A Depraved Lifestyle—Part II

MARCH 26, 2023 STUDY NOTES ROMANS 1:28-32 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES A DEPRAVED LIFESTYLE—PART 2 INTRODUCTION In the previous verses we learned that sinful man rejected God’s revelation of Himself Sinful man rejected the truth about God and turned away from God to idols of their own choice Sinful man turned from the truth of God’s creation of man, Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Sinful man accepted the lie of Satan, “You shall be as God,” Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Man’s desire to be his own God led to idolatry and idolatry led them to immorality The path of immorality is a degrading path resulting in “A Depraved Lifestyle” In Romans 1:28 Paul begins his description of a depraved lifestyle, Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; His list of sins is a description of the things that a reprobate mind is capable-of committing, Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, A depraved mind thinks and desires the things that should not be done, things that are not pleasing to God We studied verse 28 and 29 last week, in verse 30 Paul describes more sins of “A Depraved Lifestyle” SIN AND MORE SIN—Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, This verse picks up where the last verse left off, referring to those “Secret Slanderers” Here we have the “backbiters,” describing slandering which is out in the open Which is a step above the so-called secret gossipers, there is no secret in the words of a “backbiter” “Backbiters” openly speak against others in an attempt to harm their reputation It goes like this, “Well, let me tell you what I heard,” and they don’t care who hears them Paul now presents those who not only turn against others they turn against God, “haters of God” Paul has just presented those who slander others either secretly or openly Usually in defense of their own sinful ways, turning against others to protect their own actions People think you can make yourself look good by making others look bad Paul now speaks of those who slander God for the very same reasons Turning against God in order to justify their own actions If sinful man is going to be right, God must be wrong The ancient Greeks called those who turned against God, “God haters” “Haters of God” blame God for all the things they don’t want to experience within their daily life “Despiteful” is an arrogant attitude that takes pleasure in insulting others, including God Paul used the same word to describe the insulting injury that he brought against others and God, 1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Paul is referring to his persecution of Christians before he was saved When his actions were without respect for other people or God The “proud” are those who display an attitude of haughty superiority One who has an arrogant spirit, one who shows himself to be above others A person who is puffed up with a high opinion of self is one who stands against God and others And is one of which God stands against, God sets himself against the “proud” Page 1 of 5 James presents the “proud” as those who will not surrender to God’s will So, they set themselves up against God and God sets Himself up against them, Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Peter tells us that God resisteth the proud, 1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. “Resisteth” was a military term meaning to take one’s position against an enemy God sets Himself against the proud as an army line’s up against the enemy “Pride” was the problem of Lucifer, Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! Lucifer the “shining one” is the one who became Satan the opposer of God In Isaiah 14:12-14 we find that it is Satan who energized the king of Babylon The statements, terms, and characteristics in these verses cannot refer to a mere man They refer to Satan, the one who is behind the person of the king of Babylon Here we have an account of the entrance of sin into the universe by the fall of Lucifer The first sin to be committed in the universe was by none another than Satan, here called Lucifer There are five “I will’s” which outline his sin and fall These five statements are all from the root of one sin, the basic sin of Satan was “pride” Satan had an “I” problem, “I” as in the middle of S-I-N, “I” as in the middle of PR-I-DE Satan wanted to be greater than he was created to be, which is the desire of the “proud” He was created to bring glory to God, but he wanted all the glory for himself Five “I will’s” emphasize his arrogance and “pride,” Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. A proud spirit puts self in the position that belongs to God, putting self before the Lord, Pro 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. (“Pride” is an abomination to the Lord) The path of pride is a path of destruction, Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Pride leads to contention with others, strife, and quarrels, Pro 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. The “well advised” are those who are humble, humility is the opposite of pride The proud will not listen to God or others, those with a spirit of humility will “Boasters” describes an attitude that is the result of pride Referring to a person who is full of big words about self Someone claiming to be more than they really are Someone claiming to have done more than they have really done “Boasters” exaggerate their abilities, accomplishments, talents, and reputation If they don’t tell others about themselves, others won’t know about them But even then they won’t know the truth about the “boaster” The word translated “boasters” is found only one other time in the NT, 2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Boasting is showing off a manner of life, showing off to others your sinful ways Boasters are “inventors of evil things” Paul now begins to use two-word descriptions of sinful and evil character Sinful man is continually finding new ways to commit sin or evil (Watch the daily news) Evil seeks new ways when the old ways are no longer as much fun as they used to be Evil acts are becoming more destructive, damaging, and harmful to more people Evil acts now desires the destruction of many at one time (Watch the daily news) Paul states a characteristic of our day that is rapidly leading to all of the above, “disobedient to parents” Page 2 of 5 Disobedience to parents is rapidly increasing in our day and there is a reason why Parents who are disobedient to God have greatly influenced disobedience to parents Which disobeys the fifth commandment, Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Which is the first commandment with a promise attached, Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise The Bible reveals many characteristics of sinful man that will make the last days difficult to live in The last days of this earth will be especially difficult for Christians to live their life for Christ One of those characteristics will be “disobedience to parents,” 2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, It is easy to compare Paul’s list of sins in 2 Timothy 3 with those in Romans 1 SINS KIND OF PEOPLE—Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: “Without understanding” describes the kind of people that come forth from a life of sin What is this lack of understanding? Certainly, they understand worldly ways of life They are highly knowledgeable of sinful ways and evil acts But they lack understanding of that which is of God, so they are spiritually foolish The word “understanding” is translated “foolish” in, Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (They are without understanding because of a foolish heart) They are not only foolish, they are “covenantbreakers” because of their unrighteous ways They cannot be trusted to abide by their agreements or trusted to keep a commitment The next sin mentioned confirms the reason for covenantbreaking They are “without natural affection,” which no doubt exists in our society today The meaning is without love for kindred, without love for the family, without family affection “Natural affection” is the love that a married man and woman have for one another The love that parents naturally have for their children “Natural affection” is no longer the way of life for many American families of today People only go home when they are too tired to go anywhere else Home is where they can go when they don’t have the money to go anywhere else And when at home nothing or no one else matters but self Today too many homes are no longer a place of love and personal relationship “Natural affection” is the home where husbands and wives give and share with one another Home is to be the place where parents and children share love and life with one another Few families face one another anymore, they face-book each other The average home life of today is T.V., computers, and cell phones It is time to turn them all off and sit down together, talk to one another face to face Eat together, pray together, laugh together, cry together, and go to church together Paul now describes the person who has a nature that cannot be satisfied, they are “implacable” The same word is translated “trucebreaker” in, 2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, A “trucebreaker” is the person who will not agree with anything that disagrees with them Because the attitude is, “there is only one way,” which is, “my way” Covenants, vows, agreements, and promises are without meaning to them There is no thought of giving in to others, forgiving others, or no attempt of reconciliation Trucebreakers are continually at war with something or someone, even at war with self Trucebreakers will not listen to or accept any terms of reconciliation Living in one sin after another does not satisfy their life, it only intensifies the battle “Unmerciful” describes what follows the previous sin of a trucebreaker “Unmerciful” is a wicked, ruthless lifestyle without compassion for others Page 3 of 5 That which they approve of is their life of sin APPROVAL OF SIN—Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Sinners know that God calls their way of life sin, and that God warns of the judgment of sin If their knowledge was true in Paul’s day, how much more so is it true today? The church has made known the truth of sin and the judgment of sin Which knowledge is laughed at, mocked, and rejected by todays sinful world Sinners today do not accept “that they which commit such things are worthy of death” So, they continue to defy God and live in their sins, sin which deserves death, Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. God’s gift to sinners is Jesus who paid the price for our sins, 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: Sinners are not worthy of the death that Jesus died for us (Thank God for His mercy upon us) Sinners are not worthy of the life that Jesus will give those who repent of their sins (Thank God for grace) His desire is that they repent of their sins, 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (Thank God for His loving patience toward us) But God allows sinners to live in their sin and sinners continue to live in their sins and enjoy them “Not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” Sinners not only continue to live in their sins, they find pleasure in sin They find pleasure within themselves and pleasure among themselves Sin likes company, sin likes a crowd, sin draws a crowd Sinners are encouraging one another to indulge in the same sinful lifestyle Sinful man approves and applauds the sins of others Instead of being ashamed of sin and repenting of it they approve of an evil lifestyle Do not think that what Paul says is limited to those who go to worldly places to be entertained People go to church today and talk about the places they would never go and things they don’t do But they sit at home and are entertained by sex scenes, violence, and debauchery They laugh at the sins that Christians should mourn over They applaud what they should desire to defeat, it is time for Christians to awake unto righteousness, 1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. CONCLUSION Sinners have always had a witness of God, creation reveals the Person and Power of God The inner conscience of man reveals the presence of God But sinful man has consistently throughout the ages suppressed the truth of God Sinful man has always turned to idolatry, every age has made and accepted their own idols Our world is desperately wicked, God has given a sinful world over to idolatry But God’s wrath has been revealed from Heaven The day will come when God’s wrath will fall from Heaven That future day of God’s Wrath is known in scripture as the, “Day of the Lord” Has Paul presented to us that sinners are hopeless? If there was no hope for sinful man Jesus would not have gone to the cross for our sins If there was no hope for sinful man, we would not have the Bible There is hope for every sinner because Jesus has not returned to the earth yet The “Day of Grace” will one day end and the “Day of the Lord” will begin Today is the day to tell sinners about Jesus, His name is Jesus because, Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Page 4 of 5 Lost sinners must be told the truth of salvation, Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Jesus is waiting for sinners to come to Him, Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Jesus is waiting for you to come to Him Listen to the song Page 5 of 5