Romans 1:18-25

PART TWO

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH IN THE GOSPEL, Romans 1:16 to Romans 11:36

I.

Proposition Stated. Romans 1:16-17

1.

Not ashamed of the Gospel. Romans 1:16 a

2.

The Gospel Defined. Romans 1:16 b

3.

What is Revealed in the Gospel. Romans 1:17

II.

Proposition Needed, Romans 1:18 to Romans 3:20

1.

Needed by the Gentiles. Romans 1:18-32

Text

Romans 1:18-25. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; Romans 1:19 because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: Romans 1:21 because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Romans 1:23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Romans 1:24 Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: Romans 1:25 for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

REALIZING ROMANS, Romans 1:18-25

37.

Where is God's wrath revealed? Not from where, but where? To say simply from heaven will not answer the whole question. If you wanted to show someone the revelation of God's wrath, where would you look?

38.

Is there some difference between ungodliness and unrighteousness, or was this said only for emphasis?

39.

You will observe that Paul says certain men hinder the trutha most interesting word. Look up (even in our text here) a fuller meaning of the word. What does the word hinder suggest as to man's responsibility to the truth?

40.

Mark carefully the phraseology in Romans 1:19. Knowledge of God is manifested in two places: to man, and in man. Does this mean that man is born with some innate knowledge of God, or that he is born with the faculty by which he can learn of God? Could it mean both? If so, how? Come on, friend. Do not bog down in your thinking processes. This is too important a matter to be treated lightly. This is most intriguing: think it out! Romans 1:20 will help you.

41.

What two things about God can we learn from nature? What two things can-'t man learn from nature?

42.

What should be the natural response of man upon viewing the handiwork of God? (Cf. Psalms 19:1-6)

43.

If it is natural for man to understand some things about God through the creation, then it would be fitting to say that they were senseless who failed to acknowledge these things, How is it that the thought entered some persons-' minds that they could attribute creation to some other source?

44.

Will you note the use of the term heart in Romans 1:21. Compare it with Psalms 14:1. Note that man does not say with his mind there is no God. What causes a man to become a fool? Read Romans 1:22.

45.

In what way is God incorruptible? Is there some order in the idolatry described in Romans 1:23?

46.

I thought God never gave up, and taught us never to give up. Here it is stated that God did give up. (Cf. Romans 1:24) With today's emphasis upon the physical body, there is a real danger that men will fall into the same trap. How is the body dishonored?

Paraphrase

Romans 1:18-25. Next, the gospel alone is the power of God for salvation, because it alone grants pardon to sinners on repentance: wherein the law of nature, vs. Romans 1:32 and in the law of Moses, the wrath of God is plainly revealed against all impiety and unrighteousness of men; who conceal the truth concerning God from the vulgar, by their unrighteous institutions.

Romans 1:19 Of this crime, all the Greek legislators, statesmen, and philosophers, have been guilty: Because that which may be known of God, is known among them; for God hath manifested it to them, by his works of creation.

Romans 1:20 For his invisible attributes, even his eternal power and Godhead, though not discernible by the eye of the body, ever since the creation of the world, are clearly seen by the eye of man's mind, being understood by the things which he hath made; so that they are inexcusable. (The apostle means that the Greek legislators and philosophers were inexcusable.)

Romans 1:21 Because, though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, by teaching the people what they knew concerning him; neither did they give him thanks, by making him the object of their worship; but became foolish by their own reasonings concerning the worship fit for the vulgar; and their imprudent heart was darkened, so as to relish idolatry equally with the vulgar.

Romans 1:22 Thus, the Grecian statesmen and philosophers, who assumed the pompous title of wise men, became fools in their public institutions of religion:

Romans 1:23 For they misrepresented the perfections of the incorruptible God, by an image made in the likeness of corruptible men, and of birds, and of beasts, and of reptiles, and thereby led the vulgar to believe that God was like the animals whose images they worshipped.

Romans 1:24 Therefore also, as the just punishment of their impiety in likening him to men and beasts, God, through the lusts of their own hearts impelling them, gave these pretended wise men up to every sort of uncleanness; whereby they dishonored their own bodies between themselves.

Romans 1:25 I speak of the legislators, philosophers, and priests, who changed the truth concerning God into falsehood, by likening him to men and beasts; and who, pretending to worship God under these symbols, worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is to be praised for ever. Amen.

Summary

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against the impiety and injustice of all men who keep down the truth. The Gentiles had the truth, for God had made it known to them. But when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God. By their reasonings they became foolish, and dull in heart, and exchanged the honor due to God for the worship of idols. For this, God gave them up to base passions, and as the result, they dishonored their bodies among themselves.

8.

Paul has now presented the universal plan for salvation. What is his next logical step?

Comment

Since Paul has just laid down a universal plan for obtaining justification, it is only logical to read in the ensuing verses of the universal need for this plan, thus giving the reason for its inception. In Romans 1:18 we find the general heading for the development of the thought of the universal need. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hinder the truth in unrighteousness. We will find as we examine the lives of men universally that they deserve nought but the wrath of God; and that this heavenly vengeance is brought upon man by his disobedience to what he knows to be God's law.

The Gentiles (the heathen) were (and are) desperately in need of this justification found in the gospel, for they held the truth down or hindered it by their unrighteousness. Notice that they were not ignorant of the truth, but, having the truth, they did not choose to obey it, but rather to suppress it (Romans 1:18). Paul then tells us of the truth they possessed. He speaks of their knowledge of God's everlasting power and divinity which they attained from the material creation about them. Paul remarks that this truth about God has thus been accessible from the creation of the world.

In view of God's wrath which he must visit upon them, such persons have no excuse to offer, for even though they knew God to be the one of all power and the one truly divine being, they did not choose to accept him as such, and gave him neither glory nor thanks. They looked rather to their own accomplishments and wisdom, and thus became not humble before this great Creator, but vain, and with this false use of their senses their heart was darkened.

Though such action appeared as the mark of wisdom to the Gentiles, it was rather the mark of folly, for they thus exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for the glory of corruptible man and even of birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. In this whole descent, there was the awful act of exchanging what they knew to be truth (that God was the creator and thus the natural object of worship) for what they knew to be a lie (that man, the creature was to be worshipped). Such action led them to participate fully in the lusts of their hearts, which brought about uncleanness and dishonoring of the body, and God had to give them up. (Romans 1:18-25)

9.

Why is God's wrath brought upon man as suggested in Romans 1:18?

10.

What truth regarding himself did God manifest to the Gentiles?

11.

In what manner did God reveal this truth to the Gentiles? For how long?

12.

Why were the Gentiles spoken of said to be without excuse?

13.

What would you say was the primary cause of their sin? the secondary? the result?

14.

With what attitude did these Gentiles regard themselves?

15.

For what did they exchange the glory of the incorruptible God?

16.

What was the awful act committed throughout this whole descent?

17.

They are said to have exchanged the truth of God for a lie. What was the truth and what was the lie?