September 22, 2024 – Romans 3:1-23

Lesson Date: September 22, 2024

Focal Scripture Passage: Romans 3:1-23

AIM: To lead students to face the reality that all of them are sinners and none of them can be made right with God by their actions, and to encourage any who are not saved to believe and trust Jesus for salvation.

Before class: Read the notes on Romans 3:1-23 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the words “All” and “None” on the board.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct everyone’s attention to the words “All” and “None” written on the board.  Ask: “What does the word ‘All’ mean?”  Allow time for some responses, and then explain that when referring to people, the word “All” means each and every one.  For example, tell the students that “All” of them are present for Sunday School class today.

Ask: “What does the word ‘None’ mean?”  Allow time for some responses, and then explain that when referring to people, the word “None” means not a single one.  For example, tell the students that “None” of them are absent from Sunday School class today.

Write the word “Absolute” on the board below the other two words.  Explain that the words “All” and “None” are absolutes.  Tell the class we might casually use the word “All” when speaking of a large number of people or most people, but in reality, the word “All” means each and every one without exception.  Tell them in the same way we might casually use the word “None” when speaking of very few people, but in reality, the word “None” means not any at all.

Direct everyone’s attention again to the word “Absolute” written on the board.  Tell them that modern human reasoning often rejects absolutes and pushes the notion that everything is relative, with statements like, “Your truth may not be the same as my truth.”  Explain that in spite of what modern, so-called enlightened human reasoning might say, some things are absolutes.

Tell the students in today’s lesson we will discover several absolute truths.  Tell them the title of today’s lesson is All Have Sinned.  Tell them in this lesson we will have to face the reality that we are “All” sinners and “None” of us can save ourselves by our good works.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the class that we are studying the New Testament book of Romans.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Failures of Religion; we discovered and identified some of the failures of outward religious rules and rituals).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verse (Romans 2:4).
2. All of Us Are Sinners.
   • Read Romans 2:28-29.
   • Remind the class that at the end of chapter 2, the Bible made it clear that right standing with God is based on inward belief, not mere outward actions or obeying religious rules.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 3:1-2.
   • Ask: “If trying to obey all the rules of the Law couldn’t save the Jews, what advantage was there in being born a Jew?” (God chose to make Himself known to the Jews, giving them His Laws and prophecies).
   • Remind the students that everyone on earth receives general revelation through nature (Rom. 1:19-20) and the conscience (Rom. 2:14-15), but God chose to give special revelation of Himself through His Word to the Jews.
   • Read Romans 3:3-4.
   • Ask: “Does man’s unbelief make the things God has said untrue?” (no).
   • Explain the following:
     • God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).
     • Everything He says is true, even if everyone on earth rejects His truth.
     • God is true in spite of man’s changing opinions or lies.
   • Read Romans 3:5-8.
   • Tell the class those verses state that God is justified in judging man’s sin.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 3:9.
   • Remind the students that chapter 1 proves that Gentiles are sinners and chapter 2 proves that Jews are sinners.
   • Ask: “What does verse 9 tell us about Jews and Gentiles?” (“they are all under sin;” in other words, they are all sinners).
   • Summarize: Since everyone on earth is either a Jew or a Gentile, and all Jews and Gentiles are sinners, that means all of us are sinners.
3. None of Us Are Righteous.
   • Tell the class that verses 10-18 are quotations from Psalm 14:1-3; Psalm 53:1-3; and Ecclesiastes 7:20.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 3:10-12.
   • Ask: “What does verse 10 tell us?” (none of us are righteous).
   • Ask: “What does verse 11 reveal about us?” (none of us understand or seek God).
   • Ask: “What does the first phrase of verse 12 tell us?” (we have all turned aside from following God’s way).
   • Ask: “What does the next phrase reveal?” (through our sin, we have all become unprofitable, useless, and worthless).
   • Ask: “What does the last phrase of verse 12 say?” (none of us do good enough to be saved).
   • Ask: “In our natural state, how many of us are righteous, seek God, and do good?” (none of us, “no, not one”).
   • Summarize: The Bible makes it clear that none of us are righteous.
4. All of Us Are Guilty Before God.
   • Tell the students that the quotations from the Old Testament continue in verses 13-18.
   • Read Romans 3:13-18.
   • Tell the class that those verses describe the natural, sinful works of the flesh; in other words, behaviors that come naturally to people who do not know Jesus.
   • Ask: “What do verses 13-14 say about their speech?” (death comes from their mouths, they lie and speak venomous words, including cursing and bitterness).
   • Ask: “What do verses 15-16 reveal about their actions?” (they are violent, murderous, and destructive, and their lives are marked by misery).
   • Ask: “According to verses 17-18, what do they lack?” (they have no peace or fear of God).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 3:19.
   • Ask: “What does this verse say about everyone on earth?” (we are all guilty before God).
   • Stress the fact that unbelief (v. 3-4) and sin (v. 9-18) make us all guilty.
   • Summarize: The Bible makes it clear that all of us are guilty before God.
5. All of Us Who Believe Will Be Saved.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 3:20.
   • Ask: “How many people can be justified (made right with God) by keeping the Old Testament Law?” (none).
   • Tell the class that Galatians 2:16 says it this way: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law: for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.”
   • Ask: “What good, then, is the Law?” (it shows that we are sinners who need a Savior).
   • Tell the students that Galatians 3:24 says, “Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”
   • Read Romans 3:21-22.
   • Ask: “If true righteousness and right standing with God are not possible through the Law, how can we be made righteous?” (by faith in Jesus).
   • Tell the class that 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains how we are deemed righteous by God, when it says, “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
   • Explain the following:
     • When Jesus died on the cross, God laid our sins on Him (Isa. 53:6).
     • Jesus, who never sinned, became sin for us.
     • Jesus took our sin upon Himself and gave us His righteousness in exchange.
   • Ask: “According to verse 22, who is eligible to receive this righteousness?” (all who believe, regardless of whether they are Jews or Gentiles).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 3:23.
   • Ask: “What does that familiar verse tell us?” (all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, are sinners who need the Savior).
   • Summarize: The Bible makes it clear that in spite of the fact that we are sinners, all of us who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Direct everyone’s attention once again to the words “All” and “None” written on the board.  Tell them the title of today’s lesson is All Have Sinned.  Tell them in this lesson we have had to face the following truths:

• All of us are sinners.
• None of us are righteous.
• All of us are guilty before God.
• None of us can be saved by our good deeds.
• All of us who believe will be saved.

Ask: “What about you?  Have you ever come to the place in your life that you realized you were a sinner and that you could not save yourself?  Have you ever repented (turned away from) your sin and believed in Jesus to save you?”

Tell the students that the last verse we read today is the first verse of the “Roman Road to salvation.”  Read the following:

• Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
• Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
• Romans 5:8 – “But God commendeth (demonstrates) His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
• Romans 10:9-10 – “⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
• Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Tell them if they know Jesus as their Savior they should thank Him right now for saving their souls.  Tell them if they do not know Jesus they should confess and repent of their sins and place their faith in Him to save them.  Allow a few moments for silent prayer, and then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Tell the students it is very important to confess the Lord Jesus with the mouth after receiving Him into the heart.  Tell them the best way to do that is to come forward during the invitation at the end of this morning’s worship service.  Offer to stay after class to speak with anyone who might have just received Jesus or who has questions about salvation.  Ask everyone to memorize Romans 3:23.  Tell them next week we will learn more about being justified by faith.