The Road to Grace - Romans 3:10

The Road to Grace: A fresh journey down Romans Road. 
by Rebecca Jeffries-Hyman
This series will follow the basic plan of salvation as presented in the "Roman Road. The Romans Road refers to a group of verses used to relate the good news that our sins can be forgiven; that we can be rescued from the eternal punishment for our sin!

Lesson 1 Focus: Righteousness?
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." (Romans 3:9-11 ESV)
What does it mean to be righteous?


right·eous
–adjective
1. characterized by uprightness or morality: a righteous observance of the law.
2. morally right or justifiable: righteous indignation.
3. acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous: a righteous and godly person.
4. Slang . absolutely genuine or wonderful: some righteous playing by a jazz great.

No one is righteous. What does this statement mean?
How does it make you feel to think that no one, not even Mother Teresa, the Pope, Billy Graham, Martin Luther, no one is righteous? (For me this knowledge brings utter relief. I personally struggle with the need to be, or at least appear, perfect. I have feelings of guilt over my failures that plague me all the time. To know that not even the "saintiest of the saints" are or were perfect or righteous on their own gives me hope. I gain a sense of peace and rest knowing that I CANNOT be righteous on my own, therefore I am utterly dependent upon God for this, as is anyone else who has had "spiritual success." This gives me the freedom to be me, and depend upon God to bring the righteousness.)


Read Deuteronomy 32:4
This tells us who God is, tells of His utterly just and right nature. Note His complete righteousness and our complete UNrighteousness.
If, on our own, we aren't righteous, then what must be the cause of any desire inside us to do good or to become righteous?

Read Philippians 2:13
Consider the idea that if no good is done on our own, then ANY good thing we do came from God. Many times it's easy to think if we aren't "hearing from God" in huge ways, that He isn't working. But the fact that you are sitting here seeking Him means that He IS working in you, since seeking Him isn't something we do on our own, but we do it in response to His work in our lives. What are some of the classic “signs” that we use to try to determine if God is working? (Blessings, getting “yes” answers to prayer, healing, favor, miracles, intense “spiritual highs”)


Read Romans 2:3-5 There is much good done in the world "outside" the name of Jesus, many positive things that don't outwardly give Him the credit. This does not negate the fact that the good in our world IS of Him. By His kindness and goodness, God works in the lives of even those who do not acknowledge Him as the source of goodness. What are some things you've taken "for granted" that you can now see are works of God in your life?