Romans 1.29a-The Human Race is Consumed with Unrighteousness as a Result of a Disapproved Intellect
Prairie View Christian Church
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday July 8, 2007
Romans: Romans 1:29a-The Human Race is Consumed with Unrighteousness as a Result of a Disapproved Intellect
Lesson # 36
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 1:18.
This morning we will continue with our study of the second major section in the book of Romans, which appears in Romans 1:18-3:20 and deals with the universal need of the righteousness of God.
This passage is divided into three major sections: (1) The unrighteousness of the Gentiles (1:18-32). (2) The unrighteousness of the Jews (2:1-3:8). (3) The universal unrighteousness of men (3:9-20).
We are currently engaged in a study of Romans 1:18-32, which is divided into two sections: (1) The basis for Gentile guilt (1:18-23). (2) The results of Gentile guilt (1:24-32).
We have completed a study of the first section and at the present time, we are studying the second section.
In Romans 1:24, we read where God gave the human race over to immoral degeneracy as a result of rejecting His revelation of Himself in creation.
Then, in Romans 1:25a, we saw that God gave the human race over to immoral degeneracy who were of such evil character that they exchanged the truth of God for the lie.
In Romans 1:25b, Paul writes that the human race was of such evil character that not only did they exchange the truth of God for the lie but they also worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator.
Next, in Romans 1:26a, Paul writes that because the human race exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than Him as their Creator, God gave the human race over to disgraceful perversities, which he identifies in Romans 1:26b and 27 as lesbianism and homosexuality.
In Romans 1:26b, Paul explains or identifies that one of the “disgraceful perversities” he mentions in Romans 1:26a is lesbianism.
Then, in Romans 1:27, we read that God not only gave heathen Gentile women over to lesbianism for their rejection of Him but also He gave the men over to homosexuality for the same reason.
On Thursday evening we noted Romans 1:28, in which Paul writes that God gave the human race over to a disapproved intellect for rejecting Him.
This morning, we will study Romans 1:29a, in which Paul writes that the human race is consumed with committing unrighteousness as a direct result of God giving the human race over to a disapproved intellect.
Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”
Romans 1:19, “because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.”
Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
Romans 1:21, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
Romans 1:22-23, “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.”
Romans 1:24, “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.”
Romans 1:25, “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”
Romans 1:26-27, “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.”
Romans 1:28-32, “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
Here is the corrected translation of Romans 1:28-32.
Romans 1:28-32: Furthermore, just as, they never approved of God for the purpose of retaining (Him) in the realm of knowledge, God, as an eternal spiritual truth, gave them over to a disapproved intellect in order to habitually do improper things with the result that they have been consumed with each and every kind of unrighteousness, evil, greed, malice, extensively engaged in envy, murder, strife, deception, evil dispositions, scandals, slanders, God-haters, violent insolent antagonists, arrogant, loud arrogant boasters, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, stupid, contract breakers, unaffectionate with loved ones, unmerciful, who indeed by virtue of their evil character, although, they as an eternal spiritual truth know experientially the righteous regulation originating with God, namely, that those who as a lifestyle practice such things are as an eternal spiritual truth worthy, namely, of death, they not only as a lifestyle do the same things but also, they as an eternal spiritual truth applaud those who as a lifestyle practice such things.”
The catalogue of sins that appear in Romans 1:29-31 is comparable to the lists that appear in other parts of Scripture (See Mark 7:21-23; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; 2 Timothy 3:2-5).
“Being filled” is the verb pleroo (plhrovw) (play-ro-o), which in context means, “to consumed with” committing mental, verbal and overt acts of sin as indicated by the list of sins recorded in Romans 1:29-31.
In Romans 1:29, the verb pleroo is in the passive voice meaning “to be filled with something” in the sense of being “consumed” by it since it is used in relation to a list of personal sins committed by members of the human race as a result of God giving them over to a disapproved intellect.
Therefore, rather than translate the verb as “filled with” a more accurate translation would be “consumed with” since this expression is a more accurate reflection of the word in Romans 1:29.
The English word “consume” means, “to be absorbed with” or “engrossed with” something.”
The word “absorb” means, “to be deeply engrossed with something” and the term “engross” means, “to be occupied completely as the mind or attention, to be absorbed with something.”
In Romans 1:29, the verb pleroo expresses the fact that the human race is “consumed with” committing mental, verbal and overt acts of sin that are summed up with the noun adikia, “unrighteousness.”
The perfect tense of the verb pleroo is an “intensive” perfect, which emphasizes the present state of unregenerate man with being consumed with committing mental, verbal and overt acts of sin and this state is the direct result of God giving him over to a disapproved intellect.
The verb pleroo is a “participle of result” indicating that the human race is consumed with committing mental, verbal and overt acts of sin “as a result” of God giving it over to a disapproved intellect.
Romans 1:29, “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips.”
“All unrighteousness” is composed of the dative instrumental feminine singular form of the adjective pas (pa$), “all” and the dative instrumental feminine singular form of the noun adikia (a)dikiva) (ad-ee-kee-ah), “unrighteousness.”
The noun adikia is the antithesis in meaning to the noun dikaiosune (dikaiosuvnh), “righteousness,” which was used in classical Greek and the LXX (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) as a general term for “virtue” and “integrity” of character, thus, adikia is the state of possessing no virtue or integrity.
Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines “integrity”: (1) Soundness of and adherence to moral principle and character; uprightness; honesty (2) The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished (3) A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition.
Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines “virtue”: (1) Moral excellence; goodness; righteousness (2) Conformity of one’s life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness, rectitude.
Therefore, in Romans 1:29, the noun adikia refers to the human race as having “no” integrity in the sense that its character is “not” sound, and does “not” adhere to the will of God, and they do “not” love, and are “not” upright, honest, perfectly whole, they are “diminished,” and “unsound,” “impaired” and in a “bad” condition.
The noun adikia describes the human race as having “no” virtue in the sense that it has “no” moral excellence, “no” goodness, and its conduct is does “not” conform to the will of God.
In relation to the Christian, the noun dikaiosune, “righteousness” refers to fulfilling one’s obligations to love both God and men, doing right to both God and men.
Therefore, the noun adikia refers to “not” fulfilling one’s obligations to love both God and men or in other words, doing right by both of them.
Therefore, we can see that the human race disobeys the divine command to love your neighbor as yourself.
Mark 12:28, “One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, ‘What commandment is the foremost of all?’”
Mark 12:29-30, “Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’”
Mark 12:31, “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:32-33, “The scribe said to Him, ‘Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.’”
Mark 12:34, “When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.”
In Romans 13, the apostle Paul describes for the Roman believers what loving one’s neighbor means.
Romans 13:8, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”
Romans 13:9, “For this, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’”
Romans 13:10, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”