How does Romans 3:10 connect with Isaiah 64:6 on human righteousness? Setting the Context • Romans 1–3 builds to a sweeping conclusion: every person, whether Jew or Gentile, stands guilty before a holy God. • Romans 3:10 is Paul’s capstone citation—drawn from Psalm 14: “There is no one righteous, not even one”. • Isaiah 64:6, centuries earlier, voiced the same verdict from another vantage point: our “righteous acts are like filthy rags”. • Together, these passages expose the futility of self-made righteousness and prepare the way for the gospel’s answer. Romans 3:10 – The Universal Indictment “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one.’” • “No one” leaves no exceptions; personal pedigree, morality, or religious heritage cannot breach the gap. • Paul is not exaggerating—he is citing Scripture to deliver God’s own evaluation of humanity’s condition. • The verse is part of a litany (Romans 3:10-18) stressing that sin has corrupted thought, speech, and action. Isaiah 64:6 – The Old Testament Echo “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” • “All of us” mirrors Paul’s “no one.” The prophet includes himself and the covenant people. • Even the best deeds (“righteous acts”) are tainted—compared to “filthy rags,” a graphic picture of ceremonial uncleanness. • The verse underscores that sin is not merely a record of wrongs but a pollution that stains any attempted goodness. Key Links Between the Two Verses 1. Same verdict, different voices – Paul and Isaiah, New Testament and Old, agree: innate human righteousness does not exist. 2. Depth, not degree – The issue isn’t that people fail to reach an arbitrary score; it’s that sin affects the very root of the heart (Jeremiah 17:9). 3. God’s perspective, not human comparison – We may appear “good” beside each other, but God’s absolute holiness (Isaiah 6:3) is the true standard. 4. Universal application – Jew and Gentile (Romans 3:9), prophet and people, ancient and modern—all stand under the same diagnosis. Supporting Passages That Reinforce the Theme • Psalm 14:2-3 —“All have turned away; all alike are corrupt.” • Ecclesiastes 7:20 —“Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” • Romans 3:11-12 —The continuation of Paul’s citation underscores the absence of understanding and pursuit of God. Implications for Understanding Human Righteousness • Righteousness is not a spectrum with “pretty good” at one end; outside of Christ, the category simply does not exist. • Moral efforts, charitable acts, or religious rituals—while valuable socially—cannot erase the stain of sin. • The law’s purpose is to expose, not remedy, our inability (Romans 3:20). The Remedy God Provides • Romans 3:21-22—“But now, apart from the Law, the righteousness of God has been revealed…through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” • 2 Corinthians 5:21—In Christ, God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” • Philippians 3:9—A righteousness “not of my own … but that which is through faith in Christ.” Living in the Light of These Truths • Humility—recognizing that any righteousness we possess is imputed, not intrinsic. • Gratitude—praising God for a salvation we could never earn (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Witness—sharing the honest diagnosis of sin alongside the gracious cure offered in Christ (Titus 3:5-7). |
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