Romans – The Play Part 1

“I will ask for absolute silence so that every person in this place may clearly hear God’s verdict upon each of you. And now I read the decision. It is God’s decision. It is God’s verdict.”  He cleared his throat. “These are the words of God:

There is no one who is righteous.
No one who is wise.
No one who worships God.

All of you have turned away from me.
You have all gone wrong.
You all have done what is wrong.
And none has done what is right.
Not even one.

Your words are full of deadly deceit.
Wicked lies roll off your tongues.
Dangerous threats like snakes’ poisons come from your lips.
Your speech is filled with bitter curses.
You are quick to hurt and to kill.
You leave ruin and destruction wherever you go.
You have not known the path of peace.
Nor have you learned reverence for me, the living God.

There is none righteous. No, no, not one.”

At first, there was total silence. “That is the verdict,” said the judge grimly, his voice choking.

Then there were the slightest sounds of weeping, a moan, a cry, a wail. Then the whole arena seemed to rock with one mournful cry. Everyone was struggling to find his or her way to deal with the faults of their inevitable fate. But Paul took note of one person in particular in his reaction to the verdict. Raspusen had fainted dead away.

“It is time for the sentence. It is with great sorrow that I do this,” said the judge. “Even if a few of you had been found right in the sight of God, it would have made this moment a little less painful for all of us. It seems that living a good life was a poor place for man to pen his hopes. Obeying the law, worse still. Now let no man envy my position—that of passing sentence on the whole human race. Yet I really have no voice in this matter. This is the verdict of God Himself. Those of you who are Gentiles, you set up your own code of living a good life, and you failed your own standard. Those of you who are Jews, you set obedience to the law as your standard, and you have fallen short of your own standard. Each and all of you have undeniably failed.”

“Would you all rise?”

With those words, the entire population of humanity solemnly stood. Cries of sorrow, deep sobs, and convulsions of agony could be heard everywhere. The human race was now without hope. Judgment on all mankind had come at last.

“There is no hope for any of you. The way you chose has failed you, and you have failed the way which you have chosen. No human being is right with God. There is consequently no escape. There is no other way of salvation left to you—not to any of you. No salvation possible now.”

Therefore, as one appointed by the living God to execute His will, I must now sentence each and all of you to…