Romans 1

Truth!

I believe it was Anton Thibaut back in the 1800’s who made the statement, “The wise try to adjus themselves to the truth, while fools try to adjust the truth to themselves.”

I don’t know what Thibaut’s faith was like, or even if he had any, but he laid out for us a perfect picture of one of the greatest problems facing the world today...

A COMPLETE AND TOTAL TWISTING OF TRUTH!

(If you have your Bibles this morning, please open them to Romans 1.)

Paul wrote the letter to the church of Rome with the plans to travel there and greet them in person.

- It is believed that Paul wrote the letter to the Roman church while stopped in Corinth on the way to Jerusalem.

We read in Acts 21 that Paul was warned he may not make it to Rome, so he had to have considered that this letter may be his only chance to reach them.

Acts 21:10-14 nasb

10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And he came to us and took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we became quiet, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!”

In spite of the warnings, Paul knew his mission and he was going to get the truth out, no matter the cost.

PAul wrote the letter to the Roman church to lay out the TRUTH with all clarity in case he should never reach Rome.

We begin our reading in Romans 1:1

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus,

We could stop this message right now and do an entire sermon just on the first half of verse 1.

- Paul had some very impressive credentials as we have discussed in the past.

How easy would it have been for him to refer to himself as “Paul, world traveler, keeper of the truth and greatest speaker of all time!??”

But instead, notice that he lists himself, above all else, as a bond servant of Christ.

In essence, he was once PURCHASED by the blood of Christ, bought at a high price…and now owned by Christ through His purchase.

Do you view yourself in that same way?

(Cont.)

called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul, formerly a Pharisee of Pharisee’s, persecuter of Christ and His followers, now gives us a beautiful description of what it means to be a servant of Christ.

YES, we have an obligation to serve.

We were after all purchased at a price that none of us could pay.

But Jesus did not pay that price for us that we would be nothing more than puppets whose string He could pull.

He wants our hearts.

Jeremiah 17:10,

I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, To give to each person according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.

We are not to be servants of Christ because we want “fire insureance”…some kind of “get of hell free” card.

Christ loved us before we were born.

Death in one of the most painful ways imaginable was not too high of a price to pay for you, so how could we serve Him out of anything but love?

(Cont.)

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.

I want to read you verse 12 in another translation.

Romans 1:12 NLT

12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.

Paul knew he needed other believers every bit as much as they needed him.

So many today argue that going to church and being a part of a church family is an idea that’s past it’s prime.

That they can sit at home and watch a sermon on their devices, and maybe listen to some music and that is just as good.

Granted, there may be times in our life where we have no other choice, but to do that, but there is no comparison to being together in person.

Being together, united as we lift our voices to worship our creator.

Being together to pray over one another.

Being together…just as Paul stated…to encourage one another.

(Cont.)

13 I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

One of the things I love about Paul’s letters is that he doesn’t pull his punches.

He declares the truth boldly, even if it may offend some.

Because real truth does not cease to be truth just because it makes you uncomfortable.

John 8:31-32

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

But mankind wants to declare his own truth.

Whatever helps him to sleep at night should be truth.

Whatever makes him feel good about himself should be truth.

While, like it or not, truth is not subjective.

Something is true PERIOD or it’s not.

And Christianity is no different.

It is either true or it’s not.

We hear people all the time who say, “Jesus was just a really good man, but surely He was not God.”

Or, “Jesus was a good teacher, but they likely made up all those scenarios of Him fulfilling prophecy.”

Both of those scenarios are IMPOSSIBLE!

Jesus is EXACTLY who he says HE is (and He is) or HE can not be a good man or a good teacher!!!!

To be a “good man” one can NOT lie and blaspheme.

To be a good teacher, one can not spread a lie throughout the world!

There can be no half truth, no sorta’ turth....Jesus is either absolute truth or one BAD man.

I will tell you that I believe with all of my heart that Jesus is Truth!

Starting at verse 18, we see the consequences of rejecting the truth.

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. 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.

Read verse 23 again.

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.

We are all given that choice to make.

DO WE ACCEPT SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OR WILL WE CONTINUE TO WORSHIP OURSELVES AND THE GOD OF THIS WORLD?????

So often the arguments that are given against the Truth, the One hope for salvation, are so foolish, so filled with pride, while desperately trying to sound wise.

I don’t know about you, but the most common argument I hear from nonbelievers is:

“If God is real and God is loving, then why would He send anyone to hell?”

I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I have heard this flawed logic.

GOD DOESN’T SEND ANYONE TO HELL!

They choose to go there.

It’s like God is reaching out these people who are drowing at sea.

- He’s telling them, “Take My hand, it is the only way for you to survive!”

But their respnse is, “How judgemental of you! I want to do it my way!”

Their salvation is right in front of them, but their hard hearts won’t allow them to take the hand of the one who calling them to life.

So God gives each of us the free will to choose.

- Life or death.

- If it is death we choose, not just physical death, but the eternal seperation from Jesus Christ, God will eventually grant that to us.

(Cont.)

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.

Doesn’t that sound like our world today?

(Cont.)

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.

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.

The complete and total denial of Truth.

From the very beginning of mankind, the Devil has whispered in our ears that there is no truth.

Over and over throughout the generations, mankind has fallen for that same lie, and today, we see that lie all around us!!!

Just think about the statements we hear all the time...

“If it makes you feel good, then who are we to judge?”

“That may be your truth, but it’s not mine.”

But there is truth, and that One Truth is Jesus Christ!

The truth is that there is one way and one way only into heaven and that is through a relationship with Jesus Christ!

Making Him the Lord and Savior of your life.

Placing your faith and your trust in Him.

Mankind was in trouble and we desperately needed a bridge between ouselves and the Father.

When we place our faith in Jesus and make Him Lord of our lives, that bridge is formed.

Jesus built that once and for all when He gave His life on the cross, was resurrected again on the third day and then returned to Heaven.

He paid the price with His shed blood for your sins and for mine.

So as we partake in communion together remember the price that was paid for you....you have been purchased by a loving Savior at a very high price.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26,

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

25 In the same way He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.