Gods Wrath On Unrighteousness

Romans 1:16-32

The NIV omits the opening of verse 18 “For”. This word is important because it links this statement to the preceding one and gives a reason for it. The gospel is necessary because there is such a thing as the wrath of God, because only the gospel of salvation by grace through faith (vv. 16–17) brings deliverance from that wrath

The idea tonight is the darkness that we talked briefly about this morning.

What Paul is writing about is a world, society, or life without God, without Christ. This is how it turns out.

The human not living for the truth will eventually worship the creation! This was the condition of the world in Noah’s day, in Sodom and Gomorrah, many other cultures and time periods.

Paul tells us here in this passage that anyone on the planet has been given enough revelation of God through creation to seek out God! So much so that those who reject, refuse, or deny will be without excuse! These are the ones that even though God has been revealed through creation, conscience, and through His Word, men choose to resist and oppose God’s truth in exchange to continue in sin.

So, let’s just dispose of the argument or question that asks: “What about those that have never heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?; What happens to them?”

According to this, that is not a legitimate argument, they have been given enough to seek out the Creator!

To live life such as described in this passage, you would have to utterly deny or reject that there is not a Creator or you have to flat out believe that your way is better!

This is the idea of the antichrist, which that spirit is in the world today, but the Holy Spirit which resides in the believer is holding this antichrist spirit back.

Not many thankful for God being the Lord over us and also being merciful in sending His Son!

They do not honor God, they are not thankful to God.

Man’s chief end is to glorify God!

Man’s search for meaning and purpose will produce empty and meaningless conclusions.

This leads to darkness and at this point they become fools, because they actually thing they are wise!

Humans hold humans in high regard, this is vain! Creation on it’s own is foolishness, it is only through the Creator that we are wise!

Notice the world today and the lifting up of man! This politician is going to be the one that saves us or that one has got it going on. This athlete, that entertainer, this smart person, that talented one!

We award all kinds of folks, worshipping them and what they do!!

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 “And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

The Christian believes that creation has nothing without God through Christ! Those that do not believe lift up creation and worship men, animals, trees, etc.

Verses 24-25 basically tells us that because of them changing the truth into a lie, the Lord gave them up to this uncleanness, brought on by their own lusts. Living this was to please the flesh is truly a dishonor to your bodies.

They worshipped the creature more than the Creator!

What does “gave them up” mean: it has the meaning of giving a prisoner over to their sentence!

Remember verse 18....”the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven....” This is what this is! Living without honoring the Creator but rather honoring creation more will result in God giving you to living without His intervention! Basically....... “This is what you want, well here it is and see how it turns out for you.”

There are some that verses 26-27 are dealing with AIDS. It seemed to affect the homosexuals more than anyone. I just believe that there is a lot more to it than just that.

They are and will receive the due penalty for the error, in this life and definitely the next life!

All this just means is that this life was never intended by God to live that way and the old saying applies “If you gonna be dumb you gotta be tough!”

As we close out this chapter, you see that these folks didn’t attribute anything to God, nothing to do with anything about God. God in turn, gives them over to a reprobate mind, what does this mean?

This was term used in those days for worthless metals that were discarded because of them not passing the test, because they contained too much impurity!

Truly every human is impure, but I am pure because of Christ! Because of Christ I saw my impurity and I also saw my redemption!

There is a list of impurities.........

Worthy of death, is those who commit those things! Paul says that they know the judgement of God but do it anyway and this is what is left out of the discussion alot of times: “They have pleasure in doing those things!”

That is what stinks in the nostrils of God!

Romans 2:1-4......Paul speaks against the, religious moralist, whether it is Jew or Gentile. Those that talk and walk a good way, but go around judging everyone. They are in the same boat! They are worshipping themselves and not God! Worshiping themselves rather than God!

They are without excuse, as well!

They despise the riches of God’s goodness through Christ Jesus!