands written. This is
in our natural state. You can argue with the standard. The standard remains...looking at lost
man:
A. Man Is Unrighteous 10
There is not a righteous man, not one.
1.Literally, There is not a righteous man, not one.
2.This is from the perspective of absolute holiness and righteousness. From our relative perspective (comparing ourselves among ourselves) there are many righteous. All our righteousness are as filthy rags.
3.We have our standard and by them we ae right. God’s standard is perfection, sinless, Jesus Christ. There isn’t a righteous man…not one.
B. Man Is Unreasonable 11a
There is none that understands the things of God.
1.A man or woman may have a brilliant intellect. They may be a genius, but when it
comes to the things of God lost man has no understanding.
2. “Why are we here?” “Why are we like we are?”
3. The natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God; for they are foolishness
unto him, neither can he know them; because they are spiritually discerned. (I Cor.
2:14)
C. Man Is Unresponsive 11b
There is none that seeks after God.
1.What about all the religions around the world? We make gods of our own design.
2.They are demon inspired efforts to escape from God. They are trying to fill a void and get rid of guilt.
3.Seeks after God…to that person God becomes the focus of everything. He is the source of everything. To truly seek God is to adore Him and feed on His Word. It is to obey His commandments, to speak to Him, to live consciously in His presence with a desire to please Him. No one does this naturally!
4.Illustration of the lost sheep. The sheep doesn’t seek the shepherd. All I could do was run away. The Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost.
D. Man is Unrepentant 12
*They are all gone out of their way.
1.All we like sheep have gone astray and have turned everyone to his own way. (Is. 53:6)
2.His own way! We are a selfish, self-centered lot!
*They are altogether unprofitable.
1. As far as earning salvation there is no way.
2. Unprofitable…is to ‘become sour milk.’ Man’s life apart from Jesus Christ becomes sour.
*There is none that doeth good…NOT ONE!
1. This is measured by God’s perfect standard. Comparing ourselves among ourselves
we can do pretty good!
2.You mean Red Cross work is not good? You say giving blood is not good? Working in N. Carolina after a hurricane is not good? It’s not good enough to get you to heaven…my ‘good’ is never good enough!

Do you measure up...by what standard?
III. THE CONDUCT OF MAN 3:13-18
Out of the heart are the issues of life. The depravity of man does not mean that man
cannot do good things. As God sees natural man…we are more sinful than we would ever believe.
A. Our Words 13-14
1. Defiled Their throat is an open sepulcher. God sees an open grave with a stinking
rotten corpse and a horrible stench! Listen to doctors, lawyers, politicians, police,
teachers, house wives, drug addicts, convicts, high school students…the problem is
the heart!
2. Deceitful With the tongue they have used deceit. Those little white lies…the way
we put on a front. We think all of this hypocrisy is harmless, but God sees it!
3.Deadly The poison of adders under their lips. The Egyptian cobra had venom
sacks under their lips. When pressure was applied poison would come out! We see it with
the put down, the character assignation, the sarcasm that cuts apart.
4. Dreadful 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Open defamation
and open hostility…social media lights up!
B. Our Way 15-18
1. Their Walk 15-16 Describes destruction and misery are in his path. Man
destroys everything he touches.
2. Their Want 17 Man is miserable. He never really knows peace and there is no
peace apart from Jesus Christ.
3. Their Worship 18 There is no fear (reverence, to stand in awe) of God. That is
their problem. God is ignored, treated as if He doesn’t exist. Man is empty and he
was created to have fellowship with God.

Do you measure up...by what standard?
IV. THE CONDEMNATION OF MAN 3:19-20
A. The Standard 19a The Law (all the Old Testament Scriptures) By every measure
man stands guilty! You say, ‘not me.’ Did you run the stop light? Were you speeding?
Did you break that window?
B. The Silence 19b That every mouth may be stopped. You are caught. You are guilty.
You can’t say a word. Quit making excuses. Quit defending yourself. Quit comparing
yourself with others. Agree with God! You are lost, sinful, hopeless and helpless.
That all may become guilty…That is the purpose of the Law!
C. The Sight 20a In His sight By doing something for God (Law) I can never be good
enough. I can never possess a right standing before God.
D. The Sense 20b The knowledge of sin is by the Law The Law point the finger and
cries, “Guilty!” There is no life in the Law. I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is
the power of God to salvation to everyone that believes to the Jew first and then the
Gentiles. (Rom 1:16) Life Is In Jesus!

You can never measure up, that’s why Jesus had to die!