“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 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.” – Romans 3:18-20
These verses pull back the curtain on the true motive behind all the corruption, deceit, violence, and rebellion listed earlier—it’s a lack of the fear of God. Psalm 36:1 reminds us, “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” That fear isn’t trembling terror—it’s reverent awe, a recognition that God is holy and we are not. The fallen heart places no value in God, preferring self over surrender. Our culture may call it progress—claiming we’ve evolved beyond religion—but the Word says we’ve devolved deeper into depravity. We dress ourselves in wealth, morality, and knowledge, yet Revelation 3:17 thunders back: “You are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Without repentance, guilt becomes a silent burden—ever-present, never resolved.
Then comes the courtroom scene: verse 19 brings the verdict. All are guilty. Every mouth is stopped. There’s no defense, no counter-argument, no loophole. It’s what lawyers call a “summary judgment,” except this one is in reverse—the evidence is overwhelming and the defense has nothing to offer. Paul’s imagery echoes the thief on the cross who rebukes his fellow criminal: “Do you not fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?” One mouth is shut by pride, the other by conviction. And it’s in that moment of surrender that grace begins to shine. God doesn’t silence to shame—He silences to save.
So what does this mean for us? The law wasn’t given to lift us to salvation but to lower us into honesty. Its purpose is to shut every self-justifying mouth and drive us to Christ. If God’s Word has brought you to that place—where you lay your hand over your mouth like Job and simply say, “I am vile”—then you’re exactly where grace begins. Don’t argue. Don’t excuse. Just surrender. Because the only remedy for guilt is not a better defense—it’s a better Savior. And you’ve already been offered Him.
“The law is like a mirror: it shows us our sin, but it cannot cleanse us from it.” — Warren W. Wiersbe
surrendered devotions 