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Humans are a mixed bag -- some of our impulses are truly generous, but others are based purely on self-interest. The Apostle Paul shows us the truth about the human heart in Romans 3 and it's not a pretty picture. Quoting from the Psalms, Paul leaves us tried, convicted, sentenced, and in desperate need of a hand from heaven to raise us from our inherent sinfulness.

It's clear the Apostle Paul knew nothing of "political correctness," because some of what he wrote was quite unpopular. He catalogs the depth of human depravity in Romans 3, a list many would argue with, but an accurate list nonetheless. As we read it, we see our true condition and why we're in such desperate need of the grace of God as revealed in Jesus.

Some people will tell a falsehood, saying to themselves, "it's only a little white lie." To God, it's a sin, and sin is never a good idea, no matter what good we think may come from it. As we continue to journey through Romans 3, we lose the hypocrisy, take off the mask, and become real people -- really clean from the inside out.

In defending the gospel to his Jewish readers, Paul wrote of their lack of faith, as compared to God's faithfulness. In Romans, he affirmed that faithfulness in the strongest terms. Some see the promises of God to Israel as having been transferred to the church since Israel was unfaithful. Today: a resounding declaration that God is by no means finished with Israel as a nation.

Football players call it "putting on their game face" -- projecting an air of invincibility whether or not they feel that way. To some degree, everyone projects an outward appearance that may not square with inner reality. With regard to salvation, it's easy to make yourself and others believe that all is well when it's not.

When carpenters renovate a house, it's common to do some demolition before they can begin the new construction. In the process, they can uncover hidden water damage that has festered for years. Cleaning out the rot must be done first, then the new work can start. In Romans 2, Paul details the hidden rot of sin that infects everyone, and the self-deceptions people use to keep up their outward appearances.

When we adopt an aura of religious respectability, it's amazing what dark secrets lie beneath the surface where no one can see. Many of us do exactly what we accuse others of doing. We deceive ourselves and say God makes an exception for us, but not for them. Paul excoriated the Jewish religious elite for causing God's name to be blasphemed.

Investors like getting a tip from someone on the inside track -- someone who can give them an edge. It's like the religious elite who thought their status gave them a sure shot at God's favor when it came time for God to judge them. Paul demolishes that kind of self-deception in Romans 2. God does not show favoritism.

Religion can prevent people from understanding the truth about themselves. Religion can breed the pride that says "I'm okay." In Romans 2, Paul addresses the religious elite of his day, and shows them how ceremony had insulated them from God's analysis of their hearts. Self-deception is especially deep when expressed in religious terms.

Those who push the gay lifestyle are successful in making their voices heard loudly in the public media. If you believe sex belongs between a husband and wife, you're deemed "out of step." But God's standard for moral behavior revealed in Romans 1 is in crystal clear detail. Today we'll discuss the massive moral deception that is gripping society -- and what God expects from those who call themselves Christians.

You can have your own opinion, but you can't have your own truth. Truth is absolute and applies to everybody. In Romans 1, Paul reveals that mankind suppresses the truth, darkening their minds and committing moral perversion, all the while believing that they're more enlightened than those who came before them.

When a man rejects God as Creator, he believes that random molecules just happened to turn themselves into life. He frees himself from accountability to God by declaring that he's nothing but chemicals that, by chance, became a human being. Atheistic Darwinism gives cover for those who want no part of a God who demands moral behavior. This is the condition of man we see in Romans 1.

Reading the book of Romans is like shining a light into a dark closet. In its pages we see ourselves as we really are. We find that apart from God's grace, we are capable of awful things. In fact, we are morally bankrupt compared to the God who created us. Today we'll probe the darkness of the human heart, and witness the amazing light God sheds into those hearts that come to believe in Jesus.

When a man is clinging to a life preserver, his sense of self-sufficiency is severely challenged. He knows he needs help. But in today's culture, many people get offended if you tell them there is nothing they can do to make themselves look good before a holy God. The gospel tells us how God set out to rescue from spiritual death those that believe in His Son.

The word "gospel" simply means "good news." When a sinner understands his or her condition, that's good news because it means they realize they need help. God set a rescue plan in motion long before any of us were born -- a plan to redeem mankind was built into creation itself. The monumental scale of what the gospel is all about is revealed in the book of Romans.