Righteousness Needed

I. THE SALUTATION—vv.

1. Person—v. 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.

(NLT) 1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.

1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.

2. Promise—v. 2. The prophecy of salvation fulfilled.

(NLT) 2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.

2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.

3. Pleasure—v. 8. Paul is pleased with the Christians.

(NLT) 8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.

8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.

4. Prayer—vv. 9–10. Paul prays for the Christians.

(NLT) 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son. 10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.

9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.

10One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.

II. THE SATISFACTION—vv.

1. Debt/Dedication—v. 14-15. Paul owes a debt to many and he is ready to preach the Good News.

(NLT) 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.

14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike.

2. Dedication—v. . Ready to preach.

15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.

III. THE SALVATION—vv.

1. The Gospel of Christ/Godliness and Righteousness by faith—v. 16-17

(NLT) 16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

a. Pride—“I am not ashamed.”

b. Power—“The power of God unto salvation.”

c. People—“To everyone that believeth.”

IV. THE SORROW—v. 18

(NLT) 18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

1. Ungodliness. Sinful Christian living hurts the work of the Lord.

2. Unrighteousness. Righteousness is needed if we expect to enter heaven.

V. THE SHAME—vv. 19–20

(NLT) 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

20For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

1. Manifestation—v. . Man knows there is a God!

2. Manner—v. . Man will be without excuse.

VI. THE SIN—vv. 21–32

1. People—vv. 21–23. Knowing God, but no worship.

(NLT) 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

21Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.

22Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.

23And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

2. Problem—vv. 24–25. Sexual sins of mankind.

(NLT) 24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

24So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.

25They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

3. Perversion—vv. 26–28. Sexual perversion of man.

(NLT) 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. 28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.

26That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.

27And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

28Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.

4. Personality—vv. . Encouraged others to sin.

(NLT) 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

29Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.

30They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.

31They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.

32They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.