“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God”— Romans 3:19.
IN choosing Israel from among the nations to be a special people unto Himself (Psa. 33:12) God had in view the blessing of the whole world (Gen. 12:2, 3). Moreover, in His dealings with that nation the entire world was on trial. To Israel He revealed Himself and made known His will, as He had done to no other people (Psa. 147:20). If they, under the most favorable circumstances, failed—as, alas, they did—then it became evident that there was no possibility that any people could or would of themselves prove obedient to His law. This is what Paul emphasizes in our present text. To Israel the law was given. Their failure to obey it (as a sample nation) demonstrated the sinfulness of all the world.
“Vain are the hopes which sons of men
On their own works have built;
Their hearts, by nature, all unclean;
Their lives make known their guilt.
Let Jew and Gentile stop their mouths
Without a murmuring word,
And the whole race of Adam stand
Guilty before the Lord.
But Lord, how glorious in Thy grace
When in Thy name we trust;
Through faith we have a righteousness
That makes the sinner just.”
—Anon