If you think the music at your church is dreary, how would you like to start worship with Psalm 14?
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” (Ps. 14:1-3 ESV)
Well, David’s words may not be uplifting, but they are nothing if not realistic. For there’s just no getting around it – we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Paul’s Jewish readers should have understood that from verses 10 through 18, all of which are quotations from the Old Testament, many of which they would have sung during their times of worship.
Yes, even Bible-believers can fall into radical sin – David himself did with Bathsheba. And if we take a good look in the mirror, all of us have to agree. We know God wants us to be in perfect harmony and fellowship with Him, and yet we find so many things so much more interesting. We know God wants us to love others just as much as we love ourselves, and yet we continue to put our own interests and desires first.
And of course Jesus Himself provides the clearest condemnation of our sin, not just in His words but in His whole manner of living. How many of us are so focused on the glory of God that we would lay down our lives to complete His will? How many of us love those who despise and reject us enough to die so that they might be saved?
No, the only way any of us can be justified in the sight of God is to have Jesus stand in our place, taking the punishment for all our sins upon Himself. And the only way any of us can live according to God’s perfect law of love is for Jesus to live His selfless life through us. Will we trust Him and give ourselves to Him today?
Romans 3:9-20 (ESV)
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
