Righteousness in God’s Sight
Sermon by Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
All People Are Sinners
Romans 3:9-10
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; (Rom 3:9-10, NKJV)
“A sinner? I’ve never done anything bad enough to deserve being called a sinner. All people are sinners? Well, if that’s true, then I guess there’s nothing I can say. If there’s no one in the world who isn’t a sinner, then what can I do about it? Life’s busy enough as it is. Whether I’m a sinner or not just isn’t something I have time to worry about.” I do not find such a response hard to understand. But to be a sinner is an extremely serious matter. A sinner means an enemy of God. How do enemies treat one another? We are, in fact, enemies of God. God has warned His enemies of eternal punishment and terrible suffering—yet is it truly wise to brush this aside without even looking into it?
People instinctively hate the idea of being called sinners. Christians are no exception. They misunderstand what it means for guilt to be imputed and say, “I have no sin.” In doing so, they carelessly throw away the most serious and precious legal act in the universe. Unlike the Jews, they have never lived with a deep awareness of sin. If they begin fellowship with God by declaring they have no sin, what kind of life can follow? Not only will they fail to understand what the Bible says, but because they have no caution toward sin, their relationship with God will not be right, and whatever they do, they will end up going against God. Most serious of all, they will not entrust themselves to God.
Every person stands arraigned before God as “under sin.” Whether an immoral Gentile or a moral Gentile, a moral Jew or an immoral Jew, all are the same. Then are Christians any better? Not at all. Sadly, many Christians, like the Jews of that time, take pride in their social standing, moral conduct, and religious zeal, believing that God will regard them as righteous because of these things. But if anyone is regarded as righteous before God, it is because he has truly acknowledged his sin and his desperate condition, and has fallen before Christ.
Paul spoke as though presenting charges against the accused in court, declaring from the Old Testament that all people are “under sin.” The first charge was this: “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Here, “righteous” refers to one who is absolutely upright before God—that is, one who is perfect. This is different from the way the Old Testament calls people like Noah or Enoch righteous because of the lives they lived. There are many kind and generous people in the world. But in God’s sight, there is not one person He can declare righteous. Some may jump farther than others, but no one can jump from an island to the mainland.
Yet there is a way for such people to become righteous. It is when the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them. What better news could there be? Those who were once God’s enemies can now be received by Him. When we confess that we are sinners bound for destruction and fall before Jesus Christ, the Son whom God sent, God responds to that faith by opening a way for us to escape punishment. We have received this by grace. Therefore, let us never forget what kind of people we are. Though the righteousness of God has already been imputed to us, let us continue to depend on the Lord’s guidance every moment and obey His Word.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on April 26, 2026
Sinful Human Character: None Who Seeks After God
Romans 3:11-12
There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” (Rom 3:11-12, NKJV)
The more we come to see what we truly are, the greater God’s love appears to us. Naturally, our gratitude toward Him can only grow deeper. Until we came to know the grace of Christ, we had continually rejected God. We even treated those who introduced Him to us with hostility and rudeness, completely unaware of what we were doing. Yet God loved people like us—those who stand indicted as sinners deserving of eternal punishment! What is the basis for that charge? Scripture testifies that all people are evil. Some may appear righteous outwardly, but no one is righteous enough to be with God.
Furthermore, human beings are spiritually ignorant. Paul expresses this by saying, “There is none who understands.” This does not mean that people have no information about God. Information can be accumulated as much as they want. But they cannot understand the thoughts and heart of God. Human beings may be quick-minded when it comes to their own interests, but they are dull when it comes to understanding God. This is because of the sinful nature. Following that nature, human beings have refused to know God, and as a result, their hearts have become hardened and their spiritual sensitivity has grown dull. Like one afflicted with leprosy, they have become unable to feel anything toward God, and even the conscience God gave them no longer functions properly.
Therefore, it is only natural that there is none who seeks after God. Of course, people may be very zealous for religion. But that is nothing more than an attempt to avoid God. If only a person would truly seek God, God would surely meet him. The problem is that no one seeks God. That is why God came to us first. It is those who respond to Him who seek God. Such people have decided to be led by God, have acknowledged His sovereignty, and have resolved to live by His Word. Of course, no one can do this naturally. But the power of the Holy Spirit makes it possible.
Another basis for humanity’s indictment is that human beings live waywardly, apart from God. Human beings have turned aside. Their will keeps leaning outward, away from God. Such people are like soldiers who leave their assigned path after being ordered to charge, only to find themselves alone in enemy territory. They are also like sheep, each going his own way until they perish. Yet God has opened a new and living way for such people. Those who walk that way are Christians. To become a Christian means that the path we walk has changed. Yet within us, the desire to turn aside from that path still stirs. From God’s perspective—the One who gave His Son for us—that must grieve Him deeply.
The way we walk is the way of life, the way of eternal happiness. To walk this way, we must understand our own nature, which tries to stand against God at every moment, and we must have an obedient heart in order to overcome it. To walk this way, we need faithfulness. We need devotion. We must lay ourselves down. We must extend the hand of compassion for the church. We cannot walk this way by our own strength. But the Lord walks with us on this way. This is the way that leads to the Lord’s kingdom. To us who once stood against God, God has granted this way.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on May 3, 2026
Mankind Ensnared in the Path of Destruction and Misery
Romans 3:15-18
“Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom 3:15-18, NKJV)
Even today, wars are being fought somewhere in the world, and people continue to trample one another. When such news is heard, people may frown for a moment, but soon return to their ordinary lives. It has become too familiar. Yet that very familiarity may be another sign of how firmly humanity is trapped in the cycle of destruction and misery. People harm one another. The strong crush the weak. They speak of peace, yet never arrive at it. This repeated condition does not belong only to the wicked. It is the story of everyone born into this world. And yet, the true condition of humanity is that people do not even recognize it for themselves.
Scripture presents several indictments against humanity as sinners, and among them, three concern human conduct. First, there is the instinct to murder. This does not stop at hatred alone; there is a seed within human beings that can, under certain circumstances, actually move into action. Second, there is a destructive nature. Acts of destruction not only drive their victims into misery, but also lead the offenders themselves down the path of ruin. They may be taking happiness away from others, but even in their own hearts, a dark prelude of fear has already begun to play. Third, there is the absence of peace. Human beings do not merely lack peace; they actively avoid the way of peace.
Why, then, are human beings like this? Why do they do such evil, remain spiritually ignorant, rebel against God, and live in such a wayward manner? Why are they so spiritually worthless, with no desire to do good? Why do they speak only words of death, deceive others, pour poison from their lips, and fill their mouths with bitterness and cursing? Why do they kill, destroy, and avoid the way of peace? Scripture says, “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:18). If people truly feared God, they would not commit evil so recklessly. But human beings have grown so accustomed to a world of lies that they refuse to believe unless they see with their own eyes. How, then, can they ever meet God?
There are two dimensions to the fear of God. One is the fear that comes from adoration. It is the heart that longs for Him to be pleased, longs to remain near Him, and hopes to be remembered by Him. This was seen in Cornelius, a Gentile who adored the God of the Jews from a distance and prayed to Him. The other is dread that comes from an awareness of punishment. God is the One who punishes sin. Our praise is not born from ignorance of this. God not only destroys unrighteousness, but also gives us eternal happiness. It is only right to fear such a God. Only then can a person guard himself from sin.
The way of destruction and misery is the path every natural person walks, but we are those who have been delivered from that path. The blood of Jesus Christ has completely broken the yoke of the curse, and the devil has already been stripped of the dominion he once enjoyed. We are no longer the old man. We stand in the righteousness and truth of God, and in Christ we enjoy true peace and the hope of tomorrow. Let us not judge ourselves by the eyes of the world. The Lord laid down His own life and secured for us complete victory and eternal happiness. Let us never return to the life of the old man, but rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and press on boldly along this glorious path.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on May 17, 2026
The Law’s Guilty Verdict for All Mankind
Romans 3:19-21
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. God’s Righteousness Through Faith 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, (Rom 3:19-21, NKJV)
“Where did we even come from? Where are we all headed? Is this really all there is to life? And when it’s all over, what’s waiting for us?” At times, questions like these suddenly weigh heavily on the heart. But almost immediately, we say to ourselves, “Ah, never mind. I’ll just go on living like everyone else.” In just thirty seconds, we avoid life’s most serious questions and turn our eyes back to the reality right in front of us. This is what humanity looks like—swept away by the fierce current of destiny, yet unaware of the danger. If God tells people like us the truth about the crisis we are in, then we must listen with all our hearts, even if what we hear makes us uncomfortable.
The reality God has revealed to us is this: in the court of heaven, a final verdict of guilt has been pronounced upon humanity. “But that verdict is based on the Law, and the Law was given to the Jews. So as Gentiles, aren’t we free from that verdict?” Not at all! God has also given the Gentiles the law called conscience, written in their hearts. Through conscience, sin is restrained, and through the thoughts it gives rise to, sin is kept under control. Therefore, there is no one in this world who is exempt from heaven’s verdict of guilt. Before Him, every mouth is stopped, and like the accused, stunned and speechless, all must kneel under the judgment of God.
Still, someone may ask, “Isn’t there at least one or two people who keep the Law perfectly?” Scripture cuts down such a vain thought at once. Since Adam, human beings may appear somewhat admirable on the outside, but at their core they are deeply selfish, without even the inclination to do good. There is no way for a mere “lump of flesh” to be justified through the Law. Rather, the Law exposes even the sins human beings have kept hidden. Before such a Law, people come to recognize just how filthy they are as sinners, and they are forced to admit that because of those sins, they have no choice but to enter the eternal destruction of hell.
The only thing humanity can do, kneeling under God’s judgment and waiting for disaster to fall, is to remain silent. Like the calm before a storm, that silence only deepens the fear of the punishment soon to come. Then, at that very moment, the marvelous words “But now” resound through heaven and earth. In the darkness where no hope could be seen, the light of salvation—having nothing to do with human works—began to shine. The truth of salvation, promised long ago yet unseen, has finally been revealed. God gave His beloved Son to sinners, not because of anything found in humanity, but solely because of His merciful nature.
To save us, God did not give us some small part of the many things He possesses. God gave us His only begotten Son, whom He loves and treasures most. He changed our destiny; He is our new destiny, our eternal future, and the One in whom all the happiness and beauty we long for are found. Now there is One more precious than our own lives, more precious than our eternal existence. He is Jesus Christ. Let us now lay down our own righteousness, which has no worth at all, and acknowledge His grace. Let us never betray His love, but declare it boldly, make it known, and glorify Him every day.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on May 24, 2026
Righteousness Bestowed on All Who Believe in Jesus Christ
Romans 3:21-22
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; (Rom 3:21-22, NKJV)
For humanity, destined for destruction because of sin, salvation requires righteousness. This does not mean a relative kind of righteousness, where one person’s actions are considered better than another’s. To escape the judgment of God, there must be a righteousness that God Himself recognizes as righteous. The Jews believed they could obtain such righteousness by keeping the Law thoroughly. In truth, however, what they tried so carefully to keep was not so much the Law itself, but human tradition—rules devised under the claim of applying the Law to daily life. Yet whether it was the Law or human tradition, the effort to become righteous by keeping it only confirmed the wrath of God.
In this situation, the righteousness of God appeared—one entirely different from what people had imagined. This was the righteousness that the Old Testament had been pointing to all along. People thought they could become righteous through the Law of Moses, but in truth, all the Law could do was reveal how righteous God is, and how far humanity stands from Him. Even the sacrifices taught by Moses were not given as the actual remedy for sin, but to point people in faith and hope to the One who would one day come and atone for it.
Not righteousness through the strict keeping of rules, but righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ! This alone can save humanity. Therefore, we must know what it truly means to believe. Years in church, faithful attendance at worship, or a name recorded in the church system—none of these can prove true faith. Nor can warm feelings toward Jesus, or a sense of comfort when hearing the Word. True faith makes a person say goodbye to the old life and begin to follow the Lord with firm resolve and a heart burning with conviction.
That is the kind of faith God can count as righteous. A person with such faith receives all of Jesus Christ. He receives not only the benefits that come from Him, but also the work He is doing. He receives not only the grace He gives, but also the cross He bore; not only the command to be saved, but also the command to be made holy; not only the privileges He grants, but also His very person. He rejoices not only that Christ is his Priest, but also that Christ is his King. Through Him, he longs to be saved not only from the punishment of sin, but also from committing sin.
The sincere convert who will receive the righteousness of God receives the whole Christ. He seeks not his own benefit, but Christ’s will and purpose. He does not desire merely to build a good life for himself; he desires that the work of Christ would pass through his life, even if it must trample him underfoot. This righteousness is open to all without distinction. It does not consider one’s background, status, ability, or weakness. The Lord says, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” Let us respond to this earnest call of the Lord. Let us follow the Lord with all our heart, all our mind, and all our life—as people of true faith.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on December 21, 2025
