Compare Micah 7:2 with Romans 3:10. What do both reveal about humanity? Setting the Scene - Across centuries and continents, Scripture speaks with one voice about the moral condition of the human race. - Micah, an eighth-century BC prophet, and Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, both confront us with the same sober reality. The Biblical Witness: Two Sobering Verses • Micah 7:2: “The godly man has perished from the earth; there is no one upright among men. All men lie in wait for blood; each hunts his brother with a net.” • Romans 3:10: “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one.’” Shared Truths about Humanity - Universal absence of righteousness • Neither Micah nor Paul leaves room for exceptions. “No one upright…no one righteous.” - Pervasive moral corruption • Micah pictures predatory violence and deceit; Paul echoes the Old Testament record of sin’s reach (see also Psalm 14:1–3). - Continuity across Testaments • The same diagnosis appears in Genesis 6:5, Isaiah 53:6, Jeremiah 17:9, and Romans 3:23. Scripture consistently portrays fallen humanity as spiritually bankrupt. - Collective and personal responsibility • The prophets address nations; the apostles address individuals. Both insist that every person shares this guilt. Why This Matters for Us Today - God’s verdict, not human opinion, defines our condition. - Moral reform alone cannot erase innate sinfulness; a divine remedy is required (John 3:3; Titus 3:5). - Recognizing our unrighteousness prepares us to receive the righteousness God provides through faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:8). Hope Beyond the Diagnosis - The dark canvas of human sin highlights the brilliance of God’s grace. - Micah himself moves from lament to hope: “Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity…?” (Micah 7:18). - Paul likewise turns from indictment to invitation: “But now, apart from the Law, the righteousness of God has been revealed…through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:21–22). |
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