Man is without excuse – and cannot pass judgment – and will be held accountable for their lack of worship to the One true God, whether they’ve heard of Him or not:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men… For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of hte, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” – Romans 1:18-20
“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, everyone of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” – Romans 2:1
All are under sin. No one is righteous nor seeks God on his own accord, as to gain any merit before the Righteous Judge:
“What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.'” – Romans 3:9-12
But now God’s righteousness has been shown, justifying all who believe in Christ:
“But now the righteousness of God has been manifest apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it… For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” – Romans 3:21-25a
This was to prove God as the only one able to take action, meriting sinners with righteousness, whose sin deserved and demanded a just punishment before an infinitely holy judge:
“This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” – Romans 3:25b-26
Because the requirement for our promise no longer depends upon Law faithfulness, we are now reconciled to God, in peace, through faith in Christ:
“For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. …For the law brings wrath…” – Romans 4:13,15
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:1
We are now called to sin no more, our old ways crucified with Christ – we are no longer enslaved to sin:
“What then shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!” – Romans 6:1
“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” – Romans 6:6
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” – Romans 6:12-13
However, we may still struggle with sin at times, our mortal bodies still subject to the law of sin, and unable to live out the fullness of our salvation:
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. …For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” – Romans 7:15,18
But it is still not the efforts of man that further our fight with sin, but only the work of Christ, setting us free from the law of sin which condemns:
“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” – Romans 7:24,25
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” – Romans 8:1,2
Even our sanctification, as we await the inheritance of our salvation, is still not done apart from God’s sovereign work through Christ:
“but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” – Romans 8:23
“For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words… And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” – Romans 8:26,28
Though we may struggle in sin, wee who are children of God, may now rest convinced of God’s love for us, apart from our works, and works flowing in gratitude for the one who is constantly interceding for us as our great sacrifice:
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. …For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!'” – Romans 8:13,15
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? …Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died- more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” – Romans 8:32,35
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38,39
Fallen but Forgiven 