Youth Camp 2018

Group Devotion Guide, Day 1

1
Man’s Need of Total Spiritual Transformation in Christ – Salvation
Read: Romans 3.9-20

The Unrighteousness of All People

Issue: What then? are we (Jews) better than they (Gentiles)? {verse 9a}
A re-echo of the question of verse 1, where Paul gives an initial
concession of Jewish advantage
But after consideration of the righteous judgment of God on the Jews,
what is the ultimate answer? No, in no wise {verse 9b}
Point: The Total Depravity of mankind is one stark reality that levels all
humanity. . .for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are
all under sin {verse 9c}.
“Paul appears almost to personify sin as a cruel tyrant who holds the
human race imprisoned in guilt and under judgment. Sin is on top of us,
weighs us down, and is a crushing burden.” – Dr. John Stott
1. Attestation from the Scriptures: Paul supplies quotations from the OT that
highlights human depravity
{verse 10 to 12} ►{Ecc. 7.20} or {Psa. 14.1-3}
{verse 13} ►{Psa. 5.9; Psa. 140.3}
{verse 14} ►{Psa. 10.7}
{verse 15 to 17} ►{Isa. 59.7-8 and Pro. 1.16}
{verse 18} ►{Psa. 36.1}
2. Characterization of Human Sinfulness
(a) Ungodliness – primarily oriented to man’s failure with God (religion);
not morality (ethics). As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not
one: {verse 10}. . . there is none that seeketh after God. {verse 11}. . .
There is no fear of God. . .{verse 18}
(b) Pervasiveness – affects every part of our humanity: faculty;
personality; relationship; etc.
(c) Universality – Paul uses both the negation, no, not one. . .and the
assertion, They are all. . .
3. Conclusion: This is the conclusion to the whole section starting with 1.18
Premise: Now we know. . .{verse 19a}. The Law in its condemnation is
addressed also to the Jews, . . .who are under the law. {verse 19b}
that every mouth may be stopped {verse 19c}. . .An expression that
refers to silencing arrogant justification; {Psa. 63.11; 107.42; Tit. 1.11}
Pastoral: One mark of genuine repentance is not justifying one’s sin.
 Youth Camp 2018
Group Devotion Guide, Day 1
2
all the world may become guilty before God {verse 19d}. . .The pre-
requisite to understanding the doctrine of justification is to accept one’s
standing of guilty before God.
Affirmation: The Law is essential for conviction of sin; but helpless as a
means of justification for any person (flesh)
Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his
sight: {verse 20a}
Note: The denial of works of the law as merit is a consistent Pauline
teaching; {Rom. 3.28; Gal. 2.16; 3.2, 5 ,10}
Point: Here is an essential Evangelical negation: Salvation is not by
works
for by the law is the knowledge of sin. {verse 20b}
Note: The helplessness of the law in justification does not remove its
one effective function of arousing consciousness of sin.
Point: Our discourse must make use of this function of the law in
securing conviction of sin.
“While the law cannot save, it does serve to spotlight how far short of
God’s standard of perfection we all fall. As this manifestation of God’s
standard it points us to Christ, who alone saves. The knowledge it brings is
at least intellectual cognition, and more. The law has the capacity to bring
inward conviction, dread, guilt and shame. Its power is linked to its sure
ability to persuade in a convincing manner that trusting in one's own
righteousness will only lead to condemnation; as such the law functions as
a forerunner of Christ, preparing for the reception of the good news of the
gospel.” – Dr. R.C. Sproul

Ministerial Application: The use of the Law in preaching and teaching for
conviction of sin
(a) Express your belief in the function of the law to convict sinners of sin. . .
for by the law is the knowledge {consciousness} of sin {verse 20b}
Note: The common idea of the function of the Law is morality – demands
for righteousness life
Beware: Without realizing it, many preachers are giving moralistic
discourses in preaching the Law.
“Messages that strike at the heart of faith rather than support it often have
an identifying theme. They exhort believer to 'be' something in order to be
blessed. . .Such damage is usually inflicted by preachers striving to be
biblical and unaware of the harm that they are causing because they see
their ideas supported in the narrow slice of Scripture they are expounding.
 Youth Camp 2018
Group Devotion Guide, Day 1
3
They can point to the five steps for a better marriage in the text. They can
support the standards of holiness they advocate with flawless exegesis.
What they do not see is the erosion of hope they cause weekly by
preaching messages biblical in origin but not biblically complete.” – Dr.
Bryan Chapell
(b) Expose through the Law the specific sin(s) of which the sinner is guilty.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? {Rom. 7.7}
Note: Generality in dealing with sin gives people an easy way out of
conviction of sin.
Point: Name sins in their specific senses. . .Where discreet, describe
even the common cases and mind-set. . .
(c) Expound from the Law the spiritual depth of the sinner’s sin(s) {Rom.
7.12}
Note: Self-righteousness is quick to congratulate oneself for doing the
externals of the Law
Point: The Law has its violation on the level of thoughts, attitudes, and
omissions; {Matt. 5.20ff; Jam. 4.17}
(d) Extend to sinners the only satisfaction of the Law of Christ. {Rom.
8.32-34}
Note: Salvation is set justification terms because the major problem
is our just condemnation by the Law.
Point: Preach/teach the gospel against the background of the Law
– Christ’s death as satisfaction and substitution.
“Let me now ask any of those poor souls who ever have been wandering
and tossed with the fear of the wrath to come, whether ever they found a
resting place until they came to this: -- God spared not his only Son, but
gave him up to death for us all; that he made him to be sin for us; that he
put all the sins of all the elect into that cup which he was to drink of; that
the wrath and flood which they feared did fall upon Jesus Christ. . .You
know the “wages of sin is death,” in whomsoever it be; he must die in
whomsoever it is found. So that truly the soul may well say, “Bereave me of
the satisfaction of Christ, and I am bereaved. If he fulfilled not justice, I
must; if he underwent not wrath, I must to eternity. O rob me not of my only
pearl!” Denying the satisfaction of Christ destroys the foundation of faith
and comfort.” – John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ