Romans 1:18-23 Does Man Know God?

The Willful Restraint of the Knowledge of God

Last week Paul introduced his theme of the letter which was what? That the Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. When Paul wrote that he was telling the Christian Gentiles and Jews of the benefits of knowing God, or to put it another way, the benefits of believing in God. In tonight's passage Paul doesn’t necessarily follow the flow of the benefits of the Gospel that he spoke of last week. But instead he starts with the explanation of why we need to know God - which is the foundation of the Gospel. This passage introduces us to the doctrine or teaching of sin called Hamartiology. Sin is the violation of the creator - creation relationship. Man only exists because God made him, and man is in every sense obligated to serve his Creator. Sin causes man to assume the role of God, and assert autonomy [self governing/independent] for himself apart from the Creator.

Romans 1:18–23 NASB95

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. 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. 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. 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.

Paul is a very clever, holy spirit inspired man. Before he even begins to write verse 17, he kind of gives his readers a clue of what he is going to be talking about in verses 18-23 in chapter 1. He does this by his announcement of God’s righteousness in verse 18 of chapter 1. God’s righteousness shows Paul’s audience, and us, that God is morally, and ethically just, and pure. His very nature is good. What God’s righteousness explains is that He can not view unrighteousness without judging. Do you understand that? Does God become angry with sin? or is He happy with it?

Your right He is angry at. Paul said, For the wrath - the anger - of God is revealed - or uncovered - from heaven - where God views all the actions of mankind - against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them [among them]; for God made it evident to them. These words are very important as the describe that God’s anger was present against the ungodly and unrighteous, in Paul’s day, and God’s anger is present in our day. God’s wrath is against ALL, not some, but ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness. Let’s take a look two words that Paul uses. #1. Ungodliness can be summed up as a lack of respect for God. Some examples would be; not thanking God, not honoring God, and not giving God respect. #2. Unrighteousness can be summed up as injustice or the failure to obey moral principles and commands - lawlessness. Some examples of unrighteousness would be; failing to behave morally [perverse, lustful, prideful, deceitful etc..], and ethically dealing right and wrong. The cause of both, ungodliness, and unrighteousness is the willful suppression the truth in unrighteousness.

Suppress describes restraining something, or hindering something, or physically holding something down. When I think of this word I think of cough medicine, also known as cough suppressant. What does cough suppressant do? It hold’s back, and restraints our cough. In essence Paul is saying that men or mankind are holding back the truth showing or resulting in their unrighteousness. And what is the truth? Paul implies what the truth is in verse 19. The truth is which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident. The truth is the knowledge of God. It is important to note that Paul is verifying that man MUST know God in order to be able to suppress the truth. They could not suppress the truth if they did not know it! You can’t hold something down if you don’t know that it’s there in the first place right? Another word I wanna look at it Truth. Truth represents something visible, something verifiable, something demonstrated by facts, actual events, reality, actuality, and something dependable. Paul uses this word and the phrases which is known, is evident, for God made it evident to give us the clue that there was a past event that reveals a visible, verifiable, actual, and dependable event that clearly show us the truth is God. So what is it?

Paul clearly explained God has made Himself evident to them, but how? What did God make? The cross reference Acts 14:17 gives us a clue.

Acts 14:17 NASB95

and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

The apostle Luke recorded the evidence of God - who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, God who did good and gave reigns from heaven and fruitful seasons satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.

Paul confirms that the truth of God is seen in creation. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes - the characteristics that we cant physically see, but know that they exist - wind- , that is, #1. His eternal - never ending - power and #2. divine nature - divine moral and ethical nature , have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Paul is introducing the study of general revelation, or natural revelation, which refers to knowledge about God discovered through natural means, such as observation of nature. Job talks about this in Job 12:7–9.

Job 12:7–9 NASB95

“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. “Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you. “Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this,

Job is pointing back to all the things God created implying that beast, birds, the earth and the fish in the sea are evidences of God. So naturally in Paul’s argument man has no excuse for their willful suppression of the Truth. Paul goes on to say For even though they knew God, they did not honor - praise, or exult - Him as God or give thanks - show gratitude -, but they became futile in their speculations, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

The result of suppressing the truth is that they became futile or useless in their opinion about God, instead of thinking highly of God, their senseless heart was darkened. The heart represents thoughts, emotions, or knowledge of right and wrong our conscience. Which means that their senselessness resulted in their ability to understand. This is seen in the fact that they Professing to be wise, they became fools, - they insisted on that they were wise but in reality they became fools. The consequence is the exchange that they made. Exchanged - or replaced -, the glory of the incorruptible – never dying, imperishable, indestructible God - for an image in the form of - perishable – dying, expiration date, temporal - man and of birds in four-footed animals and crawling creatures. What are idols?

How devastating?! We see that there is no excuse for men not knowing there is a God of the universe. Keep this in mind that this is different than knowledge of the gospel. Man was not born with knowing the gospel, but they were born into a world where God could be viewed in creation, and through their very own nature. Think about that..... We can see God through nature, and we know God’s nature because we were born knowing right from wrong.

Why does man suppress the truth? Man wants to be God.

Why does man think they can be their own God?

Why does man choose idols or God? They think they can control them.

What are some some examples of Idols.

Why is the knowledge of God important?

Is there something in this passage that causes you to take action on? Is there an attitude you need to change? Is there something about tonight's passage that you need to share with someone outside of your family?

What is the consequence of man’s decision to be their own God?

The best part of this passage, is that there is a solution to man’s sin problem. What is that solution? Why is Jesus the solution? What makes Christ Crucified so important?