No one naturally seeks God, speaks purely, or lives rightly. God’s law silences our self-defense and drives us to Christ, whose righteousness is received by faith alone.

No Seekers (v.11) – Unbelievers chase God’s benefits, not God Himself. True seeking starts after God finds us (Matt 6:33).
Unprofitable Good (v.12) – “Civic righteousness” exists, but God defines good by both action and God-ward motive (John 14:6).
The Things We Say (vv.13–14) – Throat, tongue, lips, mouth: a biopsy of our speech—deceit, venom, cursing (Matt 23:27; James 3:6).
The Things We Do (vv.15–18) – Swift to violence; we don’t know the way of peace because we don’t fear God (Prov 9:10).
All the World Guilty (vv.19–20) – The law stops every mouth; by works no one will be justified.
Justification Defined – A forensic (legal) declaration: God counts sinners righteous in Christ by faith alone.
Key Takeaways

There are no natural seekers; seeking God is evidence He has already sought you.
Good deeds without a God-loving motive are not “good” before God.
Your words reveal your heart; guard both input and output.
The law is a mirror, not a ladder—it exposes sin; it doesn’t erase it.
Hope rests in a verdict secured by Christ’s righteousness, not our record.

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