Useful Bible Studies > Romans Commentary > chapter 3
The Bible teaches that the most serious problem in the world is sin. Sin means people’s wrong and evil thoughts, words and actions. We are especially aware of people’s wrong behaviour because of the trouble that it causes. However, that is not the only reason why the Bible considers our sin to be so serious. In addition, sin separates people from God (Isaiah 59:2). It completely ruins the relationship that people should have with God.
In Romans 3:23, Paul explains that fact very clearly. Paul disagrees very strongly with the idea that only a few evil people are responsible for the sin (evil) in the world. God is perfect and his standards (see Exodus 20:1-17) are perfect. None of us live by his standards and therefore we are all guilty (see also James 2:10-11 and 1 John 1:8-10).
That is true for people from every nation. That fact mattered very much for Paul, because of his special task to declare God’s message to people from different nations (Galatians 2:7). If the problem of sin affects people from every nation, then God’s remedy for sin is for people from every nation. Therefore, it is now possible for people from every nation to receive a right relationship with God, because of Jesus.
Jesus is God’s solution to the problem of sin. In other words, when Jesus died, he suffered the punishment for people’s sin (5:8). The Bible urges us to turn from our sin (Acts 2:38) and to receive him into our lives (John 1:12). We must come to him by faith; in other words, we must trust him (3:22). Then God will forgive us, and our right relationship with God will begin (4:1-8).
Next part: God can forgive us because of Christ’s death (Romans 3:24-25)
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© 2022, Keith Simons.