So what are we saying? Are we better off? Not at all. We have already stated the charge: both Jews and Greeks are all under the power of sin. As it is written, There is no righteous person, not even one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who looks for God. They all turned away. They have become worthless together. There is no one who shows kindness. There is not even one. Their throat is a grave that has been opened. They are deceitful with their tongues, and the poison of vipers is under their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are quick to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and they don’t know the way of peace. There is no fear of God in their view of the world. Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, in order to shut every mouth and make it so the whole world has to answer to God. It follows that no human being will be treated as righteous in his presence by doing what the Law says, because the knowledge of sin comes through the Law. (Romans 3:9-20, CEB)
Paul says here that all of us fall short.
And as I typed the title for this I recall a conversation with a student who was with me for a resource fair at Texas A&M. We have stickers that say You Matter. This student took the stickers and said we need to get rid of these because they lie. The student was joking but we all look at ourselves as if we are worthless. And Paul here is reinforcing that. But Paul also says that we are all under the power of sin and because of that we are worthless. We turn in on ourselves and think only about us and what is best for us.
In Christ though we are made new and not worthless but priceless.
We all fall short, but that doesn’t matter.
You are not worthless.
God sees you as priceless.
Love like God.
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 