CoreIssue
02-03-2006, 10:10 AM
Quote:No One is Righteous
9What shall we conclude then? Are we any better[2] ? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.
Now Paul gets to the heart of the matter he is writing to the Christians at Rome about. And specifically to the Jewish believers.
He is telling the Jews that in spite of the uniqueness of Israel to God they are not better than the Gentiles. That there are not two standards from God toward Jews and Gentiles.
Quote:10As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
No one is right in and of themselves in God's eyes. Absolutely all are hopelessly lost and condemned if only looked at in terms of the Law.
Quote:11there is no one who understands,
We don't get it fully and completely. We aways lack.
Quote:no one who seeks God.
Here is one of the favorites of Calvinism and any form of total predestination.
But it does not say we cannot try to find God. Cannot want to find God.
It says we cannot find God on our own.
Quote:SEEK
Strong's Number: 1567 Browse Lexicon
Original Word Word Origin
ejkzhtevw from (1537) and (2212)
Transliterated Word TDNT Entry
Ekzeteo 2:894,300
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
ek-zay-teh'-o Verb
Definition
to seek out, search for
to seek out, i.e. investigate, scrutinise
to seek out for one's self, beg, crave
to demand back, require
Here the context is to find as in seek out. And we cannot seek out or find God on our own.
Other places in the Bible says we indeed to seek God. And indeed we do search for God.
This concept is in perfect keeping with Romans 8 where we are told God knows who will love him and he predestines them to find him.
Quote:12All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one."[3]
13"Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit."[4]
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."[5]
14"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."[6]
15"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16ruin and misery mark their ways,
17and the way of peace they do not know."[7]
18"There is no fear of God before their eyes."[8]
In looking at the footnote references it is seen these things to do not say Man is incapable of seeking God. It says they have corrupted themselves so much they will not seek God.
Quote:3:9 Or worse
3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
3:13 Psalm 5:9
3:13 Psalm 140:3
3:14 Psalm 10:7
3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
3:18 Psalm 36:1
The point being made is not that none will seek God. The point is that from the time of Adam on Man has constantly in many ways, before their were Jew and Gentile and as Jews and Gentiles, turned from God and sinned.
So all Man are the same in this issue and the Jews have no right to hold themselves superior.
Quote:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
To paraphrase. Knock it off Jews and join equally with the Gentiles before God on these issues. You and they are in the same boat.
9What shall we conclude then? Are we any better[2] ? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.
Now Paul gets to the heart of the matter he is writing to the Christians at Rome about. And specifically to the Jewish believers.
He is telling the Jews that in spite of the uniqueness of Israel to God they are not better than the Gentiles. That there are not two standards from God toward Jews and Gentiles.
Quote:10As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
No one is right in and of themselves in God's eyes. Absolutely all are hopelessly lost and condemned if only looked at in terms of the Law.
Quote:11there is no one who understands,
We don't get it fully and completely. We aways lack.
Quote:no one who seeks God.
Here is one of the favorites of Calvinism and any form of total predestination.
But it does not say we cannot try to find God. Cannot want to find God.
It says we cannot find God on our own.
Quote:SEEK
Strong's Number: 1567 Browse Lexicon
Original Word Word Origin
ejkzhtevw from (1537) and (2212)
Transliterated Word TDNT Entry
Ekzeteo 2:894,300
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
ek-zay-teh'-o Verb
Definition
to seek out, search for
to seek out, i.e. investigate, scrutinise
to seek out for one's self, beg, crave
to demand back, require
Here the context is to find as in seek out. And we cannot seek out or find God on our own.
Other places in the Bible says we indeed to seek God. And indeed we do search for God.
This concept is in perfect keeping with Romans 8 where we are told God knows who will love him and he predestines them to find him.
Quote:12All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one."[3]
13"Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit."[4]
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."[5]
14"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."[6]
15"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16ruin and misery mark their ways,
17and the way of peace they do not know."[7]
18"There is no fear of God before their eyes."[8]
In looking at the footnote references it is seen these things to do not say Man is incapable of seeking God. It says they have corrupted themselves so much they will not seek God.
Quote:3:9 Or worse
3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
3:13 Psalm 5:9
3:13 Psalm 140:3
3:14 Psalm 10:7
3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
3:18 Psalm 36:1
The point being made is not that none will seek God. The point is that from the time of Adam on Man has constantly in many ways, before their were Jew and Gentile and as Jews and Gentiles, turned from God and sinned.
So all Man are the same in this issue and the Jews have no right to hold themselves superior.
Quote:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
To paraphrase. Knock it off Jews and join equally with the Gentiles before God on these issues. You and they are in the same boat.