The Root of Depravity

Paul begins his letter to the Romans with the claim that the gospel reveals the righteousness of God (Rom 1:17). He proceeds to explain how God is righteous in His wrath against us (Rom 1:18-20) and we have earned it. That goes from Romans 1:21 all the way through Romans 2:29. In chapter 3, he tells how Jews—who have the advantage of the oracles of God—are still under wrath because of the law (Rom 3:1-4). He explains that our unrighteousness shows God’s righteousness (Rom 3:5). He says that the condemnation of the Jews (and everyone else) is just (Rom 3:8). He then lays down the summary of the human condition.

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, (10) as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; (11) no one understands; no one seeks for God. (12) All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (13) “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” (14) “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” (15) “Their feet are swift to shed blood; (16) in their paths are ruin and misery, (17) and the way of peace they have not known.” (18) “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom 3:9-18)

They call it a “string of pearls,” a Jewish rabbinic approach to making a case (as opposed to proof-texting an idea). Paul picks out a group of texts and shows the human condition. He shows the universality of the corruption (Rom 3:10-12; Psa 14:1-3), the corruption of our speech (Rom 3:13; Psa 5:9; Psa 140:3), the cursing and bitterness (Rom 3:13-14; Psa 10:7), the violence and lack of peace (Rom 3:15-17; Isa 59:7-8). It’s a bleak picture. But verse 18 holds the underlying cause. “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom 3:18; Psa 36:1).

Our fundamental problem is that there is no fear of God … no reverence, no submission, no accountability, no seriousness. We don’t fear judgment. We cover our guilt. We don't lose much sleep over God. As Paul said in the first chapter, we do not honor God as God (Rom 1:21). We have suppressed the truth. As a result, our minds are useless (“none who understands”), our wills are misguided (“no one seeks for God”), our actions are evil (“feet swift to shed blood”) and our mouths are corrupt (“mouth full of cursing”). Sin is not merely bad behavior. It is a God problem. No fear. No reverence.

In the end, Paul’s portrait is not meant to depress us but to disillusion us … to strip away our instinct to excuse, minimize, or redefine our sin. When Scripture says “there is no fear of God,” it exposes the root beneath every branch of corruption. We do not drift into reverence; we drift into self trust. And until we see the truth about ourselves, we will never see the beauty of the righteousness God as revealed in the gospel. Paul’s bleak diagnosis is the necessary backdrop for the brilliance of grace. Only when we stop trivializing our sin can we begin to treasure the Savior who delivers us from it.