Fully Devoted: The ChurchSample

Romans, Part 3: All have sinned ...

Now that we have a better idea of who Paul was writing this letter to and why he was writing, it’s time to go back to the beginning. The first major movement of this letter takes place in chapters 1-4. In these chapters, we’re going to see Paul attempt to unite the divided Christians in Rome by showing them that all of them, the Weak and the Strong, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 

Remember, the Weak are mostly Jewish Christians who live according to the Torah and want the Strong to do the same. The Strong are mostly Gentile Christians who do not see obedience to Torah as a requirement for disciples of Jesus and have begun to see themselves as superior to the Weak. Paul is writing to these two groups of Christians to help them see past their differences and become a united church. 

After his introduction in Romans 1:1-1:17, Paul begins laying out how the “wrath of God is being revealed” against all people who have rejected God and given themselves over to their sinful desires. These people have become slaves to sin and have blinded themselves to the truth of God. 

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator ... Romans 1:25 NIV 

It’s reminiscent of the first humans in the garden—these people had rejected God as their king and instead had chosen to worship and serve things other than God. Instead of living according to God’s design, they became “filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity … They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy” (Romans 1:29-31 NIV). 

As the Roman Christians were hearing these words read for the first time, they very likely would have been nodding their heads in agreement. The Strong had experienced the grace of Jesus and their eyes have been opened to the sinful practices that once ruled their lives. The Weak lived according to the Jewish Law and had always understood their role as God’s chosen people who had been set apart to show the world a different way of life: a way devoted to truth, holiness, and justice. 

With the rapid influx of Gentiles into the Christian faith, many of the Jewish Christians began to feel that their way of life was being threatened. These Gentile believers were declaring their allegiance to Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, but they weren’t following the Jewish Law. So when they read these words from Paul, spelling out the sin of these wicked people and how their sinfulness would have consequences, the Jewish Christians would have felt relieved—nodding their heads in agreement and taking pride that Paul was on their side of the debate. 

But they would soon discover what Paul was really up to … 

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Romans 2:1 NIV 

As chapter two begins, Paul stops talking about sinful Gentiles and begins talking to judgmental Christians, specifically the Weak. He’s calling out their hypocrisy because he knows that no one lives in perfect obedience to God.

And Paul knows firsthand the seductive power of sin to coax us into the false belief that our “good works” make us better than others. Paul knows how destructive it is to our souls when we place ourselves in a position of judging others. Sin wants us to see ourselves as better than others, and to see others as less. Sin provokes us to elevate ourselves to the position of the judge and to condemn others. But that is not the way of Jesus. 

Paul isn’t making the claim that people will not be judged for their actions. Paul is pressing the Weak to see themselves as they really are. Human beings who have been wounded by sin and are being healed by grace. He’s pressing them to replace their condemnation with compassion. 

So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:3-4 NIV 

Throughout this movement of Romans, Paul continues to challenge the Weak to humble themselves and acknowledge that their Jewish heritage and Torah adherence does not make them any better than anyone else—because they too are under the power of sin. Then, in verse 21, Paul pivots once again.

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ... Romans 3:21-23 NIV

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but now, because of Jesus, salvation and righteousness have been made available to all. Not through obedience to Torah, but through allegiance to Jesus. Not based on our works, but because of God’s grace. 

… and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24 NIV

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But now, because of Jesus, grace and redemption have been made available to all. Jews and Gentiles. The Weak and the Strong. Only the gospel has the power to form these divided Christians into a united Church. 

Journaling Questions  

• What verse or verses stood out to you in today’s reading? Write them in your journal.   
• In what ways have you been tempted to lead with condemnation instead of compassion? What’s one way you can choose to replace condemnation with compassion?  
• How do today’s readings help you become the kind of person who can love others, especially brothers and sisters in Christ, the same way Jesus has loved you? 

Memory Verse

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NIV