Romans 3:19
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
The law speaks to those under its authority to leave them without answer, so that the whole world stands accountable and guilty before God. That guilt is universal because all have broken the holy law, and transgression of it admits of no excuse or justification. Every mouth is stopped so that no defense or lying excuse remains, with each one's guilt made plain both to God and to themselves. At the cross Christ bore the penalty for the human race, settling every doubt about God's justice and exalting the law to show His government cannot be changed to accommodate sin. Sinners will perish unless they turn from disobedience and by faith claim the saving merits of His blood, being saved by grace while His grace enables acceptable obedience.
Law Declares Universal Guilt
The law of God is the great moral standard of righteousness, and before it the whole world stands condemned and guilty before God. That law lays binding claims upon all, and it must not be annulled, for without that standard to condemn guilt and uphold obedience the way is open for evil to rule. In the great day of judgment every soul that has lived will receive sentence according to whether deeds have been good or evil in the light of that law. Those without a clear perception of the law will meet sad surprises in that last great day when every case is brought up in review before God at His bar, the sealed books are unsealed, and every transaction of life is revealed as God sees it, filling those who have not followed correct principles with shame at a record that cannot be changed, recalled, or remedied.
What the law says it says to those under the law, leaving its hearers without an answer and making the whole world accountable and guilty before God. It leaves every person accountable, so that when judgment reveals the record of each life every mouth is stopped because each person's guilt is plainly evident both to God and to themselves. No one can excuse disobedience by saying that everyone else disobeyed too, for each will see where the right way was left, how example influenced others away from truth and righteousness, and how breaking God's law dishonored Him. At the final judgment that silencing reaches even Satan and all who rebelled against God, who will have no excuse and will be speechless, confirming that no cause for sin exists.
The whole world stands guilty before God because people have transgressed His holy law. Sin as transgression of the law is inexcusable and has no defence or justification, so when God asks why sin was done every tongue will be silent and the whole rebellious world will stand speechless and guilty before Him. Its final fulfillment comes when Lucifer and his angels are asked why they did this and can assign no reason, and this speechlessness is their final and eternal condemnation upon Satan as originator of sin and upon all the angels who united with him and joined his confederacy of evil, and sinners confronted with their sins and asked why they transgressed will likewise be silenced. Sinners will perish unless they repent, turn from disobedience, and through faith claim the saving merits of Christ's blood, being saved by grace and justified freely through Christ whose grace also enables acceptable obedience, so that though Adam's sin cost holy Eden, those who receive grace and obey may gain a home in Eden restored. Christ's provision for salvation does not excuse trampling on the law, for when God judges transgression of His holy law no one can answer for disobedience.
Every Mouth Finally Stopped
Every mouth will be stopped so that no defense, subterfuge, or lying excuse remains, and each person's guilt will stand plainly evident both to God and to themselves. No one will be able to excuse disobedience by saying that others disobeyed too. In the judgment every soul that has lived will receive sentence according to whether deeds have been good or evil in the light of the law. For God knows each person by name, with every action, every neglected opportunity, and every effort made to turn the wanderer back to safety, and His sentence is just and equal so that no one can answer against it.
In the last great day when every case is brought up in review before God at His bar, the sealed books will be unsealed and every transaction of this life will be revealed as God sees it. Those who have not followed correct principles will be filled with shame at their own record, which cannot be changed, recalled, or remedied. Each person will see where they left the right way, how example influenced others away from truth and righteousness, and how breaking God's law dishonored Him. When the cross with its dying Victim is presented and its real bearing is seen by every mind, sinners will stand condemned before it without excuses. Every subterfuge will be swept away as human apostasy appears in its heinous character, and they will see that they chose transgression and rejected truth, that they chose Barabbas instead of Christ the Prince of Peace, and thereby brought destruction on themselves.
In the final execution of the judgment it will be seen that no cause for sin exists. When the Judge of all the earth demands of Satan why he rebelled and robbed God of the subjects of His kingdom, the originator of evil will be able to render no excuse. Then every mouth will be stopped and all the hosts of rebellion will be speechless and guilty before God. Sin as transgression of the law is inexcusable and has no defence or justification, so when Lucifer and his angels are asked why they did this and can assign no reason, and when sinners confronted with their sins are asked why they transgressed, their speechlessness is their final and eternal condemnation upon Satan as originator of sin and upon all angels and people united with him in confederacy of evil. Those who continue to break the holy Sabbath will be unable in the plagues to plead the excuses they now use for not keeping it, but will face the Lawgiver's demand for justice and will recognize their sin in treating with contempt what God's word calls holy, just, and good.
Every mouth that has blasphemed against God will be forever stopped when God arises in His power after the last decision has been made and all have taken sides either for Christ and the commandments or for the great apostate. The mouths stopped are those of false teachers who would not hear the Word of God and who brought the bitterest persecution and stumbling blocks upon God's faithful servants for the truth's sake. Satan cannot go beyond his limit, the Lord will be the defense of His people, and any injury done to His servants for the truth's sake is regarded as done to Himself. Parents will be left speechless and guilty when God asks what they did with the children, time, reason, intellect, affections, and other blessings He gave and bought. They will have no answer when asked whether they prepared their children for immortal life and fitted them for Jesus and the future immortal home, whether they gave their own affections and gifts back to God, and whether they lived by every ray of light given from heaven instead of valuing the pleasures of this world. Human boasting is also silenced by the realization that people are finite, while God rules countless worlds in obedience to His laws beyond the reach of human knowledge.
Cross Vindicates Law's Claims
At the cross the silencing of every mouth becomes true before the heavenly universe, the unfallen worlds, Satan and his angels, and fallen humanity. There Christ bears the penalty for the human race, settles every doubt about God's justice, and exalts the law. His sacrifice shows that God's government cannot be changed to accommodate sin.
By taking human nature and keeping the law in the likeness of sinful flesh, Christ testifies to its unchangeable character. Not one jot or tittle is altered to meet man in his fallen condition. His perfect life demonstrates the falsity of Satan's claims against those trying to obey, proving Satan to be an accuser and a liar and a rebel. In this God is revealed as full of mercy, compassion and love to lift up man and restore the moral image of God in those who believe in Christ as personal Saviour. The blood shed on the cross is the everlasting, incontrovertible testimony that God's law is as immutable as His own character. When that death is seen in all its reality every voice will be hushed, and it will be fully seen that the crucifixion was a murder instigated by Satan and carried out by men who had separated themselves from God.
Christ's death has borne the law's penalty and opened the way for people to be set free through His righteousness. The human race can be saved if it returns to allegiance to God. The whole world stands guilty because of transgression of the holy law, and sinners will perish unless they repent, turn from disobedience, and through faith claim the saving merits of Christ's blood. They are saved by grace and justified freely through Christ, and His grace also enables acceptable obedience. Though Adam's sin cost him and his descendants holy Eden, those who receive Christ's grace and obey may gain a home in Eden restored.