/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>Well, I don’t know how intelligent this is, but here are my thoughts. Paul is using hyperbole when he says, “None is righteous, no, not one.” He is doing so for dramatic effect and every logically thinking Christian (Catholic or Protestant) should understand this. Paul continues on to say that “no one does good” and “their throat is an open grave” and “the venom of asps is under their lips” and “their mouth is full of curses and bitterness . . .” Really?! even children, sweet old grandmothers, and those gentle people (whom live in every age) who can’t hurt a fly?! Paul must either be using hyperbole or is delusional. No! He is purposefully using a broad brush to get his point across. And because he says in verse 12 that “. . . together they have gone wrong,” I believe Paul is saying both Jews and Greeks in general and as a whole (not every single person) have gone astray from God. In verses 13 and 14 he says “Their throat” (collective) and “Their mouth” (again, collective), as though they are speaking with a collective mouth and throat and not individual mouths and throats. Paul, I truly believe, is not speaking about individual persons, but people in general.

Ver. 10. There is not any man just, viz. by virtue either of the law of nature, or of the law of Moses; but only by faith and grace.

The apostle here adduces a series of passages from the ancient Scripture, to convince both Jews and Gentiles, that not one amongst them was just, nor had any title to glory, on account of his good works. Not that a just man could not be found under the old law, or even before the law; an infinite number of passages of Scripture will shew the contrary: but he must be understood as speaking of man left to himself, as a son of Adam, conceived in sin, and brought forth a child of wrath.

>>694736

>>694743

The meaning is very clear. In fact, it becomes more so when you read the OT verse Paul is borrowing from and that verse is Pslam 53:2-3

<God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Paul is simply describing the state of all humans and it's a theme that runs, as OP correctly stated, that all humans are depraved and incapable of doing any good. And I'm sorry to say this, but this even extends to new borns:

<Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psalm 51:5

Also, read these words from Augustine “The only innocent feature in babies is the weakness of their frames; the minds of infants are far from innocent.”

This is not simply hyperbole, this is not merely metaphorical but a real and literal description of the state of man. And you might ask, how then does anyone come to God? And I answer that by saying it wasn't you who sought after God but rather He who chose you

>>694802

What commentary is that from?

>>694736

He's talking about the people who he is writing the letter to i.e. the romans, not everyone i general

>>694839

Have you read Pslam 53:2-3?

>>694805

>What commentary is that from?

Haydock's

>>694843

That's a good description of the people in the OT

>>694858

And Paul applies it to those in the NT.

>>694805

>"The only innocent feature in babies is the weakness of their frames; the minds of infants are far from innocent."

Despite the existence of Jesse Pomeroy and Alyssa Bustamante (a boy of 11 and a girl of 15, respectively), most people would not have the stones these days to admit this capability in children.