Sermon Tone Analysis

Prairie View Christian Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Thursday July 12, 2007

www.prairieviewchristian.org

Romans: Romans 1:32-The Human Race’s Justification and Endorsement of Sin

Lesson # 39

Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 1:18.

This evening we will complete our 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).

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.

In Romans 1:28, Paul writes that God gave the human race over to a depraved mind for rejecting Him.

Next, in Romans 1:29a, we studied that the human race is consumed with committing unrighteousness as a direct result of God giving the human race over to a disapproved intellect.

Then, in Romans 1:29b, Paul presents to us a catalogue of sins that the members of the human race commit as the direct result of God giving them over to a disapproved intellect.

Last evening we studied Romans 1:30-31, in which Paul completes his catalogue of sins that members of the human race commit as the direct result of God giving them over to a disapproved intellect.

This evening we will complete our study of the basis for Gentile guilt and the results of it by noting Romans 1:32, in which Paul teaches his readers that the human race justifies its involvement in sin by encouraging and applauding sin.

Romans 1:18-19, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness 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.”

Romans 1:32, “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.”

Romans 1:32 summarizes all that Paul has written in Romans 1:18-31.

The first word in the Greek text of Romans 1:32 is the nominative masculine plural form of the qualitative relative pronoun hostis (o^sti$) (hos-tis), which emphasizes the evil character of the human race in relation to a holy God since in context Paul is pointing out the various acts of sin that the human race has committed and their justification for these sins by applauding each other for committing sin.

Therefore, the translation of Romans 1:32 should begin with expression “who indeed by virtue of their evil character.”

“Although they know” is the nominative masculine plural aorist active participle form of the verb epiginosko (e)piginwvskw) (epi-ghin-oce-ko), which is related to the noun epignosis (e)pivgnwsi$), “an experiential knowledge” and thus means, “to acquire an objective experiential knowledge” of the ordinance of God.

To experience means, “to personally encounter, observe or undergo something through a process, to have knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered or undergone,” and implies being affected by what one meets.

Thus, an experiential knowledge is to possess a particular knowledge of something because one has personally encountered it, observed it or has undergone this particular thing through a process.

It also means to possess knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered or undergone and implies being affected by what one has observed or came into contact with.

In Romans 1:32, the verb epiginosko refers to acquiring an objective experiential knowledge of the ordinance of God in the sense that the human race has personally encountered and possesses knowledge of the ordinance of God and has been affected by this encounter and knowledge in that they know the difference between right and wrong.

“The ordinance” is composed of the accusative neuter singular definite article to (toV), “the” and the accusative (direct object) neuter singular form of the noun dikaioma (dikaivwma) (dik-ah-yo-mah), “ordinance.”

The noun dikaioma is that which God has ordained by law regarding what is right and just, thus it refers to a requirement, regulation, or ordinance and can be translated “righteous requirement,” or “righteous regulation.”

Therefore, Paul is pointing out to his readers that each member of the human race inherently possesses in their conscience God’s regulations of what is right or proper conduct and what is wrong and were thus deserving of divine retribution for practicing sin.

In Romans 2:14-15, Paul teaches his readers that God put the Law in the heart of every human being, thus the Law is inherent in their conscience, which either accuses or defends them when they perform a particular action.

Romans 2:14-15, “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.”

The Law written in the heart of every human being provides the capacity to discern between right and wrong or in other words, whether one is breaking God’s Law or obeying it and thus sinning or not sinning.

The definite article preceding the noun dikaioma emphasizes that this divine regulation that establishes proper conduct is “well-known” to each member of the human race since God has written it in their hearts.

“Of God” is composed of the genitive masculine singular (anaphoric) definite article tou (tou~) and the genitive masculine singular form of the noun theos (qeov$), which refers to the Trinity.

The noun theos functions as a “genitive of source” indicating that this ordinance “originates” with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Romans 1:32, “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.”

“Those who practice” is the articular nominative masculine plural present active participle form of the verb prasso (pravssw), which means, “to make it a habit of practicing” and denotes a habit and a process leading to an accomplishment.

“Such things” is the articular accusative (direct object) neuter plural form of the demonstrative pronoun toioutos (toiou~to$) (toy-oo-tos), which refers to the various acts of sin that are listed by Paul in Romans 1:29-31.

“Worthy” is composed of the (predicate) nominative masculine plural form of the adjective axios (a&cio$) (ax-ee-os), which means, “weighing as much as, of like value, worth as much, having the weight of another thing and so being of like value or worth as much.”

Axios has the root meaning of balancing the scales, what is on one side of the scale should be equal in weight to what is on the other side.

“Death” is the genitive masculine singular form of the noun thanatos (qavnato$) (than-at-os), which refers to eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire (See Revelation 20:12-15).

Therefore, unregenerate humanity is fully aware of the fact that when the various acts of sin that they commit that are listed in Romans 1:29-31, are weighed against the righteous regulation of God, they deserve eternal condemnation.

“They do” is the 3rd person plural present active indicative form of the verb poieo (poievw), which is used to denote an action complete in itself emphasizing accomplishment.

“They give hearty approval” is the 3rd person plural present active indicative form of the compound verb suneudokeo (suneudokevw) (soon-yoo-dok-eh-o), which is composed of the preposition sun, “with” and the verb eudokeo, “to think well, approve” and thus means, “to agree with in principle, to give hearty approval.”

It wasn’t enough that unregenerate humanity was continually involved with committing the various acts of sin listed by Paul in Romans 1:29-31 but they also gave hearty approval to those who committed these same acts of sin in order to justify their actions.

Although members of the human race know full well that those who commit the sins listed by Paul in Romans 1:29-31 are deserving of eternal condemnation, they not only continue to sin but also applaud others who follow the same course of action in order to justify their actions.

Instead of changing their attitude and course of action when their conscience convicted them of these various acts of sin listed in Romans 1:29-31 and seeking to dissuade others, these unregenerate human beings encouraged others to commit these sins, thus manifesting their rebellion against God.