Marcus Grodi and Kenneth Howell discuss what happens when people reject God in rejecting his revelation through natural revelation, the prophets, and through the Gospel itself.
Today’s text: Romans 1:18-32
“GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD”…THAT HE REVEALED HIMSELF TO MANKIND:
- (A) HE REVEALED HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH THE GOSPEL:
- 17: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith;
- as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.”
- 17: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith;
- (B) HE ALSO REVEALED HIS WRATH AGAINST UNGODLINESS:
- 18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
- against all ungodliness and wickedness of men
- who by their wickedness suppress the truth.
- against all ungodliness and wickedness of men
- 18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
- (C) HE REVEALED HIMSELF:
- 19: For what can be known about God is plain to them,
- because God has shown it to them.
- 19: For what can be known about God is plain to them,
- 20: Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature,
- namely, his eternal power and deity,
- has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.
- namely, his eternal power and deity,
- (D) HE REVEALED HIS JUSTICE AND MAN’S FREEDOM TO LOVE OR NOT LOVE HIM:
-
- So they are without excuse;
- 21: for although they knew God
- they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him,
- but they became futile in their thinking
- and their senseless minds were darkened.
- but they became futile in their thinking
- they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him,
-
- (E) BUT INSTEAD OF LOVING GOD, MANKIND MADE FOR HIMSELF GODS:
- 22: Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
- 23: and exchanged the glory of the immortal God
- for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.
- 23: and exchanged the glory of the immortal God
- 22: Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
- (E) AS A RESULT, GOD LET MANKIND REAP THE REWARDS OF THEIR FOLLY:
- 24: Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity,
- to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
- 25: because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie
- and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,
- who is blessed for ever! Amen.
- and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,
- 24: Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity,
- 26: For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.
- Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural,
- 27: and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women
- and were consumed with passion for one another,
- men committing shameless acts with men
- and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
- men committing shameless acts with men
- and were consumed with passion for one another,
- 28: And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God,
- God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct.
- 29: They were filled with all manner of wickedness,
- evil, covetousness, malice.
- Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity,
- [30] they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
- 31: foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
- 32: Though they know God’s decree
- that those who do such things deserve to die,
- they not only do them
- but approve those who practice them.
- 29: They were filled with all manner of wickedness,
- God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct.
