What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” Romans 3:9-12
True belief that lives by faith recognizes their sinful state.
God’s righteousness does not depend on man’s belief. God will be righteous no matter if we are. If that weren’t the case, how could God judge us as sinners? If lies equal truth, then why is God judging anyone as a sinner?
Because God is “true though every man be found a liar (Rom. 3:4).” Chapter 3 of Romans explains this concept.
We are all guilty in some way before God. How do we know this? Because the old law spelled out sin for us and exposed us for who we are. No one has ever been able to live perfectly by the law, so we needed some way out of the mess we had created. That way is through the power of the gospel (Rom. 1:16), but to even understand why we need the gospel, we first have to be humble enough to recognize our sinful state. It is then, and only then, that we can humbly submit to believe in the gospel and take the necessary steps to obtain God’s grace through faith in Jesus to justify ourselves apart from the law.
For the law condemns me of my sins. It makes me hopeless. But, the gift of redemption from my sins through Christ gives me hope to eternal life.
True belief that recognizes their sinful state lives by this fact and continues each day in thankfulness and humility not ever thinking they are better than anyone else for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).”
Truth in Love 