Romans 1:18-23

Romans 1:18-23

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20

I. An introduction to Romans [1:1-17]Paul’s greeting as slave and apostle [1-7]

“for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven”

Paul’s thanksgivings for and desire to be with the saints who live in Rome [8-15]Paul’s declaration that the gospel reveals the righteousness of God is from faith, so that “the power of God to salvation” may extend to ALL who believe [16-17]

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20

I. An introduction to Romans [1:1-17]


II. ALL are condemned [1:18 – 3:20]

“For the wrath of God…” [1:18-32]Why was there a need for the gospel?“the righteousness of God” [1:17] needed to be revealed specifically because:


(1) “the wrath of God is revealed” [1:18]“…against all ungodliness (of men) and”“(against all) unrighteousness of men”

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20

“all” includes Jew, Greek and Barbarian!



(1) “the wrath of God is revealed” [1:18]

men “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20

(2) the “what” of God was revealed [1:19-20]

means they knew the truth! [21, 23, 25, 28]cp. loving v. suppressing truth [2 Th 2:9-12]



(1) “the wrath of God is revealed” [1:18]

men “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”God revealed Himself in man [Gn 1:26]

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20

God revealed Himself in creation [Ps 19:1]

(2) the “what” of God was revealed [1:19-20]

“His eternal power” [1:20; cp. Hb 1:3]“His Godhead” [1:20; cp. Acts 17:24-25, 29]

Man is“Without Excuse”

[Romans 1:20]Cannot excuse, pardon, SAVE himself!

“For the wrath of God…” [1:18-32]No excuse? You need the gospel offer of “righteousness (justification)…from faith”!

“they knew God” [1:21; cp. 1:18-19], but:


“did not glorify Him as God” [cp. Lev. 10:1-3]

Thanklessness led to futility [no purpose]

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20

“nor were thankful” [Acts 14:15-17]

They professed their “wisdom” as “fools”

Consequences of rejecting God [1:21-32]

Futility (idle) led to foolishness [senseless]

“changed the glory of the incorruptible God”

“To make God into the likeness of a man is a crime…of grave consequences but don’t you just shudder to think of the images of “God” which the wicked heart of mankind has made? What sort of god is Molech who devoured little children? What sort of gods were those who demanded that women lie down…with animals? What sort of gods are these who reveled in human sacrifices and the vilest abominations? They were gods after the image of the men who made them. And if these gods were indeed like the human hearts – how wicked are those hearts?” - Jim McGuiggan

cp. Matthew 15:17-20


“they knew God”, but “changed” Him [21-23]


He didn’t “give up on them”: sent the gospel!

stated three times! [v. 24, 26, 28]

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20


“Therefore God also gave them up” [24-27]

allowed them to be foolish [cp. 2 Th 2:11-12]

God’s wrath!? [18] Sin, consequence [27]

“…George Arthur Buttrick…dealt with the skeptic’s protest against God’s existence on the grounds of famines, misery and wars that were in the world. These were proof, the skeptic claimed, that God didn’t exist. Maybe, said Buttrick, wars and such like are the footprints of God walking away from us.” - cited by Jim McGuiggan

cp. Leviticus 26

“…the penalty of their error which was due.”Romans 1:27




He didn’t “give up on them”: sent the gospel!

stated three times! [v. 24, 26, 28]

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20


“Therefore God also gave them up” [24-27]

allowed them to be foolish [cp. 2 Th 2:11-12]

God’s wrath!? [18] Sin, consequence [27] Note: left God, became unclean, unnatural

The apostle Paul,writing by the Spirit of Christ [cp. 1 Cor 14:37],

clearly condemns all homosexuality as being unnatural, ungodly, and

unrighteous!!!




Word play: reproved Him, got reprobate mindend result: to do what’s “not fitting” – rather yet, “being filled with all unrighteousness”

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20


“Therefore God also gave them up” [24-27]“…gave them over to a debased mind” [28-32]

This is the reason for God’s wrath! [1:18]

“Rejection of God is spiritual lunacy. There is no rational explanation for sin. In the face of all God offers and in the face of all that is the result of rejecting Him there can be no sensible defence of sin and rejection of God. A mind which functions so as to reject God is an awful thing to contemplate…” - Jim McGuiggan

“…they did not like to retain God in their knowledge.”Romans 1:28

“Ah, we think, how can people be so bad? So bad as what? As to be “envious” or “covetous” or “arrogant”? One is inclined in the light of the previous verses on sexual perversion to feel rather smug and self-righteous but verses 29-31 bring us back down to earth. I used to think that it must have been a special strain of iniquity that destroyed Christ at Golgotha until I grew a little older and found in myself the things which are named as involved in the assassination of Jesus Christ. “For envy they delivered him up,” I read. Judas loved money and sold the Master, I read. Pilate wished for political stability and success and gave Christ over to the Jews lest his own career be put in jeopardy, I read. Liars lied about him, I read. There I was, all of them in me and I in all of them…” - Jim McGuiggan

“…full of envy…they are whisperers…proud…boasters…disobedient to parents…undiscerning… unforgiving, unmerciful…” Rom 1:29-31




practice things “deserving of death” [32]“approve of” others who do them also!

ROMANS

1:18-

3:20


“Therefore God also gave them up” [24-27]“…gave them over to a debased mind” [28-32]know “the righteous judgment of God”, but:

Psych/Theology, “church-approved” sin?

“knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death…” [Rom 1:32; cp. 3:23; 6:23]

HOWEVER…“…the gospel of Christ…is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes… For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith…”

Do you stand “without excuse”?

You need the gospel offer of “righteousness (justification)…from

faith”!

Won’t you believe and OBEY today?

Documents

Romans 1:18-23