“As it is written: ‘there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).
“To err is human.”
“Nobody’s perfect.”
“Everyone makes mistakes.”
These maxims underscore the disparity between the ideal and the reality of human behavior. Because these truisms are so deeply ingrained and widely acknowledged as fundamental truths of human existence, we often miss their true significance: they reflect a universal admission that something is amiss in basic human nature…
“Besides the feelings of guilt that people experience and to which we can appeal, there is also the proverbial wisdom of mankind that includes within it a recognition that something is objectively wrong with people.
Think of the familiar saying ‘nobody’s perfect.’ Although in itself this phrase does not acknowledge the law of the Lord, it recognizes that there is an ideal that no one meets. It recognizes that there is some kind of objective rule of perfection known to all people but that no one has ever actually fulfilled this standard.” (1)
Beginning here in Romans 3:10, Paul the Apostle will turn once again to the Old Testament Scriptures to support that premise. In doing so, he will draw upon several adaptations of various Old Testament Scriptures, including Psalms 5:9, Psalms 10:7, Psalms 14:3, Psalms 36:1, Psalms 53:3, Psalms 140:3, Isaiah 59:7-8, Ecclesiastes 7:20, and Proverbs 1:16. What follows over the next eight verses represents one of the most brutally honest assessments of human nature in all Scripture.
For instance, consider the first statement in this series: “…there is none righteous, no, not one.” This portion of Scripture alludes to Psalm 53:3…
“Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.”
There are undoubtedly many who believe that human beings are essentially good at heart and that negative behaviors typically arise from external factors like social or environmental influences. Of course, most human beings are likely to be “good people” insofar as they are not deliberately wicked, cruel, or ruthless. It’s also true that social and environmental factors often exert a considerable influence on one’s conduct for better or worse.
But as much as we might like to think of ourselves as “good people,” this passage tells us something different. Our text from Romans 3:10 states that all human beings (even the “good” ones) are unrighteous. In the words of one commentary on Romans 3:10-18, “Paul uses these Old Testament references to show that humanity in general, in its present sinful condition, is unacceptable before God. Have you ever thought to yourself, ‘Well, I’m not too bad. I’m a pretty good person’? Look at these verses and see if any of them apply to you.” (2)
(1) Missing the Mark (2014, May 26). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/missing-mark
(2) Life Application Study Bible NKJV [Romans 3:10-18] Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved.