Paul’s Proof: All Are Under Sin
Paul pulls no punches. He doesn’t flatter mankind. He doesn’t offer loopholes. He declares with divine authority that every single human being is under sin—not some, not most, but all. And this truth offends both the religious in his day and the religious today.
Scripture Testimony
- Romans 3:9–12 – “What then? Are we better? Not at all. For we previously charged both Jews and Greeks that all are under sin. As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. All turned aside, together they became useless. There is none doing good; not one.”
- Romans 11:32 – “For God locks up all together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all.”
- Galatians 3:22 – “But the Scripture locks up all under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ may be given to those who are believing.”
Paul declares all humanity—religious or not—equally guilty.
The Religious Problem
Nobody likes to hear this. People want to perform, to prove they are not as sinful as others. They want to show God they are better.
- Romans 10:2–3 – “For I am testifying to them that they have a zeal of God, but not in accord with knowledge. For, ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they are not subject to the righteousness of God.”
Religion clings to works and appearances. But Paul exposes the lie: all come up short.
- Romans 3:23–24 – “For all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus.”
God Chooses the Lowly, Not the Religious Elite
Paul repeatedly shows that God’s plan flips human pride upside down.
- 1 Corinthians 1:27–29 – “God chooses the stupid things of the world, that He may be disgracing the wise, and God chooses the weak things of the world, that He may be disgracing the strong, and the ignoble things of the world, and the contemptible, has God chosen, and things that are not, that He should be discarding the things that are, so that no flesh at all should be boasting in God’s sight.”
The very ones religion writes off as “useless” are the ones God calls. Why? To eliminate boasting.
Christ Died for the Worst, Not the Best
Paul goes further: Christ didn’t die for the righteous, the religious, or the performers. He died for the ungodly, sinners, and enemies.
- Romans 5:6 – “For Christ, while we are still infirm, still in accord with the era, for the sake of the irreverent, died.”
- Romans 5:8 – “God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes.”
- Romans 5:10 – “For if, being enemies, we were conciliated to God through the death of His Son, much rather, being conciliated, we shall be saved in His life.”
The gospel Paul preaches saves those who least deserve it. Religion says: “Clean yourself up first.” Paul says: “Christ saves the unclean.”
Paul Himself as Proof
Paul points to himself as the chief example:
- 1 Timothy 1:15–16 – “Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom am I. But therefore was I shown mercy, that in me, the foremost, Jesus Christ should be displaying all His patience, for a pattern of those who are about to be believing on Him for life eonian.”
If the worst sinner, a persecutor of the church, is saved, then no one is beyond God’s reach.
The Righteousness of God Alone
Paul demolishes the religious idea that salvation belongs to the smart, the disciplined, or the moral achievers. Instead, salvation is God’s work alone:
- Philippians 3:9 – “…not having my righteousness which is of law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God on faith.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For Him Who knew no sin, He makes to be sin for our sakes, that we may be becoming God’s righteousness in Him.”
Conclusion
Paul consigns all under sin, then drives the point home: God saves the stupid, weak, sinful, enemies, and lowest of all.
Religion says: “The strong, the smart, the obedient are saved.”
Paul says: “The weak, the foolish, the disobedient are saved—so no flesh may boast.”
This is the offense of the cross, and the glory of Christ.
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