We Have All Sinned - Lee McDerment

Main message: Everyone—Jew and Gentile, religious and irreligious—is guilty before God because of sin, and the law only exposes that guilt; the good news is that God justifies sinners by faith in Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice satisfies God's justice and offers forgiveness and new life.

Key points:

• Paul wrote to a diverse Roman church (Jews and Gentiles together) — the letter applies to churches like ours today.
• Creation plainly reveals God, but people suppress the truth, turn to idolatry, and spiral into moral corruption (Romans 1).
• Religious observance or ancestry doesn't exempt anyone; outward conformity without a heart changed by the Spirit is insufficient (Romans 2).
• The law's role is to expose guilt and remove excuses; no one is righteous on their own (Romans 3; Paul cites Psalms 14/53).
• The gospel: God declares sinners righteous by faith in Jesus, who was presented as the atoning sacrifice — showing both God's justice and grace; this should produce humility, gratitude, repentance, and everyday friendship with Jesus.

Scriptures mentioned: Romans 1:16–17, Romans 1:18– (through Romans 3), Romans 2, Romans 3, Psalm 14, Psalm 53, 2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Corinthians 10:16