Audio commentary on this verse

Note 5 at Ro 3:23: As explained in note 1 at Ro 3:9, this is one of the pivotal doctrines of Scripture. Jesus only came to save sinners (1Ti 1:15). Unless people acknowledge that they are sinners, they cannot be saved. Ro 4:5 says that God justifies the ungodly. Therefore, until people admit they are ungodly, they cannot be saved.

People have to be stripped of all other means of salvation (Joh 14:6) before they can receive Jesus as their Savior. That was the purpose of the Old Testament Law (see note 4 at Ro 3:19), and that was the argument Paul gave in Ro 1:21-23. Therefore, the truth of universal guilt before God that is expressed in this verse is true in all its applications.

However, in context, this verse is just a steppingstone to an even greater truth, expressed in Ro 3:24-26. Because the whole world is guilty before God, He has provided one way of salvation for everyone. In the same way that everyone is guilty, so everyone has already been justified freely by God's grace.

That does not mean everyone is saved. All people have had the sacrificial offering of Jesus made for their sins by grace (1Ti 4:10 and 1Jo 2:2), but grace alone doesn't save. They have to put faith in what God has provided for them by grace (Eph 2:8). Therefore, although the price has been paid for the sins of the whole world, only those who receive it by faith will benefit from the salvation that Jesus offers.

Note 6 at Ro 3:23: The Greek word that was translated "glory" here is "DOXA," and according to Vine's Expository Dictionary, it means "the manifested perfection of His character, especially His righteousness, of which all men fall short." A simple way of saying this is that all people fall short of Jesus. Jesus is the glory of the Father (Joh 1:14, 2Co 4:6, Heb 1:3, and Re 21:23).

A common mistake that people make is comparing themselves with other people (2Co 10:12). Nearly everyone has heard, "If the hypocrites down there at church make it, then I'll make it." The only thing wrong with that thinking is that the hypocrites down there at church aren't God's "measuring stick." Everyone is going to be compared to Jesus, the glory of God, and therefore everyone will come up short. We all need a savior.