Romans 3:12 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Romans 3:12

Comments

‘They are all gone out of the way’, or in more modern language, they have all left the road of seeking God. They have turned aside and they have done it wilfully. They have turned off at the first turning they could possibly see, so that they don't have to think about the one true and living God. ‘They are together become unprofitable’, or, in modern language, ‘worthless’ to God. In Greek literature, the word is used of bad meat or bad fish. You opened the cupboard, in olden times, to start to get the dinner and the food has gone off; you cannot even start to cook it. That is why we need forgiveness. That is why we need new life. The Scriptures about us are very unflattering. Are you an engineer? Have you been part of the team that built a mighty bridge and thousands use it, maybe a lifeline across a vast estuary or gorge? But have you ever considered that to God you are worthless? You have nothing for him: no love for him, no knowledge of him, no searching for him, no service, no worship. He cannot use you. You are out of touch with him, unprofitable. That is the situation for all of us without conversion to God. Then we get repeated quotations. ‘There is none that doeth good, no, not one’ (Psalm 14:3; Ecclesiastes 7:20). The apostle doesn't mean here doing good by perhaps giving your wife breakfast in bed or taking your children to school or doing naturally good things, helpful things. He's talking about doing good in the sense of the previous chapter, obeying the Lord and seeking him and seeking his converting power and love.

Application

Until God deals with our hearts we prefer our own paths. We think we can find our own way to life. We do not like his paths: the one who made them, the way they must walk in order to stay on it, the destination to which they lead.

Questions

Do we challenge these words? – ‘Oh, but there are some unconverted people who have done good things, and gone off to a dangerous place in the world, to heal people and help people. Is this not an overstatement?’ He means, there is no one who does good which is acceptable to God. You could put it this way: what does it profit me if suddenly in an uncharacteristic brainstorm, I decide to go to some needy place of the world, where my health and survival is at risk, in order to help other people. But I have never repented of my sin. I have never put my faith in God. I have never thanked him for my life and my faculties. I have never served him. I have never given him a minutes praise, or worship, or paid homage, or done anything to him. That good deed is unprofitable to God.

It is rather like somebody owes you a lot of money, and they do not seem to be paying it, and they come up to one day, and give you a little gift worth about a pound, and expect to have your praise and your wholehearted thanks. You think to yourself, ‘Yes, but I lent you five thousand pounds when you were in difficulty to put a deposit down, and there is no sign of repayment, and you expect to be thanked for a trinket!’ In God’s sight, ‘there is none that doeth good’.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Romans 3:12 Commentary and Bible Study

The meaning of Romans 3:12 explained