Pop Quiz - Are You Worthy of Death?
In a world where subjective morality is ever-increasing, most people look around themselves and think they’re “pretty good” or at least not as bad as “that guy over there.” But Scripture warns that “they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2Co 10:12).
The problem with human morality is that it depends on a shifting standard. What defines good? What if what you consider good harms another? The only true and consistent measure of good and evil is found in God Himself. He alone is perfectly righteous, perfectly just, and perfectly holy, and He has clearly declared what is good and what is evil (Rom 2:2, Psa 19:7-9).
There is no “kind of good” or “kind of bad” with God’s standard of righteousness as we are measured against His holiness. Scripture is clear: “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom 3:10). The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23), and “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (Jas 2:10). That means, by God’s measure, every single person, including you, is guilty and worthy of His condemning judgment.
Not convinced yet? Let’s take a pop quiz just to double-check.
The List That Condemns Us All
Romans 1:26-32 describes the moral collapse of humanity and details the behaviors that reveal our sin nature. Consider these questions derived from that list and see how you score, and if you truly worthy of death because of your sin:
Have you ever not retained God in your knowledge?
Have you ever done something unrighteous?
Have you ever committed fornication (idolatry, adultery with your heart or body, unfaithfulness, sexual sin)?
Have you ever done something wicked (evil, crooked)?
Have you ever been covetous (strong desire to obtain an ungodly thing)?
Have you ever displayed maliciousness (extreme enmity or disposition to injure)?
Have you ever been envious?
Have you ever murdered (seeking to kill, quick to judge death, hated a brother)?
Have you ever debated? Not just a discussion, but a quarrel for the sake of victory?
Have you ever acted deceitfully (white lies, manipulation, omitted truth, mislead)?
Have you ever maligned someone (hated, desired to destroy)?
Have you ever gossiped or slandered someone?
Have you ever hated God (or rebelled against Him)?
Have you ever been despiteful (disrespected or defied a rightful authority)?
Have you ever been proud, selfish, or arrogant?
Have you ever boasted or puffed yourself up?
Have you ever had an evil invention/wicked imagination?
Have you ever been disobedient to your parents?
Have you ever been ignorant of something and not had understanding?
Have you ever broken a covenant or agreement with someone?
Have you ever had a sexually immoral thought or action?
Have you ever been discontent or unable to be appeased or satisfied?
Have you ever been unmerciful?
Have you ever had pleasure in, celebrated, or promoted any of the sins above?
If you answered yes to any of these, you are guilty before God. And if we’re honest, we’ve committed all of them in one form or another. God’s judgment includes not only our outward actions but also the thoughts and intents of the heart (1Sa 16:7, Mar 7:21-23).
This passage isn’t written to help us identify “the worst sinners” but to show that all of us share in the same fallen condition. It levels the ground beneath the cross: there is no moral high ground among men (Rom 2:1-11).
Romans 1:32 concludes: “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
That’s the tragic reality of sin: it not only rebels against God but celebrates rebellion itself. Humanity not only sins but enjoys and promotes sin. Whether through entertainment, pride, or silence in the face of evil, the world glorifies what God condemns and is worthy of death.
No One Is Righteous—But There Is Hope
The point of Romans 1 is not to drive us to despair but to prepare our hearts for grace. Once we recognize our own guilt, we see our desperate need for a Savior. Even though there is nothing good in us (Rom 7:18), God, in His love, provided redemption through His Son.
“[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [11] And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” – Romans 5:8-11
Christ took the judgment we deserve and paid the full penalty for sin through His death, burial, and resurrection (1Co 15:1-4). By faith alone in Him and His finished cross-work, sinners including ourselves, are justified freely by His grace (Rom 3:24).
Our sin abounds—but God’s grace abounds much more (Rom 5:20).
The Only Right Response
If you’re honest, your score on the “worthy of death” quiz is a failing one. Yet the good news of the gospel is that Christ already passed the test for you.
You can’t earn your way out of guilt, perform your way into holiness, or compare your sin away. But by faith in Christ, you can receive forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life.
“[3] For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. [4] But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, [5] Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;[6] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; [7] That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” – Titus 3:3-7
We are not better than anyone else, only forgiven through the grace of God in Christ. Our sin makes us all equally condemned, but His cross makes salvation equally available to all who believe.
So, how did you do on the pop quiz?
If you’ve trusted in Christ, you can rejoice in this truth: though you were once “worthy of death,” you now stand worthy of eternal life, by His grace alone.
