When Truth is Traded

Sermon Title: When Truth is Traded

Series Title: Journey’s Road Map

Text: Romans 1:18–23 (ESV)

[Introduction]

Have you ever watched someone trade something valuable for something worthless? Maybe it was a priceless family heirloom sold for a quick buck, or someone who gave up a loving relationship for a fleeting thrill. When you see it, your heart aches because you know—they don’t see what they’re giving up.

In Romans 1:18–23, Paul says that humanity has done just that. We have traded the truth of God for lies, the glory of the Creator for the images of creation. This passage is sobering because it shows us what happens when we reject God’s truth—it’s not just that we lose something precious; we set ourselves on a path toward destruction.

[Point 1: God’s Wrath Is a Present Reality]

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

When Paul speaks of God’s wrath, he’s not talking about random bursts of anger. The Greek word here, orgē, refers to God’s settled, righteous opposition to sin. This wrath is already being revealed—not just in the future but now. We see it in the consequences of sin, in the breakdown of relationships, in the decay of societies.

The key phrase is “suppress the truth.” Humanity isn’t ignorant of God—we’re resistant to Him. It’s like holding a beach ball underwater. The truth is there, but we push it down because it confronts us.

Illustration: Imagine a doctor giving you a diagnosis you don’t like, so you tear up the report and throw it away. Did the disease disappear? No—you just suppressed the truth about it. That’s what humanity has done with God’s truth.

Application: Are there truths from God’s Word you’ve been suppressing because they’re uncomfortable? God’s wrath isn’t a distant threat; it’s a present reality for those resisting Him. The wisest thing you can do is stop pushing the truth down and let it rise to the surface.

[Point 2: God Has Made Himself Known]

Paul continues: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived… in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (vv. 19–20).

Creation itself is God’s canvas. From the intricate design of a single cell to the vast expanse of galaxies, God has woven His power and nature into the fabric of the world. This is what theologians call general revelation. It’s enough to reveal that God exists and that He is powerful, but it’s not enough to save—that’s why we need the gospel.

Paul’s point is sobering: humanity’s problem isn’t a lack of evidence; it’s a lack of willingness. We are “without excuse.”

Illustration: Think of a courtroom where the evidence is overwhelming—video footage, eyewitnesses, fingerprints—and yet the accused still claims innocence. That’s humanity before God. The evidence of His existence and glory is everywhere, yet we claim we can’t see it.

Application: Do you take the witness of creation for granted? The next time you see a sunrise, the ocean waves, or even the complexity of your own hand, let it move you to worship, not to indifference.

[Point 3: The Great Exchange—Glory for Idols]

Verses 21–23 say, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking… Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

Here is the tragedy: humanity knows enough about God to worship Him, but instead we choose idols. Idolatry isn’t just bowing down to statues—it’s giving ultimate value to anything other than God. It could be money, success, relationships, or self.

Notice the downward spiral: no honor to God, no gratitude, futile thinking, darkened hearts, false wisdom, foolishness, and finally, idolatry. This is the anatomy of spiritual collapse.

Illustration: If you were offered the Mona Lisa and you traded it for a refrigerator magnet of the Mona Lisa, people would think you’d lost your mind. That’s what idolatry is—trading the real glory of God for cheap knockoffs.

Application: What in your life has taken the place of God’s glory? Where are you settling for a cheap imitation? The only cure for idolatry is to see the surpassing worth of God’s glory in Christ.

[Conclusion]

Paul paints a bleak but honest picture: humanity suppresses God’s truth, ignores His revelation, and trades His glory for idols. And because of this, we stand under His righteous wrath.

But here’s the hope—while we have traded away God’s glory, Jesus came to trade places with us. At the cross, He took our wrath so we could receive His righteousness.

So the question is: Will you keep suppressing the truth, or will you let it set you free? Will you keep trading glory for idols, or will you worship the One who is worthy?

Let’s be a people who see the truth, receive it, and live for the glory of God.

Amen.