Sermon 4: Romans 3:19-31

  The basis of the lesson of the evening is the latter half of the third chapter of Romans, beginning with the 19th verse.  "Now we know that whatsoever things the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God."

  Verses 21-23 contain in condensed form all that is treated of in the remaining verses of the chapter.  The remainder of the chapter is an amplification of that which has gone before.  In this chapter also occurs the climax of the thought of the epistle.  In the first part of this chapter is emphasized the fact that God makes no distinction of persons; works alone are taken into account in the judgment.  But while it is true that a tree is known by its fruits, it is also true that it is not within the province of men to judge of those fruits.  God alone is judge.  He looks upon the heart while man can judge only from appearances; therefore, while the works of men may seem good to their fellows, to God, who sees what man cannot see, they are known to be corrupt.

  Again, the just shall live by faith.  How much of a man's life must be just?  All, every moment, for the just shall live by faith.  But by the deeds of the law shall no act be just.  This is a hard saying, but one that must be believed, for it is what the Bible says.

  No deed that we can do can be just by the law only.  By faith alone can a man or any act of his be just.  The law judges a man by his works, and the law is so inconceivably great that no human act can rise to its height.  There must therefore be a Mediator through whom justification shall come.  And that justification properly belongs to him to whom it is granted by reason of his faith.

  The heart unrenewed is desperately wicked.  Only evil can come from a wicked heart.  To bring forth good deeds there must be a good heart, and only a good man can have a good heart.  But, as all have sinned and come short, therefore all the deeds of humanity are vitiated.