Being Conscious to Sin

Romans 3:9-20

How conscious is the world to sin? We establish man-made laws to keep people on the right side of the law, but our laws can't stop people from sinning. And then again, where do our standards come from? Our laws only show us our principles for civil life. Man-made laws are written on paper and backed by our governments. God's law, however, is written on our hearts (as we saw in Romans 2). His law is a law that either drives our personal ethics or causes us to cringe in anger. Anger because sin drives a wedge between God's ethical standards and our ability to judge right and wrong.

We make laws because we have a sense of right and wrong. We break laws because we gray and blur the intent of those laws (as we do to God's law). Our sense of morality is missing.

As it is written:

"There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one." Romans 3:10-12 (NIV)

Blurring moral ethics has become a phenomena in our society. People justify their actions by saying that every law is based on individual interpretation, as if that really holds water. What they see as right may not be what another person sees as right.

Regardless of status, ideology, or background, we are all under the penalty of sin (v. 9). We lack the proper fear of God (v.18) which blinds us to His standards for righteousness. Yes, we are conscience of sin but that consciousness does not provide any means for us to clear ourselves of the guilt which comes from sin.

The lack of reverence for God and the guilt we carry from sin prevents us from being able to change. The guilt has to be removed, so many people just justify their guilty conscience, which is like calling black "white" and red "pink". The properties of the colors does not change nor does calling it a different color make it different. The same goes for sin. Sin is sin no matter how many laws you make to change opinions. You can legislate, teach, and manipulate people into changing their opinion of sin, but sin is still sin.

Because of sin, we are more inclined towards misery, ruin, bitterness, cursing, lies, worthlessness, sexual immorality, and more.

"Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit."
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."
"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
ruin and misery mark their ways,
and the way of peace they do not know."
"There is no fear of God before their eyes." Romans 3:13-18 (NIV)

We can deny absolutes in right and wrong, but the very fact that our lives acknowledge the need for a right and a wrong shows our design: to be conformed to God's righteousness.

Ignoring God and pretending that He is nonexistent doesn't mean sin disappears nor does it exclude anyone from being held accountable to God. But, verse 20 gives us hope because when we know the problem (even if we can't fix it), we can get help. As we know, our help comes from the Lord!

• How do you know if you are conformed to the will of God?
  
• Since following the law cannot take away guilt, where do you turn for help?
• Do you have a reverence for God? What would change in your life if you need more reverence for Him?
• Does verse 20 give you hope?