Paul's explanation: Guilty (Pt.I) - Revised
Righteousness of God revealed - Book of Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 38:07
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The power of the gospel
The power of the gospel
Several weeks ago we looked at, did not finish looking at being unashamed of the gospel, and we should finish that before getting to the next section, which, by the way, may be a little hard to swallow.
(Insert The gospel is for all picture here)
Previously we have seen:
Paul was unashamed of the gospel (Rom1:16)
Paul knew the power of the gospel (Rom1:16)
And believer or not, that is as far as we got last week, so we will pick up from there today and see how far we get.
Paul knew the outreach of the gospel (Rom1:16-17; Mk16:15; Rom2:6-11; Mt10:5-7; Act3:26; Hab2:4)
It was to reach all of creation
To the Jew first, then the Greek (Barbarian; Gentile) for there is no difference
Jesus delivered first to the Apostles so then could be taken to the Jews then onto the whole world.
Mt10:5-7 “5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
God does not call man to get right to get God, but get God and the righteousness of God that makes men right with God by faith.
It is by faith that the righteousness of God is revealed. Paul brings in from the O.T. Hab2:4 “4 “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”
On a side note, this phrase “the just shall live by faith” is used three times in N.T.
Rom1:17 - to the Romans
Gal3:11 - to the Gentiles
Heb10:38 - to the Jews
All are guilty, all are in need of God’s scheme of redemption. His freedom from the bondage and penalty of sin is available to all who believe.
(Transition) we have some time left, let me give a little more tonight
Developing and deploying our thesis
Developing and deploying our thesis
Some things we can learn, take away when we are not ashamed of the gospel.
What is the thesis statement of Paul?
(Transition) OK the application of Paul’s thesis statement can be ours, so here comes the scripture rapid fire session, are you ready?
The gospel has not changed, it is the power of God to save (Rom1:16-17)
16 The Power of the Gospel I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God’s power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles. 17 For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through faith from beginning to end. As the scripture says, “The person who is put right with God through faith shall live.”
It has power to produce faith in those who hear it (Rom10:17)
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
It has power to produce fruit for those who know (believe it) (Col1:5-6)
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;
It reveals the righteousness of God (Rom1:17; 1Cor15:1-4)
Turn to 1Cor15 with me.
1Cor15:1-4 “1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
It reveals the means of receiving God’s righteousness (Act2:36-38, 22:16)
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Then you could see also how you call on the name of the Lord as noted in Act22:16 “16 ‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’”
It shows we all need it (Rom3:23, 6:23)
For all fall short
And if you fall short death is what is due to you.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Death is what was coming, but what did God give us (Rom6:23)?
It shows us the way (Jn14:6)
The how is by the way, the way is only by Jesus (ref. Jn14:6)
It shows us what we are to do (Mt28:20; Mk16:15-16)
Go into all the world making disciples, baptizing them! Then teaching them to follow the commands
Those who are not ashamed of the gospel, who have their hope in the gospel feel a sense to share the gospel with others. It will impact what you say, what you do, in other words how you live. Consider
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.
You are able to manifest God, manifest the righteousness of God to others because of your good, clear conscience because of what the gospel has done in you.
So, stay the course, don’t be ashamed, let Paul’s thesis statement be worked into your life and through your life.
The unrighteousness of man.
The unrighteousness of man.
The next few weeks will not be a pretty picture but a needed picture if we are to understand the righteousness of God revealed through the gospel.
(Insert Paul paints ugly picture PowerPoint here)
This was a very hard, and I have a feeling that the next few studies are going to be hard to look at to face, like an ugly picture.
Paul paints an ugly picture. This morning of the Gentile world that is guilty and without excuse.
God’s description of sinners is not a pretty one, but we cannot avoid it. If you went to an art gallery you may see some ugly pictures in your view on the way to see the masterpieces.
This passage does not teach evolution where man started low and climbed high. But teaches devolution, where man started high, made in image of God, and sank lower because of sin. (Wiersbe)
This morning we will look part I of III declarations that Paul makes to prove that all men are sinners in need of salvation, the righteousness of God.
“Paul unfolds the great theme of righteousness needed by first showing the length that all men are utterly lost and cannot possibly be saved except by the wonderful gospel righteousness of God.” (Lenski)
God has made known two revelations
The righteousness of God in the gospel
The other the wrath of God revealed from heaven.
On one had salvation and life, the other damnation and death.
On one hand from faith to faith, and on the other the unrighteousness of man
On one hand revealed past tense, and the other being revealed present tense and future.
Lenski puts it like this: God’s wrath is practically a compound like “God’s gospel (v.1), and God’s righteousness (v.17), and the genitives indicate origin, if not more. This ‘wrath’ is not fiction nor a figure of speech but a terrible reality, the constant, unchanging reaction of God’s holiness and righteousness to sin.”
God’s righteousness is being revealed, has been revealed in the gospel through the mediator Jesus Christ.
God’s wrath needs no medium, no mediator, for it is revealed from heaven.
Again let me quote Lenski “We must not be confused by the follies of the atheists and moral perverts or by heathen blindness concerning God. Man’s moral nature remains and instinctively responds to revelations of this wrath wherever they occurs.”
(Transition) so today, though it may be uncomfortable here is the intentions.
Here is the plan for this morning:
Look, glean from the text
Look at reason for the wrath- Intelligence (vv.18-20)
Look at the reason for the wrath - Ignorance (vv.21-23)
Look at the reason for the wrath - Indulgence (vv.24-27)
Look at the reason for the wrath - Impenitence (vv.28-32)
Our text, let me read it today for it is long, but if you want me to stop along the way, let me know.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
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.
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.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 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.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 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.
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 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.
28 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, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
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.
Some general questions we should ask of the text before getting to our points.
Who are the a characters noted in this passage?
What is the purpose of this section (in general)?
How does Paul describe the ungodly, the unrighteous?
They suppress the truth (v.18)
They do not honor God and became futile (v.21)
They claim wisdom, but are fools (v.22)
They exchange the glory of the incorruptible God (v.23); they exchanged truth for lie, creator for creator (vv.25)
Then further descriptions given (vv.29-32)
(Transition) now time to go back and look at our points.
Intelligence
Intelligence
You have heard the term “dumb down” right? Let me prove it through the scripture through Paul’s ugly picture.
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Man knew God, walked with God, heard from God, was taught by God, yet
How did man suppress the truth (v.18)?
They suppressed God, suppressed truth in wickedness (unrighteousness) (v.18)
To suppress something, means they had it in the first place. They are now rejecting what they had.
Human history is not the story of a beast worshipping idols that evolved into a man, but a man knowing and worshipping God but turned, rejected the Creator and His creation that had been made known.
How did God make himself known (vv.19-20)?
By His creation, by his invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature
Because of what was made known what is man left without (v.20)?
Without excuse! - Luke records in Acts for us (turn to Act17:29-31)
Act17:29-31 “29 “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.””
Clearly you can see the wrath of God revealed and the wrath of God to come.
Suppressing the truth means they are not allowing the truth to accomplish its work in them. They choose to live how they want and are not convicted by truth. They are refusing the truth (vv.21-22) and are turning the truth into a lie (v.25) - we will get to those verses shortly.
Before moving on may I stop just for a minute and paint a good picture vs. the ugly picture.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
Stop, think, how does the heavens declare his handiwork, can you describe some of it?
Now according to (v.18) men knew the truth about God but suppressed it in order to live the way they chose to live. . They were refusing the truth, and that leads us where we are now
Ignorance
Ignorance
This kind of ignorance is intentional. They knew the truth and are suppressing it. This is also associated with hardness of heart.
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. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 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.
Man was ungrateful and foolish (v.21)
21 They know God, but they do not give him the honour that belongs to him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness.
Man was willing to use God’s gifts, but not give glory to God for the gifts
What gifts?
How should they give God honor and glory?
The results, well, it was not good, it resulted in darkened heart and and empty mind. Man the worshiper became man the philosopher. This just revealed man’s foolishness (Ignorance). And those times are past - Act17:30 “30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,”
you may consider looking at 1Cor18-31 too on your own, but in summary
The word of the cross is foolishness to the perishing.
The Jews asked for signs, the Greeks for wisdom, but the message of the cross is what was being preached for that is what was needed.
And I need to bring in some hope for us. 1Cor1:27 “27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,”
Man became foolish (v.22)
Man was born to worship, and has traded true worship of true God to self made god’s idols
Such things as man worship, which is secularism (worshipping self)
or Covetousness (worshipping money or possessions)
when man ceases to thank God the giver of all things and esteems the creation more than the Creator then God is angry and ready to reveal His wrath from heaven.
Foolish by trading incorruptible for corruptible; from Creator to creation (v.23)
(Transition) this leads to our next one.
Indulgence
Indulgence
Indulgence is the act of indulging, allowing one self to enjoy the pleasure of something. So from idolatry, to immorality.
24 So God said, in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.” It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. 25 And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!
26 Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn’t know how to be human either—women didn’t know how to be women, men didn’t know how to be men. 27 Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men—all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it—emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches.
God gave them up (v.24)
This is not God giving up on them, but giving them up, leaving them to their own desires.
They traded truth for a lie (v.25)
They have traded worshipping the Creator to worshipping the creation, self.
God gave them up to vile passions (v.26-27)
Commentator Wiersbe says “The climax of man’s battle with God’s truth when man exchanges the truth of God for ‘the lie” is that man is his own god, and he should worship and serve himself and not the Creator.”
The result is self-deification and self-indulgence.
Paul then examples something rampant then and is homosexuality. Paul uses such words as vile, unnatural, against nature. And this was not confined to men, women were doing it too.
(Transition) This now leads us to our last point for this morning, an uncomfortable list, one of a few we find in the scriptures and we want to look briefly for:
Impenitence
Impenitence
God does not hand over without reason and making the reason known. Paul is not saying “guilty” without giving causation. So, that is where we are at now.
28 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, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
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.
Again we see “God gave them over” (v.28)
They then were filled with unrighteousness (vv.29-31)
Wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness
Envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness
whisperers, backbiters, haters of God
Violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, and disobedient to parents. Wait there is more
Undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving and unmerciful
They know the truth, traded the truth, know they are worthy of death yet they still do it and encourage others to join them.
(Wrap up/conclusion)
We have seen God’s wrath and indignation
Knowing His wrath be willing to accept and walk in His mercy by turning to Him.
Walk in his mercy daily
Thank Him daily .
(Prayer) (Close)