Romans 3:10-18 :: No Entitlement, No Earning

Romans 3:10-18 (The Message and TNIV)

In our section of reading today, Paul takes us on a journey.  He cites a collection of texts from what we call the Old Testament - mostly from Psalms.  Paul has made a logical appeal up to this point and now he appeals to scripture to bolster his point.  This is what my seminary professors called "proof-texting," and they warned us of dangers when we preach this way.  I am not saying Paul is wrong here, just that he does not take the text where it was and bring the truth from the text.  He employs a common technique for Jewish and Gentile Christians, by taking collections of scriptures together to support his point.  Not unlike many pastors today - in fact many proponents of "topical preaching" even point to Paul as one of their examples.

The point it seems Paul is making appears two-fold for me.  First Paul makes it clear that we are all in the same sinking boat apart from Christ, as Cameron wrote about yesterday.  He does not want anyone to miss the point that our birthrights do not make us right with Him, but rather faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  Second, Paul is addressing the people in Rome, both Jew and Gentile, who believe that keeping rules is what makes one right with God.  He doesn't know that there is no one, but he recites the words of God from the Psalms.  God is the one who sees all and knows that no one is obedient enough, no one speaks purely enough and no one is humble enough to earn their relationship with God.  No one.

Have you ever struggled with either of these two?  Have you ever thought that since you have basically been a good person that God will see that and grant you access to Him and to heaven?  Have you ever stopped and said, "But God, I do...and I did..."?  Maybe we treat God like a giant vending machine from time to time.  You know, we put our coins (prayer, church, compassion, service, etc.) in and expect God to produce what we want and if we don't get it, we shake the machine and reach up inside trying to get it.  What do these verses say to you today?