Destruction and misery are in their paths (Romans 3:16)
The message from the practitioners of modern cultural Christianity is that God is all love and any harsh judgment is “Old Testament” stuff. In fact, one of the most popular Evangelical preachers in America, Andy Stanley (son of the more Biblically grounded Dr. Charles Stanley) in fact has gone further than most of his seeker sensitive counterparts. To be sure, he is more honest than his modern megachurch peers and called for the complete ignoring of the Old Testament, so that “young people/millennials etc.” would not walk away from the church. They would instead concentrate on the teachings of Jesus only.
The other megachurch pastors simply ignore the full counsel of God and are concentrating more on personal gleanings of Social Justice Teachings rather than the Full Counsel of God found in 66 Books of the Bible. They dabble in tangential topical sermonettes designed to make their congregations feel “welcome” or at ease or comfortable while doing eternal harm to the souls of their congregants, just to avoid taking a real stand for the Truth
Because the emphasis in modern cultural Christianity is to ignore sin, repentance, and judgment, we find the growth in numbers of these kinds of churches which are a mile wide and an inch deep.
However, God is not a man and He is holy. His Word is clear. The shortcomings of human beings will be addressed both in this life and in the one to come. From the time the first man sinned, as recorded in Genesis Chapter 3, we have been on a downward spiral which will, one day, require the Commander in Chief of Heaven’s Armies, to step off the Throne and finally end it all. This will occur right before the start of the 1000 Year Millennial Kingdom reign of Jesus, from His literal Throne in Jerusalem.
God has given us more than ample warnings. He had His emissary, the Apostle Paul, pen the Book of Romans to warn us of the Problems and the deadly Crimes against Him. The Book of Romans then shows us the way to Salvation (Chapter 6). It shows us how to live in victory (Chapter 8) and be transformed, both personally and corporately (Chapters 10-12). The rest of the Book of Romans demonstrates how to live, pray for and fellowship on the earth until we are called home. This is the Book of the Bible which God used to transform a monk named Martin Luther and then officially kick off the Reformation and return to Biblical Christianity.
The 3:16 verse of the Book of Romans should scare everyone, even the saved, sanctified and righteous who are walking close to the Lord. It comes after two and a half chapters of strong warnings from God, Who has described in detail, the corruption and perversion of this current world we see…times a hundred! A lot of liberal church denominations do not even preach from Romans Chapter 1, especially from verses 18 to 32. It is almost like they are “ashamed of the Gospel” (Romans 1:16).
Christians will do well to not just heed, but read the following from Romans Chapters 1:18 to 3:16 to get the incredibly fearsome basis of what the charge against mankind will be in the future. This future is fast approaching as billions of humans stand before God on Judgment Day. There is no time limit and all will answer, including you and I. The key for us is to have as little negative, for which to answer, by living for Christ with a lifetime of Faith and Good Works.
This is not possible until we understand the list of indictments God has against all people, even those who are now saved and rescued from the fires of hell.
Before we repented and asked the Lord Jesus to be the Lord and Master of our lives, we too were under these indictments. Whether the Lost of the world, believe it or not, the Word of God is deadly serious, unshakeable and will never be done away by any mortal human being.
As we get to the list of deadly serious indictments, under which we were all guilty unless Jesus is our Advocate, we need to briefly discuss the summary of conditions leading up to the list.
Romans 1:18-32 gives us a 100% accurate picture of not just society (then and now) but personal conduct. Denying the Creation of the world was alive and well almost 2000 years ago when this was written. Today, Evolution is the religion of the unredeemed. History Channels celebrate Aliens and UFO as having more to do with the wonders of Creation than the God Who actually created it. Their confusion is so complete, that some worship the very inanimate objects created by our Creator. Sexual perversion of all types is now so extreme that is heading to its logical conclusion. Unlike 2000 years ago, the internet makes all of this so readily available to the smartphones of even the most innocent, the majority of whom have no right to be viewing all this ungodly filth. God will judge.
Romans Chapter 2 is a completely devastating and warning-filled truth about the coming day of Judgment. Even those who have never heard of Jesus Christ or even Our Heavenly Father, will be judged. There is a reason for this. God made EVERY human being ever born – the same, in that He places His divinity in our hearts. The rich New Yorker and the tribal hunter in Papua New Guinea have the same Law of God written and embedded in their hearts, minds and souls. They can choose to ignore it and wall off their conscience, thereby denying Him, but the basics remain true. The rich city folk and the lost tribe near the Amazon River both gravitate towards the worship of something or someone. For the tribe and they may (and do) choose their gods made from created items in the rainforest. For the rich and spoiled, their worship revolves around themselves and their pursuit of earthly wealth and please, ONLY.
Romans 2:15 warns that it is the same Law of God embedded in their souls from birth, which will either condemn them or rescue them if Jesus is their Savior and Master. Christians today are also warned to watch our talk and match it with our walk. Whether people believe it or not, God will judge and no one escapes…..including religious leaders and common folk like us.
The statements from God in Romans chapters 1 and 2 set up what is coming next from the Grand Jury, in God’s Courtroom.
The following charges have been fixed against all humankind since Adam and Eve sinned, as recorded in Genesis Chapter 3. The Indictment from God is perfect and true and if we are not forgiven, by the Same Jesus Who gave His life on the Cross as a payment for our sins, all will inevitably face eternal separation from God, in a place called Hell.
Here is the List of Indictments which will bring permanent Divine Judgment against this lost and perishing world:
"There is none righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10). This is the crux of the matter. No one is as good as God. Not even Adam, before he sinned, approached even one iota of the Righteousness, Holiness and True Power. This should also disabuse ANY mortal man or woman or child, who thinks he or she is good enough to get into heaven, on that self-delusion alone! Every single broken law of God, in the long list of indictments by God, against us humans, emanate from the penumbra of the sinful nature of humankind. Only God Himself could correct this and provide a way for those seeking Him, to be forgiven and brought into the Kingdom. When Jesus paid the Ultimate Price and rose from the grave to victory, the free offer to us of HIS own pure and divine Righteousness was made available to all who are now willing to ask and accept His forgiveness, as well as He Himself personally, as Lord and Savior of their lives.
"There is none who understands, none who seeks God" (Romans 3:11). The Bible says for sure, no one actually seeks God. If you and I think about our own lives before Christ (B.C.) and when He saved us, it would us well to recall how self-centered and pleasure-seeking we were. Sure we may have been responsible citizens and good family providers, but apart from paying lip service to a general “God”, there was nothing to distinguish us from the other lost people. That is, until Jesus Christ called us to Himself, showed us His plan of Salvation and gave us the choice to accept Him as Lord and master of our lives. In our human wisdom, we constantly thought, acted and existed on a horizontal level. We had no fear of God because we did not fear Him or His Justice. We were not wise at all.
The most accomplished nuclear scientist or college professor is both lost and foolish before God if their sins are not forgiven and they do not know Jesus as Savior. They do not understand because they are not spiritually wise. Spiritual wisdom comes from having healthy awe, fear and respect of the Lord. You can take a poor dirt farmer whom the world looks down on, but yet, is a worshipper, prays and can quote long passages of King James bible verses in context, and stand him next to the most brilliant cardiologist at the Heart Clinic. The farmer, who goes to Sunday church meeting with his clean overalls and work boots would be able to run circles around the ace heart doctor, in God’s economy. The true Christian understands and knows that he is nothing before Holy God and therefore, without Him
"All have turned aside; together they have become useless; there is none who does good. There is not even one" (Romans 3:12). There is doing good….and then, doing GOOD. This world is full of a lot of very wealthy people who are philanthropists, some who even donate millions to Doctors Without Borders or causes which feed and clothe many in less fortunate countries. Even some of the vilest robber barons of the late 19th and early 20th century in America had foundations which contribute to the Arts and other such pursuits. But none of their hearts are set on the Lord.
Some of the richest men in the world support ungodly things likes which are completely against the precepts of the Bible and the cause of Life. Scripture tells us that we shall know them by their fruit. John the Baptist also says in John 3:10 “…every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire”. This explicitly implies that people do bear fruit. The tech billionaire who donates $10 million to buy school uniforms and computers in South Africa or Oakland but also gives $15 million to Planned Parenthood is the kind of man, of whom John speaks. The multi-million dollar corporate Foundation which sponsors Art and artists who blaspheme Jesus Christ and mocks the Kingdom of God is not only absolutely useless as in this indictment, but is of no good to the Lord Who gave the gifts and talents to these people who mock Him.
“Their throats is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips” (Romans 3:13). This is a very serious indictment. We are called upon, as believers, to guard our tongues. IN Psalm 39:1 tells us “I said, “I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle while the wicked are in my presence.” God will give grace to His saved ones (Christians) who slipped up but even so, we have many Christian parents who speak the life out of their own kids, which not only turns them against them (the parents) but has the potential to cause the child to eventually turn against our loving Abba- our Heavenly Father. For that, the Christian will suffer loss, even while being saved. For those who are not born again, their words will come back to haunt them at the Great White Throne. Every idle word, cuss word, words of hate, blasphemy, lies after lies after lies will be played back on the heavenly jumbotron. There is going to be no rebuttal as they will stand guilty, knowingly guilty.
This is not an American or western courtroom. This is God’s Courtroom where the opportunity to have Jesus Christ as our Advocate has long since passed. There is no discovery or other modern legal practices. God already has all the evidence in living color. The media, which delights in tearing down as many as possible, especially Christians are instruments of the opponents of God. The liberal education system which has not only banned anything wholesome and representative of the Lord but is increasingly is corrupting our children with perversion and sexual imagery, will stand guilty and condemned before God. Matthew 18:6 has already sealed their fates. The poison of snakes (asps) is not just in what say to ruin the innocence and faith of those in their charge, but what they allow others to demonstrate in classroom settings. The same for the Hollywood and the multi-media industrial complex. The church is not spared in any of these charges. Heresy is a major offense to the Lord and those who preach the godless prosperity gospel; cheap grace without mention of sin and a “gospel” without repentance….those who promote social justice over God’s judgment and emotional experience over the full Counsel of God….they will all stand in Judgment for their words and be held to account.
“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Romans 3:14). Some Christians wish evil to happen to others whom we think have it better than us. For that, we must repent, forget about doing this ever again, and move on. However, many who do not belong to the Lord call down curses and worse on others and that includes going to voodoo priests and pagan witchdoctors called “shamans”. The question of whether Christians should pray “imprecatory” (or prayers of judgment etc) on our enemies who are also enemies of God, is a very delicate subject. If you’re going to do such a thing, as a born again believer, be aware of how King David prayed those (as in Psalm 69) and balance it with the grace and love of the New Testament and Jesus. Otherwise, leave those alone for the lost to curse and swear in their evil resentment, bitterness, and rebellion against the Holy God of Heaven. We, who are saved, should instead BOTH pray for these evil people to be saved and cease their evil as well as, pray them into the Hands of God, so that He can protect you from them.
“Their feet are swift to shed blood” Romans 3:15. On the surface, this one seems pretty confusing, since most indictments in this current world, are usually cut and dry. However, it will make sense when viewed in the context of evil in this violent fallen world. The 20th century was the bloodiest century of all history. The evil godless doctrine of Communism/Socialism killed over 150 million people around the world. The National Socialists (Nazi’s) committed mass genocide including 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. Millions more starved because of evil dictatorships and governments. In America, over 60 million unborn babies were aborted since the United States Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973 and that “industry” took it to new depths, all the while its practitioners and politicians become personally wealthy in the process. This is exactly what this indictment means.
The feet in this verse are indicative of action. For all these hundreds of millions of deaths in the 20th century and since, to occur, evil men and women had to set things in motion to cause the Soviet Union. Communist China and its satellites in Asia and South America, the Middle East and Africa did these things to solidify power and their iron grip over their starving people. They are still actively oppressing not just their own people, but any mentions or outward expression of Faith. Their founder, Karl Marx, said that “religion was the opium of the people” and his acolytes have set out to destroy any mention of Christianity in their communist countries.
Regardless, Communist China has the largest number of Christians in the underground church, of any country in the world. Persecution is the mother’s milk of the church. Still, this indictment stands against not just governments large and small but against those who are quick to peddle narcotics, traffic in human beings and cause pain to their fellow man. God is not mocked and what people sow, that they shall reap.
The Next Three Indictments are serious for the damage they have caused to so many innocent people over the course of history.
Romans 3:16 says “destruction and misery are in their paths”. This has been obvious for most of human history for the majority of people under the rule of corrupt men and women. Because of the thirst for power, control and worse by cruel people, who are basically lower forms of insecure humans, of people, billions have been oppressed or worse since recorded time began. The usual suspects are obvious. We all know about people from Hitler and Stalin to Castro, Genghis Khan and Chairman Mao of China. But what about the father who terrorizes his own family? What about the neighborhood bully who harms seniors or demands “shake down” benefits in order to survive on your own street block? What about those who make life difficult in our own city, towns and states? What about the drive-by shooters whose stray bullets destroy life in Chicago, Detroit? It will behoove them to know that they are no less guilty than those aforementioned historical leaders.
Both the famous and the regular folks who leave this life without their sins forgiven will spend eternity away from God. The destruction, which they cause to families endure, continues for generations. The misery, hunger and environmental conditions those people have as their legacies, we see right before our eyes on the news daily. The suffering they have wrought is palpable. Personal sin and violating all of the Ten Commandments are one thing, but causing any of this from Romans 3:16 to others, on purpose, will cause even more pain to these perps on Judgment Day.
“And the path of peace they have not known” (Romans 3:17). Even though Jesus presented the Gospel of Peace in Bold Colors and everyone has had access, in most of the known world for almost 2000 years to the New Testament teachings of Christ and the Apostles, most ignore, disparage or just pretend the Gospel does not exist. This is to their own personal detriment. God has always been clear about the narrow gate to heaven, the road to salvation to get there. In the last 300 years, the Gospel has been taken to most of the world, at warp speed and at great sacrifice. People reject it at their own risk….and they do.
The peace which mortal men seek to formulate is based on the absence of war and on the conditions of the conquered. The Peace that passes ALL understanding can only come from those who hear and believe the Gospel and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Master of their lives. Jesus says in John 14:27 that ""Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful". Because the majority of the world has rejected Jesus the Messiah, they will never know the real pathway to peace, which can only be found in Him. This charge and indictment is the complete and literally outright Rejection of the Prince of Peace.
"There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). The Apostle Peter said something VERY profound in Acts chapter 10, verse 35 “…in every nation, the man who fears Him (the Lord) and does what is right, is welcome to Him”. This is the man chosen by Jesus to “feed His Lambs”….meaning, teaching Truth along with the keys to godly living as found in all the chapters of 1 and 2 Peter. Peter also wrote the Gospel of Mark, through dictation to Mark who wrote down Peter’s words. Peter taught the ideal, which is, the “fear of the Lord”. God Himself defines what this “fear” (or reverence or respect or awe) of God is. The Lord says in Proverbs 1:7 that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction”.
We can see it with our own eyes, that most of this corrupt world, not only has no respect and love for God, but actively seek to destroy His creation, His children, and His character. They cannot change Who He is by their blasphemy, heresy, and evil, but they are succeeding in turning more and more generations of young people from Faith and Love of God. The Age of Reason, which destroyed Christianity in Europe and now the British Isles, has landed in America, Australia, and other developed countries to the point where only about 9% -10% of people who call themselves Christians as truly born again. In other western countries, that a percentage is even less. In general terms, over 70% of America calls themselves Christians.
The Lord said that there is no fear of Him in their eyes. They have no fear because the majority have no intimate knowledge of Him. They can mention the name “God” or even acknowledge there is a “higher power” but they no more know Him personally, like all born-again Christians do, nor do they know His ways. They can have the best education, in the best institutions of higher learning in the world. They can give themselves Nobel Prizes for science, literature, and inventions. They have even clone animals now and have robots doing human functions, in their subconscious efforts to replace God. They can, and do, turn to eastern mysticism, Scientology, and other man-made pagan systems to validate their sin, immorality and check-off box for whatever they think their souls need. They do all of this to avoid the Truth of the one true God and what He requires of His creation. He will not force them to believe, fear, or love and respect Him. He presents the Facts about Who He is through the Bible and His undershepherds- the preachers of this world, but He will never force them to do anything against their will. This way, also, ultimately, the act of choosing to go to a fiery place away from God is their own choice.
On Judgment Day, there will be no debate from some defense attorney of the accused. The evidence will be demonstrated, in the divine archives of heaven, to be 100% certain. Only the saved, born-again and humble Christian will be defended by their (our) Advocate – Jesus Christ. The rest will stand on their own right before being sent away to their eternal future separation from Heaven.
These accusations by Almighty God may not be called “indictments” or charges. But one thing is certain: unredeemed mankind will stand before the Judge and Jury called Jesus Christ. However, as He sits on the Great White Throne of Judgment on the final day, these will be exactly – in detail the charges He has against all mankind. The Christian is the only one who will avoid the Righteous Wrath of the Lord. No one person, from anywhere in this world, will be able to say He never heard the Gospel.
