No one is righteous... no not one!
Well... God begs to differ, so is this a contradiction?
How many times have you heard it? Specially from Calvinists, we are all terrible humans unworthy of saving and as such our default is to hate God and we all are worthy of Hell and it is Jesus Christ the reason we are not going to Hell. However in order to be saved your must be a Christian, you must know and believe in Christ and you must know and believe in the Holy Trinity.
There is so much there and people have written millions of words on the subject of salvation, hell and the Holy Trinity, I will try in this essay to stick to the subject of righteousness in man. The issue at hand is that Paul does say that there is no one righteous and that no one seeks for God and the only way that we will ever be saved is through a work of the Holy Spirit in the sinners heart, to turn his heart of stone in to a heart of flesh and to turn to Christ and only then can you be saved from everlasting torment.
Which drives me always to the question, what happens to the people that never knew Christ? People that never once had the chance or opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ? Does that mean that God created them with the specific purpose to send them to hell? Which always drives me to the next question... are you okay with that? Well, I am not and if you are okay with that you might have a problem.
Okay, but what I think does not matter really, only what God says in Scriptures matters. Does God say that every single human being in the world is unrighteous? That there is not a single righteous human being in the world? Is that what God tells us in the Bible?
Well, walk with me through the Old Testament and let's find out, let's talk about Noah who is called blames and and righteous (Genesis 6:9) How about the fact that only the righteous will stand in the congregation? (Psalm 1:5) God knows the way of the righteous (Psalm 1:6). God blesses the righteous (Psalm 5:12) God tests the righteous (Psalm 11:5) God sees the righteous (Psalm 34:15) God delivers the righteous out of their afflictions (Psalm 34:19) The righteous love justice (Psalm 94:15) The righteous reap the rewards of their deeds (Isaiah 3:10) God tests the righteous (Ezekiel 3) and Jesus also thought that there were righteous people. "For I came not to call the righteous , but sinners" (Matthew 9:13) and that the wicked kill the righteous (Matthew 23:35)
So, is the inspired Apostle Paul wrong? For we have established in our previous essay that God is never wrong or mistaken, was the Holy Spirit wrong when He inspired Paul? Well that is not possible either, so what we have left is the simple fact that Paul, as it is known to happen (Peter 3:16) is being misunderstood here.
So let's look at Romans one more time, but this time we slow down and really look, rather than race through the reading of the epistle thinking we already know what Paul is saying.
Let's start wit the first Chapter where Paul introduces himself and gives his readers the reasons for his authority, which is not given to him by man but rather Christ. Paul quotes the prophet Habakkuk and says that "the righteous shall live by faith" This again has been a subject of endless books but suffice it to say that for our purposes Paul makes it clear here that the righteous live by faith, thus affirming what God already made clear through out Scripture, that there are indeed righteous people. (Romans 1:16-17)
After this Paul proceeds to expound about the unrighteous people... not the righteous, remember he already said, they live by faith, not so the wicked and unrighteous. Paul continues on to tell us what the unrighteous do, how they behave and how they turn to idolatry, to lust, to impurity, because they have denied the glory of God and worshiped idols made by hand.
Starting on Chapter two Paul says, "He (meaning God) will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience and in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life, but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. Again comparing and contrasting the righteous and the unrighteous.
And here he defines what a righteous person is, which is the same definition that the Old Testament give us, "For it is not the hearers of the law, but the doers of the law who are righteous before God"
he then goes on to expound on this, but for our purposes we will jump to Chapter 3 and the offending verse.
So when Paul says there is no one righteous no not one is He saying not a single human being is ever righteous? Well no, because he just spend a few verses telling us what a righteous person is, the doers of the law. So what? What does this mean is Paul contradicting God and himself? No he is just circling back to his original point. Do not sin and practice righteousness for God sees all and He will judge your unrighteousness and your righteousness.
Then starting on verse 10 of Chapter 3 Paul indeed does says the following:
[Rom 3:10-18 ESV]
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."
However look at these verses in the context of the first two chapters, Paul is not talking about all humans, not all people, but rather those that disobey the law, the unrighteous ones.
Another thing to note, is the fact that Paul is quoting Psalm 14, which speaks of the way of the fool, same for Psalm 53, Psalm 5 which speaks of the way of the wicked, Jeremiah 5:16 speaking of the wicked and so forth and so on.
Paul does not believe that all humans ever are wicked, rather he is saying that all those that refuse to follow the commandments of God are all wicked and unrighteous.
I leave below a list of the Scriptures Paul references in his epistle. So what does this mean? For you and I well, it is simple, Jesus said it Himself, "If you love me, you will obey my commandments" John 14:15-31. So my question for you is... do you Love Christ? Then obey His Law
1. [Romans 3:2](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27978 "Go to Romans 3:2") : [Deut. 4:8; Ps. 147:19, 20; See John 4:22](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%204%3A8%2CPsalm%20147%3A19-Psalm%20147%3A20%2CJohn%204%3A22&version=ESV)
2. [Romans 3:2](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27978 "Go to Romans 3:2") : [See Acts 7:38](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%207%3A38&version=ESV)
3. [Romans 3:3](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27979 "Go to Romans 3:3") : [ch. 10:16; Heb. 4:2](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010%3A16%2CHebrews%204%3A2&version=ESV)
4. [Romans 3:3](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27979 "Go to Romans 3:3") : [[ch. 9:6; 2 Tim. 2:13]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209%3A6%2C2%20Timothy%202%3A13&version=ESV)
5. [Romans 3:4](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27980 "Go to Romans 3:4") : [See John 8:26](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208%3A26&version=ESV)
6. [Romans 3:4](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27980 "Go to Romans 3:4") : [Ps. 62:9; 116:11; [ver. 7]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2062%3A9%2CPsalm%20116%3A11%2CRomans%203%3A7&version=ESV)
7. [Romans 3:4](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27980 "Go to Romans 3:4") : [Cited from Ps. 51:4 (Gk.)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051%3A4&version=ESV)
8. [Romans 3:4](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27980 "Go to Romans 3:4") : [[Job 9:32]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%209%3A32&version=ESV)
9. [Romans 3:5](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27981 "Go to Romans 3:5") : [[ch. 2:5]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%202%3A5&version=ESV)
10. [Romans 3:5](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27981 "Go to Romans 3:5") : [ch. 6:19; 1 Cor. 9:8; Gal. 3:15; [1 Cor. 15:32]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%206%3A19%2C1%20Corinthians%209%3A8%2CGalatians%203%3A15%2C1%20Corinthians%2015%3A32&version=ESV)
11. [Romans 3:6](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27982 "Go to Romans 3:6") : [[Gen. 18:25; Job 8:3]; See ch. 2:16](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2018%3A25%2CJob%208%3A3%2CRomans%202%3A16&version=ESV)
12. [Romans 3:7](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27983 "Go to Romans 3:7") : [[ch. 9:19]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209%3A19&version=ESV)
13. [Romans 3:8](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27984 "Go to Romans 3:8") : [[ch. 6:1, 15]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%206%3A1%2CRomans%206%3A15&version=ESV)
14. [Romans 3:9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27985 "Go to Romans 3:9") : [ch. 2:1-29](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%202&version=ESV)
15. [Romans 3:9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27985 "Go to Romans 3:9") : [ch. 1:18-32](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%201%3A18-Romans%201%3A32&version=ESV)
16. [Romans 3:9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27985 "Go to Romans 3:9") : [Gal. 3:22; [ver. 19, 23; ch. 11:32; Prov. 20:9]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%203%3A22%2CRomans%203%3A19%2CRomans%203%3A23%2CRomans%2011%3A32%2CProverbs%2020%3A9&version=ESV)
17. [Romans 3:10](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27986 "Go to Romans 3:10") : [ver. 10-12, cited from Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-3](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203%3A10-Romans%203%3A12%2CPsalm%2014%3A1-Psalm%2014%3A3%2CPsalm%2053%3A1-Psalm%2053%3A3&version=ESV)
18. [Romans 3:13](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27989 "Go to Romans 3:13") : [Cited from Ps. 5:9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%205%3A9&version=ESV)
19. [Romans 3:13](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27989 "Go to Romans 3:13") : [Jer. 5:16](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%205%3A16&version=ESV)
20. [Romans 3:13](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27989 "Go to Romans 3:13") : [Cited from Ps. 140:3](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20140%3A3&version=ESV)
21. [Romans 3:14](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27990 "Go to Romans 3:14") : [Cited from Ps. 10:7 (Gk.)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2010%3A7&version=ESV)
22. [Romans 3:15](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27991 "Go to Romans 3:15") : [Cited from Prov. 1:16; ver. 15-17, cited from Isa. 59:7, 8](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%201%3A16%2CRomans%203%3A15-Romans%203%3A17%2CIsaiah%2059%3A7-Isaiah%2059%3A8&version=ESV)
23. [Romans 3:17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27993 "Go to Romans 3:17") : [Luke 1:79](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201%3A79&version=ESV)
24. [Romans 3:18](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27994 "Go to Romans 3:18") : [Cited from Ps. 36:1](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2036%3A1&version=ESV)
25. [Romans 3:19](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27995 "Go to Romans 3:19") : [John 10:34; 15:25](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010%3A34%2CJohn%2015%3A25&version=ESV)
26. [Romans 3:19](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27995 "Go to Romans 3:19") : [Job 5:16; Ps. 63:11; 107:42; Ezek. 16:63; [ch. 1:20; 2:1]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%205%3A16%2CPsalm%2063%3A11%2CPsalm%20107%3A42%2CEzekiel%2016%3A63%2CRomans%201%3A20%2CRomans%202%3A1&version=ESV)
27. [Romans 3:19](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27995 "Go to Romans 3:19") : [See ver. 9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203%3A9&version=ESV)
28. [Romans 3:20](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27996 "Go to Romans 3:20") : [Gal. 2:16; [Ps. 143:2; Acts 13:39]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%202%3A16%2CPsalm%20143%3A2%2CActs%2013%3A39&version=ESV)
29. [Romans 3:20](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27996 "Go to Romans 3:20") : [ch. 7:7; [ch. 4:15; 5:13, 20]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%207%3A7%2CRomans%204%3A15%2CRomans%205%3A13%2CRomans%205%3A20&version=ESV)
30. [Romans 3:21](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27997 "Go to Romans 3:21") : [See ch. 1:17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%201%3A17&version=ESV)
31. [Romans 3:21](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27997 "Go to Romans 3:21") : [ch. 16:26; 2 Tim. 1:10](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2016%3A26%2C2%20Timothy%201%3A10&version=ESV)
32. [Romans 3:21](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27997 "Go to Romans 3:21") : [Acts 10:43; [ch. 1:2; John 5:46]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2010%3A43%2CRomans%201%3A2%2CJohn%205%3A46&version=ESV)
33. [Romans 3:22](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27998 "Go to Romans 3:22") : [ch. 4:5; [2 Tim. 3:15]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%204%3A5%2C2%20Timothy%203%3A15&version=ESV)
34. [Romans 3:22](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27998 "Go to Romans 3:22") : [ch. 10:12; [Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010%3A12%2CGalatians%203%3A28%2CColossians%203%3A11&version=ESV)
35. [Romans 3:23](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-27999 "Go to Romans 3:23") : [See ver. 9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203%3A9&version=ESV)
36. [Romans 3:24](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28000 "Go to Romans 3:24") : [Titus 3:7](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus%203%3A7&version=ESV)
37. [Romans 3:24](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28000 "Go to Romans 3:24") : [ch. 4:4, 5, 16; See Acts 15:11](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%204%3A4-Romans%204%3A5%2CRomans%204%3A16%2CActs%2015%3A11&version=ESV)
38. [Romans 3:24](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28000 "Go to Romans 3:24") : [Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:15; [1 Cor. 1:30]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201%3A7%2CColossians%201%3A14%2CHebrews%209%3A15%2C1%20Corinthians%201%3A30&version=ESV)
39. [Romans 3:25](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28001 "Go to Romans 3:25") : [Eph. 1:9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201%3A9&version=ESV)
40. [Romans 3:25](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28001 "Go to Romans 3:25") : [See 1 John 2:2](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%202%3A2&version=ESV)
41. [Romans 3:25](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28001 "Go to Romans 3:25") : [ch. 5:9; Eph. 2:13](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205%3A9%2CEphesians%202%3A13&version=ESV)
42. [Romans 3:25](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28001 "Go to Romans 3:25") : [ch. 2:4](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%202%3A4&version=ESV)
43. [Romans 3:25](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28001 "Go to Romans 3:25") : [[Acts 17:30]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2017%3A30&version=ESV)
44. [Romans 3:27](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28003 "Go to Romans 3:27") : [ch. 2:17, 23; 4:2; 1 Cor. 1:29-31; Eph. 2:9; 2 Tim. 1:9; See Acts 13:39](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%202%3A17%2CRomans%202%3A23%2CRomans%204%3A2%2C1%20Corinthians%201%3A29-1%20Corinthians%201%3A31%2CEphesians%202%3A9%2C2%20Timothy%201%3A9%2CActs%2013%3A39&version=ESV)
45. [Romans 3:28](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28004 "Go to Romans 3:28") : [See James 2:18](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%202%3A18&version=ESV)
46. [Romans 3:29](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28005 "Go to Romans 3:29") : [ch. 9:24; 10:12; 15:9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209%3A24%2CRomans%2010%3A12%2CRomans%2015%3A9&version=ESV)
47. [Romans 3:30](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28006 "Go to Romans 3:30") : [Gal. 3:20; [ch. 10:12]](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%203%3A20%2CRomans%2010%3A12&version=ESV)
48. [Romans 3:30](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=ESV#en-ESV-28006 "Go to Romans 3:30") : [Gal. 3:8; [ch. 4:9]; See ch. 2:26](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%203%3A8%2CRomans%204%3A9%2CRomans%202%3A26&version=ESV)