Romans 1:18-23

“The Side of God We Prefer Not to See”

Romans 1:18-23 (Message #3)

January 31, 2016 (Sligo, Ireland)

INTRODUCTION:

        There are things we’d rather not know about or see: for example,

• My sister, Janis, and her gory descriptions of friends and family members' illnesses and injuries
• Your friends commentary about someone’s sinus infection
• The story of somebody’s gastric-bypass surgery
• You feel like shouting, "THAT'S TOO MUCH INFORMATION!"

TRANSITION:

        There may be some things about God that you would rather not know either, so as not to have to deal with them.

• If we can keep Him small He doesn’t frighten us.
• If we can keep Him old and grandfatherly perhaps He’ll wink at our sin.
• If we can keep Him distant we won’t worry about Him seeing us do bad things.

·                             J.B. Phillips, in his classic book, Your God Is Too Small, deals with about a dozen false concepts of God including the resident policeman, the grand-old-man, the meek-and-mild, the parental-hangover, and the managing-director, to name a few.

Today’s passage in Romans 1:18-23 may show you a side of God you’d rather not have to face; namely, that He is the Great and Awesome and Holy God who knows what is going on in this world. Moreover, He is the God of Wrath, and He will deal with sin and sinners.

By way of review, in verses 16-17 Paul speaks of God’s grace and gracious provision of the Gospel and of His Son, Jesus, through whom we can enter into a relationship with God, the Father. However, verse 18 stands in sharp contrast to that grace, for grace rejected brings on God’s wrath, just as light rejected brings darkness, and truth rejected brings falsehood.

Remember, the Book of Romans is all about righteousness.

a. God is righteous, but man is not.

b. God requires righteousness.

c. At issue, "How does sinful man acquire the righteousness that he needs?"

d. Answer: God offers it freely in Christ, but in no other way.

In Chapters 1-3 Paul explains the SIN PROBLEM:

• Today in our text, we’ll see the universality of sin in all mankind.
• Next Sunday we’ll look at sin in the Gentile world.
• The Sunday after that we’ll look at sin in the Jewish world.
• And finally, Paul will recap = “All have sinned and fallen short” 3:23. 

Let’s look at our text for today – Romans 1:18-23: “For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹ For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse! ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honour Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” 

MAIN BODY:

Verse 18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 

• Let’s think about some OT examples of the “wrath of God” e.g. 
• After the rebellion of Korah, Dathan & Abiram in Num. 16:46 (“wrath has gone forth from the Lord”)
• Israel drifted into Baal worship in Numbers 25:3-4 and we read, “…The Lord was fiercely angry against Israel.”
• God was angry at the Babylonians for their mistreatment of Israel (Jer. 50:13). “Because of the indignation of the Lord she will not be inhabited.”   
• “For the wrath of God is revealed”. The Greek word means uncovered, made visible, made knowable. 
• “…against all ungodliness” 
• Against every lack of reverence for God 
• Against every denial of the character or essence of God 
• Against every refusal to acknowledge Him for who He is 
• “…against all…unrighteousness” 
• Against every lack of right conduct toward God and toward men 
• Against every injustice, which always angers God 
• [Against people who, in that state or sphere of unrighteousness] “who suppress the truth” 
•  means to hold down, or conceal the truth
• Illustration: they put truth in a box then sit on the lid 
• What truth? – truth about God, about themselves, and about sin  

Verse 19: For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

• Here Paul is describing the Inner Witness of conscience, which is God-given and exists in the heart of every human to draw us near to God to want to know Him better and to please Him.
• "For what can be known about God is plain to them…” The assumption here is that God is knowable because He has chosen to reveal Himself in every man in the very core of his mind and being. However, being sinful, people reject God’s voice and listen to unrighteousness instead.

Verse 20: For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 

• God has also revealed Himself in nature/creation. This is God’s External Witness. [N.B. “Creation is Revelation!”] Psalm 19 is a perfect example of this truth: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. ² Day to day pours out speech, and night-to-night reveals knowledge. ³ There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. ⁴ Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”  
• “Invisible attributes” = “eternal power” and “divine nature” (i.e. His divinity). Illustration: It is always possible to tell something about a man from his handiwork; e.g. my artist friends, Leonard Collins and Herschel McGraw. 
• “…in the things that have been made.” Paul uses the Greek word, poema. This is the word that gives us our English word, “poem.” A poem is an artistic piece of writing using beautiful or unusual language arranged in fixed lines that have a particular beat and often rhyme. It is a literary word of art, a painting using words instead of paint. We find this same word in Ephesians 2:10, where Paul tells us that believers are God’s poems, unique works of art, designed by Him and destined for good works that will bring glory and honor to Him. But here in Romans 1:20 we learn that all of creation is a poem designed by God, for God, to reveal His power and divinity to the sons of men. 
• “So they are without excuse.”  This is God’s conclusion on the matter, not mine. Not only is He the Creator, but He is also the Righteous Judge and God declares that He has revealed enough in nature to hold all men accountable. No one can ever claim that they had no idea that God existed because He has left His fingerprints everywhere, in plain sight. To claim to be an atheist or agnostic, from God’s perspective, is willful ignorance of the observable facts. He says that there is no excuse for such stupidity.

Verse 21: For although they knew God, they did not honour Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

• "…they knew God,” BUT… 
• They refused to honor Him; i.e. they did not respect God’s person by giving Him worship (praise, honor, adoration) 
• They refused to be thankful; i.e. they did not acknowledge His benefits/gifts by giving thanks. 
• N.B. these are part of the reason for man’s existence. 
• “…they became futile in their thinking…their foolish hearts were darkened” The word “futile” means empty, pointless, having no substance. Futile thinking = gasbags, with heads full of air. Moreover, their dark hearts [hearts with no knowledge of the One who is the Light of the world] become even darker, because darkness begets darkness. 
• So we can conclude from this verse that to refuse to acknowledge God and give Him the honour and gratitude that is due Him results in even greater scrambled, empty thinking and hearts plunged into even greater darkness. God describes this sinful state as “foolishness.” But you must understand that this word does not mean mere silliness or larking around. It always has a moral overtone. “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.” (Psalm 14:1).

Verse 22: Claiming to be wise, they became fools… 

•  Those so-called “scientists” who claim that the world came about by a series of accidents and serendipitous events are “fools,” to use God’s own words. We must conclude that much of today’s scientific world with all their vaunted claims to higher learning and scientific truth are in for a big surprise someday. The “Big Bang” that they hear will not be a mere theory, but will be the doors of hell slamming shut behind them. Their “wisdom” will be revealed for what it is…utter foolishness and wickedness. 
• It is interesting to note that the Greek word for “fool” is moros, and is the word from which we get the English word “moron.” But as I mentioned, in the Bible the word “fool” always means morally bent or evil. It is not a description of mental illness.

Verses 23: ”…and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” 

• “…and exchanged…” Has there ever been a worse trade in all of history? 
• Anything that takes God’s place is, by definition, an idol. So we’re talking here about the sin of idolatry = the worship of anything that takes God’s rightful place of honor. 
• N.B. Notice how quickly worthless thoughts produce worthless objects of worship to replace God. 
• Also, the very material used is an affront—using corruptible things to represent the Incorruptible God. Illustration: That painting of the Virgin Mary out of elephant dung. 
• Idols are a caricature and a slander. 
• Notice, too, the downward slide:
• Monotheism ==> Polytheism ==> Animism 
• God ==> man ==> birds ==> quadrupeds ==> reptiles 
• Apollo or Aphrodite, of the Greeks 
• The eagle of the Romans
• The bull of the Egyptians 
• The serpent of the Assyrians 
• The scarab (dung beetle) of the Egyptians

So let’s recap: Look at the results of man’s sinful choices. 
1.    (vs. 21) “They became futile in their thinking/speculations” = useless 
2.   (vs. 21) “Their foolish hearts were darkened” = dirty/wicked. Remember that the heart is made up of intellect, emotion, and will. It is the sum total of our being. Paul is saying that man’s rejection brought moral and spiritual darkness. It degraded man’s reasoning abilities and it seriously disabled his powers of moral discernment. 
3.   (vs. 22) “Claiming/professing to be wise, they became fools/morons”full of themselves ==> they became empty, claiming wisdom ==> they became morons 
4.  THE RESULT IS GOD’S WRATH! 

• The sinner, instead of looking outward to God looked inward to himself, making his ideas, his opinions, and his speculations the standard and law of life. 
• Through vain speculations, empty thinking, and foolish reasoning God gets pushed off the throne. Man climbs aboard and creates a self-centered universe more to his liking. 
• NO WONDER GOD IS ANGRY! Mankind has been insulting Him for millennia. It’s a wonder He hasn’t wiped us all out and started over! It’s only because of His grace, love and mercy that He hasn’t. 
• Man has become willfully ignorant of the truth, deliberately blind to God. 
• He worships his own thought and ideas, ignoring God’s revelation. 
• He moves another notch downward into idolatry. [N.B. To turn away from light naturally brings darkness!]

CONCLUSION:

So then, God has revealed Himself in 5 distinct ways:
      1. Within us = our conscience
      2. Within nature; cf. Psalm 19 = His fingerprints on all of creation
      3. In His covenant dealings with Israel = promises made and kept
      4. In the written Word = the Bible
      5. In the Living Word, in flesh = Jesus, the Messiah

He wants us to know Him and to understand that suffering always follows sin. It is an indisputable fact.

• If you break the laws of agriculture the harvest fails.
• If you break the laws of architecture your house collapses.
• If you break the laws of health your body gets sick.
• If you break the law of gravity you crash and burn.
• If you break the laws of holiness your eternity may be lost.

I found a couple of quotes that I thought were relevant to our study today: 

•  “Only they know what it is to be saved, who know what it is to be lost!” 
•  “A man’s sin measures the extent of his salvation.”

To come to God we must…

• Reverence Him for who He is
• Receive His righteousness, for we have none of our own
• Begin to listen to His voice speaking in our heart and mind
• Renounce empty speculation and moronic unbiblical reasoning
• Abandon every idol and worship Him alone

FEEDBACK:

        Any comments, questions, or observations about what I’ve presented? 

Romans 1:8-17

“The Power of God Revealed”

Romans 1:8-17 (Message #2)

January 24, 2016 (Sligo, Ireland)

INTRODUCTION:

Paul had a threefold purpose for writing his Epistle to the Romans:   

        1.    He wrote to encourage the Roman believers in their Christian faith. He knew many of them personally from his previous missionary journeys (notice his personal greetings in chapter 16). Rome was the capital city and it was a magnet for people from every corner of the vast Roman Empire. Believers from all over Turkey and Palestine had been drawn to Rome especially because of its opportunities for commerce and education. Some had also come specifically to bring the Gospel and plant churches. Of course, by “churches” we’re not speaking of buildings or denominations but rather, little groups of Christians scattered all around the area, meeting in homes for worship, fellowship, Bible teaching, and communion.

        2.   He wrote to pave the way for a planned missionary journey to take the Gospel to Spain. He speaks of this twice in Romans 15 (cf. verses 24 and 28). His plan was to spend some time ministering among the Christians in Rome on his way to Spain. He wrote to give them a heads-up about his planned trip.

        3.   He wrote to provide them with a thorough explanation of God’s plan of salvation. Because most people had no access to the written Word of God, the early Christians were dependent upon the teaching from Christian leaders. Some of those leaders were trained in the Scriptures but many others were not. As a result, misinformation often took hold and got passed around. As an Apostle, an important part of Paul’s ministry was to oversee the churches and make sure they were being taught pure doctrine. In his various writings we see that he was often trying to combat error and even heresy. Romans is the most complete treatise in all of Scripture on the multi-faceted Doctrine of Salvation. He draws from his vast knowledge of the OT Scriptures to explain how a sinner can be made right with God.  

TRANSITION:
        Last Sunday we looked at Paul’s introduction in which he identifies himself as the Messenger, commissioned by God, and gives a brief overview of the Message—the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

        In our text for today, Paul expresses his love for the Roman believers and tells them about his desire to visit them in Rome. He looks forward to encouraging them even as he knows they will be an encouragement to him. In verses 14-17 he tells them of his personal motivations for proclaiming the Gospel. He gets very personal and in these verses we can feel his heartbeat, his passion, and his love for Christ and the Gospel. Coming to verse 17 we will hear him utter those words that started the Protestant Reformation under Martin Luther in 1517: “The just shall live by faith.” This brief statement flies in the face of every other religion in human history. All the religions of man are based on doing good works, rule-keeping, and having insider information about spiritual truth, all in the hopes of doing enough to win God’s approval. However, Christianity is not about what we can do to save ourselves, but about what a Holy and Loving God has already accomplished for us if we will but put our complete faith and trust in Him. Religions are all spelled, “DO.” But authentic Christianity is spelled, “DONE.” There’s a big difference!

MAIN BODY:

Verse 8: First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.

• Paul was a man of prayer. We know that he prayed regularly for the churches, for his colleagues in the ministry, for the leaders of the churches, and for the individual believers that he knew. He was “thankful” for them.
• Paul also mentions that the faith of the believers in Rome was well known throughout the “world,” meaning the Roman world. Their faith and devotion to Christ and the Gospel served as an example to others.    

Verses 9-10: For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I mention you ¹⁰ always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.  

• “God…whom I serve in my spirit”  Paul’s service was not for show, to win the approval of men. Too many so-called “ministers” and members of the clergy today have mixed motives, being as concerned with what they get out of it as they are with what they might contribute. Calling on God as his witness Paul declares that his motives are pure and unadulterated.
• “…that somehow…I may now…succeed in coming to you.” Paul’s desire to visit Rome was no spur-of-the-moment thing. He had apparently been praying about it for some time, seeking God’s will as to the timing.

Verse 11: For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 

• Don’t jump to a wrong conclusion here. Paul knew that he was not the giver of spiritual gifts. That is the exclusive right of the Holy Spirit. Paul had no ability to bestow spiritual gifts like healing, teaching, or prophecy. He was simply looking forward to exercise his own spiritual gifts among them for the purpose of encouraging and strengthening them in their walk of faith.
• “…to strength you” KJV says, “so that you may be established.” To be established is to be planted firmly, like an oak beside a river (see Ps. 1). It means to be there for the long-haul, not just temporarily. It means to be strong and able to withstand anything that comes against it. This is what Paul wanted the Roman believers to be in regard to their faith because he knew that storms would soon arise to test their mettle.    

Verse 12: …that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.  

• Paul saw ministry as mutually beneficial. As he preached and taught the Word of God it blessed him. It also blessed his hearers. They, in turn, encouraged him to continue using his gifts to serve God. Everybody got blessed in the process. Anyone who has ever taught a Sunday School class knows that the teacher usually gets as much or more out of the preparation as the students. It is a win-win situation.

  

Verse 13: I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.    

• He had often intended to travel to Rome but something always stopped him. How curious! At first glance we might jump to the conclusion that Paul was talking of the devil throwing up impediments. But we actually see this same thing happening in Acts 16:6-7. “And they [Paul, Silas, and Timothy] went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷ And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.” You see, God shuts doors as well as opening them. If we seek His will He will guide our steps. Sometimes it’s just a matter of God’s timing and He doesn’t always reveal the reasons why He does what He does. Paul was content to trust in God’s perfect plan and timing.
• “…in order that I may reap some harvest among you” He’s not talking about some personal benefit that he will receive. He’s not talking about money or possessions that he will “harvest” from them. He’s referring to spiritual blessings related to their friendship and fellowship and serving together in the cause of Christ. He’s talking about souls they will see won to Christ, new congregations planted, and widening the influence of the Gospel in the area around Rome.
• But exactly what motivated this kind of missionary zeal in Paul? He will tell us in the following verses.   

Verse 14: I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.     

• In this verse we have the first of three “I am…” statements by Paul. Taken together we get a clear picture of his attitude toward his ministry.
• “I am under obligation” KJV has, “I am a debtor…” Paul believed that he owed the Gospel to those who had not heard it. He sensed a powerful moral obligation to tell people about Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection, and about how they could have their sins forgiven by God if they would but believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The moral obligation he felt was not unlike the obligation of a survivor in a lifeboat surrounded by people yet in the water, near drowning. He had an obligation to throw out the only lifeline that could save them. 
  
• “…both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” The Greeks were the cultured people of Paul’s day, based on their ability to read and speak the Greek language. The Romans had conquered Greece but they had adopted the Grecian art, culture, and language. In Paul’s day anyone who could not speak Greek was called a “barbarian,” which meant uncultured or primitive.
• “…wise and foolish” Paul could also have said, “…tall and short, rich and poor, male and female, black and white, ugly and beautiful, etc.” He just means that the Gospel is for everyone. 

Verse 15: So I am eager to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome.    

• “I am eager…” This is his second “I am…” statement. KJV says, “I am ready…” This is not the kind of readiness you express when your wife asks you if you are ready to drive to the hospital for your 10-year colonoscopy. “Yes, dear. I’m ready to go.” No, this is an excited eagerness to be off on a vacation to the Caribbean for two weeks in the middle of winter! “YES! I’m ready! Let’s go! Where’s the taxi?”
• Nothing else got Paul so revved-up as being able to preach and teach the Word of God and share the Good News about Jesus!    

Verse 16: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.    

• The first two “I am…” statements were in the positive. This one is in the negative: “I am not ashamed of the Gospel…”  I have observed that a lot of Christians seem to be ashamed of the Gospel, at least that’s how they act. They never share it with anyone. They never start spiritual conversations. They never ask friends or family members questions about spiritual things. They never share their personal testimony of how they came to faith in Christ. It’s odd, isn’t it? If knowing Jesus and having the assurance that we will go to Heaven when we die is really the best Good News in the world, then why are we so afraid to say anything about it unless someone asks us point-blank, which they almost never do.
• “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because/for it is the power of God for salvation…” Here’s the secret of Paul’s witnessing zeal and courage. He was absolutely convinced that there is nothing else in the world that can change people from the inside out and transform them from sinners into saints. God had done that for him and he knew that if God could save him, a proud, self-righteous religious bigot who persecuted Christians to their deaths, then He could save anyone! Paul understood that the greatest demonstration of the awesome power of God is not seen in the realm of nature—fire, lightening, thunder, floods, etc.—but in the turning of a sinner from darkness to light, from death to life. That’s the real dunamis [power] of God, for salvation.
• “…salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek [Gentile].” God is no respecter of persons. He will save anyone who will come to Him in faith and trust in Christ. Jew/Gentile, Greek/barbarian, rich/poor; it doesn’t matter to Him. He just looks at the heart.   

Verse 17: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”    

• “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed” What does the “it” refer to? You have to back in the text to the previous verse, verse 16. “It” is “the Gospel” that has the power to save, to transform, and to make a person new. Paul says that the Gospel reveals the righteousness of God in His dealings with sinners.
•  By faith, we believe that we are sinners, both by nature and by choice, because the Bible says so.
• By faith, we believe that God is absolutely Holy and Just, because the Bible says so.
• By faith, we believe that for reasons known only to Him, by His Son’s death on the cross, we can have our sins forgiven, because the Bible says so.
• By faith, we believe that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves but must throw ourselves on God’s mercy, admitting that we are sinners and trusting in Jesus’ death on the cross in our place, because the Bible says so.
• “…from faith to/for faith.” We come to Christ by faith. Faith is the beginning of the salvation process, but it is also the goal! When a person first exercises faith in Christ he is saved from the penalty of sin and is declared righteous by God. But as he lives by faith, daily, he is saved from the power of sin and enabled to live a life of righteousness before God and men. 
• "The just/righteous shall live by faith.” Here Paul quotes from the OT, from Habakkuk 2:4. And this verse really serves as the theme for the whole Book of Romans. Moreover, as I mentioned in the beginning, this is the verse that lit the Reformation fires in 1517 when Martin Luther read this passage and understood it for the first time, despite the fact that he had looked at it many times before. Something finally clicked into place for him and the light-bulb came on. On that day, he stepped off the religious treadmill that he had been on all his life in Roman Catholicism and placed his entire faith and trust in Christ, renouncing his “good works” and religiosity as having any value toward salvation, and threw himself on the mercy of God, holding nothing back. And for the first time in his life he experienced the peace of God, the peace “that passes all understanding.”

CONCLUSION:

         If you have never taken the step of trusting in Christ as your Savior and Lord then I would encourage you not to put it off. The Bible says in II Cor. 6:2, “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” You may be a sincere, religious person, with high morals and impeccable ethics but those things, laudable as they are, cannot save you. You may have been baptized, gone to confession, attended church, and performed many pious acts of charity, however those things cannot save you either. The Bible declares in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” God offers to you the gift of salvation but you must choose to receive it, or not. The choice is yours.

         And lastly, for you who are believers and have already come to know Him in a real and personal way I want to ask you a couple of questions: “What is holding you back from telling your story and sharing the message of salvation with others? Do you sense that you are a debtor—that you owe it to them to tell them how they can find eternal life? Are you eager and ready to share the Good News with those whom God brings across your path? Or are you ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, not fully convinced that everyone needs to hear it?

         I challenge you to begin starting out every morning praying and asking God for at least one opportunity to share the Gospel with someone. Then be on the alert because He loves to answer that prayer. The Holy Spirit will present you with open doors to be a witness for Christ. The question is, “Will you have the courage to step through those doors when they open up?”

FEEDBACK:

        Any comments, questions, or observations about what I’ve presented?