No One Is Righteous

Series: Recalibrate | Week 3: Even on My Best Day

Day Four Romans 3:9-20

Pray: Invite God into your time and ask Him to speak to you, then read the passage.

9 Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say,

“No one is righteous—
not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “They rush to commit murder.
16 Destruction and misery always follow them.
17 They don’t know where to find peace.”
18 “They have no fear of God at all.”

19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
– Romans 3:9-20 (NLT)

Discover: Use the Discover section of your Recalibrate journal to write down your answers to the following observation and interpretation questions.
1. How would Paul respond to the statement, “I’m a pretty good person”?
2. What is Paul quoting in verses 10-18? How is verse 19 a summary of those verses?
3. What is the purpose of the law (verse 20)?

Respond: Use the Respond section of your journal to answer the following application prompts.
1. What does this passage teach me about God?
2. How does this aspect of His character change my view of self and others?
3. What should I do in response and when?

For Further Reading:
Read more about Why God Gave the Law

For Families with Kids at Home:
Paul points out that according to the Law, none of us can ever do enough good things to earn God’s love and acceptance. He points out that no one is righteous, not even one. But because God loved us even before we loved Him, He sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for all the wrong we’ve done. And thanks to Jesus’s death and resurrection, we’re about to enter into a relationship with God. Take time today to pray with your kids and thank Jesus for making a way for us to be friends with God!

*If you don't have a Recalibrate journal, you can use any journal available to you to write down your responses.
**TPCC does not necessarily endorse all For Further Reading/Learning sources. They are simply meant to be a helpful tool.

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