Romans 3:9-20
No matter what sign we are born under, we are all born under the power of sin. We are born into a world where sin has released the power of evil, and that evil is doing damage to everything it touches. That means that tragedy can even touch a child born into a Christian home. The world’s influence enters our home by its music, entertainment and news. From an early age, the world teaches our children a perverted view of right and wrong. The power of sin is working to corrupt all that is good in the lives of our children.

We are also born under the power of a human nature that original sin has corrupted. That means we are born out of right relationship with God and others. We are born with ourselves at the very center of our lives. Even though children are born selfish, it is an innocent selfishness because they do not realize that it is not right. As we grow, we began to realize that being right with others sometimes requires placing their needs before our own. When a person works hard at keeping their own needs, and the needs of other in balance, we consider that they are a good person. When people take no consideration of others, thinking only of themselves, we consider that they are wicked or evil people.

God gave us the law so that when we sinned, it would confront us with our unrighteousness. Without the law, we might try to justify our own wrong behavior. “They had more food than they needed, and I did not have any, therefore I was justified in taking it.” The law removes all our attempts to self-justify our unrighteousness. The Law makes the whole world accountable to God, and leaves everyone silenced without excuse.

The Law leaves us condemned, but it does not leave us without hope. The Law can mark our path to destruction or if we repent and turn away from sin, it will point to our redeemer.