The Book Of Romans Class 11
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QUESTIONS:
1. Continued sin forces God to give men up to their own desires. Why is this true? How can you use this strong Scripture to reach someone living in sin?
2. How far-reaching is sin's damage to the lives of other people?
3. What role does man's free will play in his abandonment of God? In God's abandonment of men?
2. Man abandons God, actually turns away from God and gives God up. This may be called spiritual abandonment: man spiritually abandons God. God has given man a free will, and if a man wills to turn away from God, he can. God will not interfere with that choice. To do so would be to take away man's freedom.
2. Man abandons God, actually turns away from God and gives God up. This may be called spiritual abandonment: man spiritually abandons God. God has given man a free will, and if a man wills to turn away from God, he can. God will not interfere with that choice. To do so would be to take away man's freedom.
So God appeals to man spiritually, through mercy and love and grace, but He does not violate man's choice. To do so would be to have a coerced and mechanical universe. Man would become nothing but a robot, coerced to do this and that and to do it exactly as God wills.
The result would be tragic: man would never experience love, goodness, care, concern, or feelings. Love is not love if it is coerced. It is mechanical and meaningless. The expression of any affection or virtue is meaningless unless it is freely given. Therefore, when man turns away from God, he himself makes the choice to do so, and God cannot interfere. The choice is man's, and man is abandoned to do exactly as he has chosen.
Ephraim is joined to idols:
Let him alone.
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Therefore, God has no choice. He must...
aTherefore, God has no choice. He must...
· give man up
· let man go his own way
· spiritually abandon man
· leave man to live for that which he has chosen
So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust:
And they walked in their own counsels.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
romans 1:24-25
GOD GAVE MEN UP TO UNCLEANNESS
GOD GAVE MEN UP TO UNCLEANNESS
The word uncleanness means impurity, filthiness, immorality, defilement, pollution, contamination, infection.
When men turn from God—abandon God to live unclean and immoral lives—God leaves men. He abandons them to their choice. God lets men wallow around in their filthiness. Men are judged and condemned to uncleanness.
1. The reason men are condemned to "uncleanness" is because of the lusts "in their hearts."
Their hearts are filled with lusts, that is, passionate cravings, desires, and urges.
They long after things that displease God and that dishonor their bodies.
God cares deeply about the human body, and he judges any person who abuses the body.
In the Greek the lusts are said to be "in their own hearts." Sin takes place in the heart before it takes place by act.
And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
2. The result of living an unclean life is idolatry. Men "changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator." When men live in uncleanness, they begin to serve and to give their lives to one of two things. a. They serve themselves, giving their time and energy to their own desires, pursuits, and lusts. b. They serve other "gods," gods that allow them to go ahead and live as they wish. They imagine what god is like and they worship him either in their mind or in some graven image molded by their hands.
They conceive of a god that is... ·
1. a god of some religion · a god of Christianity · a god of some part of nature· a god of men · a god of creation · a god of goodness
The point is this.
Man abandons the only true and living God and lusts after uncleanness. He lusts and craves so much... · that he creates a god in his own mind who allows him to satisfy his lust. · that he rationalizes and thinks that his god understands his situation and need, and that his god will not judge him for his uncleanness and immorality.
· that he conceives of a god who will allow him to do what he wants.
· that he matches his god to fit his morals, letting his morals determine the kind of god he is going to worship.
· that he twists god to fit what he wants.
· that he allows his morals (uncleanness) to control his thoughts about God.
Man serves and gives his time and energy to the god he imagines in his mind and to the idols he creates within his imagination and thoughts. He abandons God so that he can live the unclean life he craves. Therefore, God judges man and abandons man to live in his uncleanness.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
GOD GAVE MEN UP TO VILE, UNNATURAL AFFECTIONS
GOD GAVE MEN UP TO VILE, UNNATURAL AFFECTIONS
The term vile affections means passions, dishonor, disgrace, infamy, shame, and degradation. It means passions that cannot be controlled or governed, that run loose and wild, no matter how much a person tries to control them.
1. The reason God gives men up to vile affections is because of their unnatural passion. Men continue to lust, craving the illegitimate and unlawful. They burn in their lust one for another.
And note what Scripture is talking about: unnatural affection, that is, homosexuality.
a. Women burn and lust and exchange the "natural use into that which is against nature." And note, it is against nature.
b. Men burn in their "lust one toward another; men with men doing that which is shameful."
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Note again that the sin takes place in the heart.
Men burn within, crave the sin before they commit the act. It is their burning, their lusting, their craving that sets them aflame to pursue the shameful act. Their hearts burn after other men, not after God. Therefore, they stand condemned, and God is forced to judge them.
2. The result of unnatural affection is a totally depraved nature. When men choose a life of "vile affections," God gives them up to it. It is man's choice, and since it is man's choice, God can do nothing about it. God has to give man up to what he chooses. He does not override man's will.
Note a crucial fact: Scripture says men receive "in themselves that recompence [pay back, punishment] of their error." The judgment for homosexuality is within, not without man. If a person burns after unnatural affection, he is given over to his burning; he is given over to burn and crave more and more. He is judged and condemned to live in his unnatural passion and to feel the shame of it. He is enslaved and held in bondage to it, psychologically and physically. And the judgment is "meet," that is, fit, just, exactly what it should be. If men lust and burn after unnatural affection, it is only fit that they be given what they so passionately crave. Therefore, God judges men by giving men up to live in their vile affections.
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
QUESTIONS:
1. What happens to the man who tries to control his vile affections?
2. Why does God give men up to vile affections? Why is this really a loving act by God?
3. Why is it so difficult for a homosexual to break free from the power of homosexuality? Is there any hope for the homosexual? If so, what is that hope?
4. Why do the excuses for practicing homosexuality not measure up to the truth from God's Word? How would you lead a homosexual into freedom from homosexuality?
GOD GAVE MEN UP TO REPROBATE, DEPRAVED MINDS
GOD GAVE MEN UP TO REPROBATE, DEPRAVED MINDS
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; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
The term reprobate mind means a mind that is rejected, disapproved, degraded, depraved; a mind that cannot stand the test of judgment.
1. The reason God gives men up to reprobate minds is because men reject God. They know God, but they do not "like to retain God in their knowledge." They... · do not like to approve God · do not like to recognize God · do not like to acknowledge God They simply do not want God to have anything to do with their lives; therefore, they push Him out of their minds. They ignore and refuse to accept God's presence.
2. The result is forcibly stated. God gives men over to reprobate minds, minds that are totally depraved. Men are allowed to do exactly as they choose; they are enslaved more and more in their depravity and unsuitable behavior.
(See A CLOSER LOOK, for the meaning of the terrible sins listed.)
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
GOD ASSURES FINAL JUDGMENT: DEATH
GOD ASSURES FINAL JUDGMENT: DEATH
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.
There are two reasons why men will be judged and condemned to death.
1. Men will be judged because they sin and take pleasure in others who sin by doing the same things (). Men have appetites, desires, and lusts; and they spend their lives seeking to fulfill them. The great tragedy is that they not only take pleasure in their own sins, but they take pleasure in the sins of others.
They approve and talk about their selfishness and exploits and that of their friends.
They focus their lives upon... · extravagant living · stylish dress · wealth · power · position · fame · material possessions · sexual affairs
As a result of such selfishness, the sins listed in the Scripture tear at the world and destroy human life (); therefore, the judgment of God is assured.
Those who commit such things and take pleasure in the sins of others shall die, that is, be separated from God eternally.
Ye have wearied the Lord with your words.
Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him?
When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord,
And he delighteth in them;
Or, Where is the God of judgment?
2. Men will be judged because they are without excuse: they know through an inner sense that the judgment of God is coming upon the world.
Men sense that some higher power (God) is going to straighten out the mess in the world: that injustices and inequities will be brought to judgment, condemned, and punished.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
ILLUSTRATION:
There is no mistaking God's intent in dealing with unrepentant sin. He will judge it harshly and efficiently. Some would conclude that God is being too harsh on sinners.
This story illustrates why God is not too harsh.
"A man with an axe was attacked by a vicious dog, and in defending himself had to kill the animal. The owner was furious and asked the man how he dared kill his dog. The man replied that if he had not killed it, the dog would have torn him to pieces. 'Well,' said the owner, 'why did you hit with the blade? Why didn't you just hit it with the handle?' 'I would have,' replied the man, 'if it had tried to bite me with its tail.'"
God knows that when a sinner bares his teeth, the only thing he will respond to is God's final judgment: death!
QUESTIONS:
1. God's final judgment upon sin is death. Why is this necessary?
2. There is a saying that misery loves company. What kind of sick comfort can a sinner gain by pulling others down with him?
3. Why are men without excuse?
SUMMARY: Yes, God is love. But God is also a God of wrath. The terrible sin of men will always evoke a response of wrath from a holy and righteous God. This Scripture is both a warning and a comfort to the believer. If you believe, truly trust in Christ, you can take comfort in the fact that you are covered and protected by the blood of Christ, that you are saved from the wrath of God. But the warning should drive every believer to pray for the unrepentant sinner. Unless the sinner repents, turns away from his sin, he will be lost forever. He will face God's terrible wrath. How does God reveal and execute His wrath upon man?
1. God gives men up to do as they will.
2. God gives men up to uncleanness.
3. God gives men up to vile, unnatural affections.
4. God gives men up to reprobate, depraved minds. 5. God assures final judgment: death.