Connect 1 Kings 8:46 with Romans 3:23 on the universality of sin. Setting the Context • Solomon is dedicating the temple (1 Kings 8). In his prayer he anticipates Israel’s future failures and captivity. • Paul is laying out the gospel’s foundation (Romans 1–3), proving every person—Jew and Gentile—stands guilty before God. Universal Confession in 1 Kings 8:46 “When they sin against You— for there is no one who does not sin…” • Solomon speaks of sin as inevitable, not hypothetical. • His phrase “no one who does not sin” sweeps every Israelite, even the king, into the same need for mercy. • The covenant consequences (exile, defeat) underscore that sin is real rebellion with real fallout (Deuteronomy 28:15, 36). Paul’s Echo in Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” • “All” erases every human distinction—religious pedigree, moral effort, cultural background. • “Fall short” pictures an archer’s arrow dropping before the target; none of us reaches God’s glory-standard. • Paul has already quoted Psalm 14:3; 53:3—“There is no one who does good, not even one.” Pulling the Threads Together • Solomon (Old Covenant) and Paul (New Covenant) agree: sin is universal, not partial. • Both statements rest on God’s unchanging standard of holiness (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:15-16). • Scripture interprets Scripture: 1 John 1:8 adds, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves…”—confirming the same truth across eras. Why This Matters for Us Today • Recognizing universal sin levels the playing field—no boasting, no excusing (Ephesians 2:9). • It explains the brokenness we see within and around us (Jeremiah 17:9). • It prepares hearts to value the only sufficient Savior (Acts 4:12). Hope Built into the Message • Solomon immediately pleads for forgiveness and restoration (1 Kings 8:47-50), hinting at God’s readiness to pardon. • Paul moves straight from universal guilt to universal offer: “all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). • The bad news of 8:46 and 3:23 sets the stage for the best news—“Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). |
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