ROMANS

Laying a solid foundation

Romans 1:18-32

Calvin Chiang

The Evident Guilt of Mankind

Previously on Ro-mans….

Paul focuses upon our clear purpose in the gospel to call others to the obedience that comes from faith (1:5b, 14-15).

The gospel graciously makes known to the Jew and the Gentile the power of God to save from sin (1:16). It is a gospel revealed by the command of God Himself (15:21 ; 16:25-27), so that people from all nations might belong to the Lord Jesus Christ (1:6).

God’s Standard Made Clear to Men (Romans 1:18-20)

Apostle Paul points out the sinfulness and depravity of mankind

Man has fallen short of God’s standard

The “them” in (v.19) refers to people who reject God and substitute idol worship or any similar form of rejecting God such as (evolution, atheism, agnosticism).

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in 

unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the 

creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what 

has been made, so that they are without excuse.  NASB

Wrath of God (v.18)

Wrath: is defined as “the emotional response to perceived wrong and injustice,” often translated as “anger,” “indignation,” “vexation,” or “irritation.” Both humans and God express wrath. But there is vast difference between the wrath of God and the wrath of man. God’s wrath is holy and always justified; man’s is never holy and rarely justified.

John Stott defines God’s wrath as “His righteous reaction to evil, His implacable hostility to it, His refusal to

condone it, and His judgment upon it.” (John R. W. Stott, “God’s Judgment”, in Believing and Obeying Jesus Christ)

God’s General Revelation (v. 19,20)

• Things about God that manifest in man himself:– Intelligence– Personality-implying the same of our creator– We are created in the image of God (Gen 1:27)

• Things about God that manifest in creation: – Sense of order – Design of the universe– Creativity in nature

By itself, these revelations cannot bring us to repentance.

Man Without Excuse (v.20)

God has revealed Himself to us since the beginning of time, who He is and what He expects from us. Every person either accepts or rejects God. When the day comes for God to judge us, no excuses will be accepted.

Man Made Idols (Rom 1:21-25)

1st Step is: Replacing God with different types of idols: Israelites with golden calf, Phillistines with dagon (half fish, 1Sam 5:2), Egyptians with sun, moon, stars, cows, frogs.

Term “gave over” (v.24) (paradidomi) means to give into the hands (of another) or to give over into (one’s) power to use. The willful rejection of God will result and lead to a downward spiral of sins.

21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish 

heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of 

corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.  25  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.  Amen.  NASB

26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 

27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the 

due penalty of their error.  NASB

Following Perverse Desires (Rom 1:26-27)

2nd Step: degrading passions.

Instead of caring for each other, using one other to satisfy their own desires.

Unnatural function leads to increase of STD cases. According to the Centers

for Disease Control’s report in 2014, 20 million new STD infections every year which cost the American health care system about 16 billion every year.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not 

proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient 

to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, 

but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.  NASB

Last step of sin is to not only do it but encourage others to do it as well. First is immorality, then twisting God’s man/woman order. The last step is not to only commit these sins behind close doors, but to do them publicly and enthusiastically encourage others to do the same.

God’s original intention where man would manifest God’s characters does not happen due to our sins.

Downward Spiral Continues (Rom 1:28-32)

Conclusion

God’s wrath is manifested today by simply allowing man to go his own way to follow the desires of his heart, the passions of his lusts to increasing degrees of depravity.

God’s mercy is manifested today for those willing to turn back to Him.Willing to acknowledge His revelation given through creation and

through His Son. (1John 4:9,10)Willing to be thankful to Him through gratitude and through repentance.

(Col 1:12, Rom 2:4)

Discussion Questions

1. The verses 21—32 describes a downward spiral of sin (3 levels) experienced by people who rebel against God. How might each level lead to the next? What evidence do you see of this moral and spiritual degeneration today?

2. What are some things in your life that you might have exchanged the glory and the truth of God for? Is it too late to remedy that?

3. People often raise the question of how God could condemn those who have never heard of Him. How does this passage address this question?