I am sure you have known someone who looked perfectly healthy but was diagnosed with a bad heart. The person might have seemed perfectly healthy, he or she might have even been an avid runner, or a hard worker, but then comes the news that there is a bad heart. LifeWay's Explore the Bible Study: Insufficient is going to focus on the spiritual heart problems that exist in all of us. We might look perfectly healthy on the outside and still have a heart that is dark and sick from the ravages of sin.

Romans 1 - 3 are some of the most difficult passages to read because they give us a glimpse into the depravity of humanity. We have to stop and take a long look at ourselves as Paul unpacks what sin has done to us. Fortunately, Paul doesn't leave us here. We do have hope that will be presented in later passages. But, for now, we will continue to look at the darkness that resides in all of us.

The main passage in this session is Romans 2:17-29. The focus is on the false assumptions of the Jews, regarding their status with God. They relied on the outward actions including circumcision to give them special status. Yet, Paul specifically identifies their hypocrisy and reveals that it is the circumcision of the heart that has to take place. And this is only possibly through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Video Reference: What Happens to People Who Never Hear the Gospel?
David Platt provides background regarding the focus of the book of Romans and answers the question: "What happens to people who never hear the gospel?"

Points to Remember
No one is without excuse (Romans 1:20 and Romans 2:1) because of the following, as described by David Platt in his book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, pp. 141 - 161.

1. All people have a knowledge of God.
2. All people reject God.
3. All people are guilty before God.