Busted by our Words and our Actions...

This week, we are finishing looking at a section of a letter in our Bibles called the book of Romans that gives us a glimpse into a trial that involved a case that was brought against humanity by a man named Paul on behalf of God. And yesterday we saw Paul, in his closing arguments provide a timeless and true charge that humanity has a huge problem with God. Yesterday, we saw the Paul reveal for us the timeless reality that the bible proves that humanity has a universal problem with God.

However, one could easily push back a reject Paul's claim. So as Paul continues to make his closing arguments and address whether or not all humanity has a problem with God, we see him respond to those objections, beginning in Romans 3:13-14:

"THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS";

In these two verses, we see the Apostle Paul provide a second piece of evidence from the Bible that proves that all humanity has a huge problem with God. And that second piece of evidence is that the Bible proves that the problem is revealed by our words. Paul quotes three different sections of letters that are recorded for us in the Bible in the book of Psalms. First the apostle quotes Psalm 5:9 from the Greek Septuagint, which was the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, which is what the members of the church at Rome would have read. Therefore the members of the church could investigate his claims by looking at their own Bibles.

And it is this Psalm which paints an amazing word picture; their throat is an open grave. This is a word picture of a grave breathing out the smell of death. Have you been around people like that? Have you been around people whose words smell like death? Have you ever used words that smell like death? I know I have. If so, you are guilty of having a problem with God. Psalm 5:9 also states that all humanity uses deceptive speech. Have you been around people who were deceptive? Have you ever been deceptive? I know I have. If so, you are guilty of having a problem with God.

Paul then quotes Psalm 140:3 which paints for us another word picture, this time of the poison of asps. Now an asp is one of the most poisonous snakes on the planet; in Paul’s day, if you were bitten by an asp, chances are great that you would die. Have you been around people like that? Have you been around people whose words cause death? Death to a relationship; death to unity in community. Have you ever used words that cause death? I know I have. If so, you are guilty of having a problem with God.

In verse 14, Paul quotes from Psalm 10:7 to reveal the reality that our words are full of cursing and bitterness. If you do not think that this is the case, just walk through any store, listen to any reality T.V. show, or listen to almost any radio station. You see, our words that smell like death and cause death; our words that deceive others and curse others, they serve as evidence to prove that all humanity has a problem with God.

Paul then provides a third piece of evidence that proves that all humanity has a huge problem with God in Romans 3:15-18:

"THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN." "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."

In these verses, we see the Apostle Paul provide a third piece of evidence from the Bible that proves that all humanity has a huge problem with God. And that third piece of evidence is that the Bible proves that the problem is revealed by our actions. Paul quotes two different sections of letters that are recorded for us in the Bible. First, we are directed to a section of a letter in our Bibles called the book of Isaiah.

Beginning in Isaiah 59:7, the prophet Isaiah is condemning the Jewish people for their selfish rebellion and sin against God. Paul then applies the prophet’s words to all of humanity. First, humanity throughout history is swift to shed blood. To shed blood here refers to murder. In other words, humanity does not seem to have to give much thought to killing one another. In addition, destruction and misery are in their paths. Isaiah’s point, which is being echoed by Paul, is that humanities way of life and conduct bends toward the destruction and ruin of others. And the pages of history are filled with human actions that bring distress, trouble, misery and ruin upon one another.

And to reinforce his point, Isaiah states that the path of peace they have not known. The life and conduct of humans throughout history is not known as being one of harmony and peace is it? Whether it is in our relationships and individuals or our relationships as nations, history is marked by confusion and conflict instead of peace and harmony. Now here is the question before all of us: Have you been around people like that? Have you been around people whose actions produce conflict, distress and destruction instead of peace and harmony? Have your actions produce conflict, distress and destruction instead of peace and harmony? I know I have. If so, you are guilty of having a problem with God.

And to hammer his point home, Paul directs the church at Rome, and us here this morning, to a section of a letter called the book of Psalms. In Psalm 36:1, we see revealed for us the root cause that produces all of humanity throughout history’s selfish and rebellious words and actions; there is no fear of God before their eyes. The word fear here refers to a reverent respect for someone that results in submission and obedience. In Psalm 36:1, King David states that the selfish rebellion and sin of the ungodly, in other words those who leave God out, reveal the reality that they have no respect or reverence for God.

Paul’s point here is that the universal problem that all humanity with God that is evidenced by our words and actions is driven by a selfish rebellion that refuses to respect God, but instead rejects God. We leave God out and live life as though he does not exist; we leave God out and live life based on our own moral principles; we leave God out and live life by creating our own religious systems. But at the end of the day, our selfish and sinful rebellion against God is undeniable.

But not only is the fact that all humanity is guilty of having a huge problem with God undeniable. Paul concludes this section of this letter with a fourth and final evidence of the huge problem that humanity has with God. We will look at this evidence tomorrow.

In the meantime, what do your words and actions reveal when it comes to whether or not you are guilty of having a huge problem with God?