Romans 3:13 Commentary and Bible Study

Back in Romans 1:29 we find a harrowing sin list: ‘Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers’, and so on. Now we have another sin list, but it is of a different kind. This list is more about the condition of the person. The first listed sins, this one lists conditions. This is the trouble with us. We are not only sinners – because we commit sinful acts, think sinful thoughts, say sinful words – but we are sinners, because apart from what comes out of us, we are sinful by nature. So it can be said of every one of us, we are proud, we are deceitful, we are selfish. We do those things, and we are those things. Then you can break down sins, as has been done traditionally, into sins of commission, things you do; sins of omission, things you don't do that you should do. Both families of sin are reflected in the Ten Commandments. Then there are sins against God: we haven't loved him and worshipped him and honoured him and obeyed him; and sins against each other, our fellow man. The first table of the law, the first four commandments – sins against God; the last six commandments – sins against fellow men and women. Sin is terrible and it is right through us, but here these verses in chapter 3 are about our condition. ‘Their throat is an open sepulchre’ (Psalm 5:9). What an expression! At this point you may think of a lion or a crocodile. You are confronted with the great jaws open and a set of teeth: that means certain death. You will get drawn in there; it's an open grave. It's instant death and you're finished. This depicts human beings as a whole. The fallen soul in each one of us takes control of our various bodily parts. Their condition is that their voice, their words, their throat is capable of being an open grave. Hostility flares up so easily and tragically and sadly in families, in business circles, and constantly in politics. In modern times the internet has brought out all the venom that resides in people and we hear about trolling and so on. People look at this with astonishment. They say, ‘I never knew society was as bad as this. Surely it didn't used to be like this.’ Yes, it's always been like that, and every single individual is the same. There's a Hitler in everyone, a Putin in everyone. ‘With their tongues they have used deceit’ (Psalm 5:9; 10:7; 36:3; 52:2). The deceit in mind is the deceit of flattery. It is deceit because the flatterer knows he is lying. Often his lies are criticism of his neighbour, but when they are praises, they are no less destructive. They employ deceit as a useful tool to achieve their purposes, even though tier integrity is ruined in the process. How carefully must the believer be to watch his speech, and stick constantly to the truth.‘The poison of asps’ – we would say today vipers – ‘is under their lips’ (Psalm 140:3). What illustrative language! That viper is poised. It is stationary, motionless. Ah, but that is illusory. Those fangs are full of deadly poison. Any second it will strike. That is the propensity of human beings. And there is concealment going on here. The destructive word is skilfully disguised as something else. Not till it has done its work will it be clear what the intent was. The victim will act on the lie, and much trouble will result.‘Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.’ This describes another aspect of human speech. It is a curse called down from heaven upon another. Men strive to bring, not only their own hatred upon their enemies, but the full weight of heaven’s anger. There is no limit to their thirst for revenge. They do this, even though they are subject to God’s judgment on themselves. Instead of cursing, the believer is to bring blessing and to desire heaven’s blessing on his enemies. These are bitter or sharp words, intended to cause pain.