Romans, Part 4
Romans 1:24-32
Introduction
- Continuing on our study of Romans, we see Paul’s writings to the church
- This letter is to the church in Rome, consisting of Jews and Gentiles
- It is an encouragement, a constitution of HOW to live for Christ
- Today, in 2011, we would be wise to read this and apply it immediately
- Last time we discussed our responses to God – pray you were challenged
- Stand and read Romans 1:24-32 / Pray
Point 1 – God Brings Judgment for Impurity (v24-25)
- The bottom line is, we are free today to reject or accept what God has for us
- But, when we decide there is a cause and effect to be reconciled with Him
- Notice the language, “God gave them over …”
- It is an active verb, and in the Greek it’s the same word used to about Jesus
-- Mark 14:10, Jesus was given over by Judas to the Sanhedrin
-- Mark 15:1, Jesus was given over by Sanhedrin to Pilate
-- Luke 23:25, Jesus was given over by Pilate to blood thirst of his enemies
-- Mark 15:5, Jesus was given over to soldiers for scourging and crucifixion
-- John 19:30, Jesus finally gave up his Spirit in death
- Mankind was given over for impurity
- The word impurity is lending itself to contamination, disease, infection
- (Tough example to swallow …)
-- For example, a person who chooses to delve into the sin of drug abuse is not going to get all the good things they want out of life (a home, a family, a warm bed, etc.)
-- God rather, will actually give them over to their desire and allow them to stay where they are until they chose to repent and follow Christ
-- APP: Think about the prodigal son … God put Him there until He repented
- TRANS: God brings judgment for our choices in degrading passions
Point 2 – God’s Judgment for Degrading Passions (v26-27)
- Preface: While this is not the world’s popular view of this topic, it is the clearest revelation we have from God’s Word on homosexuality. God’s Word is the truth, and we need to read it and adhere to it.
- Greek word is “pathos”, which means intense emotions/passion for something
- Living this lifestyle is considered shameful to God and not tolerated
- Look at the word choices in verse 26: shameful and unnatural
- Paul writes in Greek, “entrope”, which literally means “shame”
-- KJV uses the words: “vile affections”
- Because of the choice to live this way, to rebel against God – they received their just punishment (to be cast away from God – See Rom 1:24, “Therefore …”)
- It is not God being mean, it is God being Just!
- Expound: If He says “no”, then the answer is, “NO!”
- TRANS: God also brings judgment in the form of depravity
Point 3 – God’s Judgment for Depraved Logic (v28-32)
- Three times we see Paul refer to mankind choosing to disregard God’s revelation
- Remember last time we said that God revealed Himself in nature
- He is revealed in everything that is around us if we would take the time to see
- What mankind has done is seen God, tested Him, and rejected Him
- We decided, collectively, that God is not worth our time and we can do it alone
-- (That’s the bottom line of our depravity and why we NEEDED a Savior)
- Yet, it’s ridiculous logic! In our attempt to test God, He has proven us worthless
-- We have tried to do right, but our works are nothing more than unrighteousness
-- APP: And thus, we see the result: “we were given over to a depraved mind”
- Filled with wickedness, evil, greed, depravity, envy, murder, strife, conceit, deceit, malice, gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, boastful. We invent ways (look at verse 30) of doing evil, disobedient to parents (lack of respect), senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless …
- Now, who does that sound like? Well, if you don’t have Christ … it is YOU!
- But, even with Christ we continue to sin, we continue to rebel – it’s who we are
- This is why Paul writes this to THE CHURCH!!
- Now, look at verse 32 … it is the most insulting verse to God that I can find!
- Although we know what God’s Word says, we not only continue to disobey …
- But we APPROVE of others who do the same things!!
Conclusion
- I said this morning that “we have issues …” … and Paul is calling us out
- Quote I read: “The revelation of God’s wrath is an authentic as His revelation of righteousness.”
- When we rely on ourselves to get it done, it falls apart at the seams, always
- This creation belongs to God, it is to Him that we serve and live
- And the question is will we? (Well Bro TJ, will we what?)
- Will we repent and then obey?
- That is what it comes down to – every single day of our lives
- I can tell you that this is NOT good news from Paul, it’s a warning
-- It is a warning to the church to stop accepting complacency
-- To stop redeeming ourselves with our own works and flattery
-- We are warned that there is coming a day which we must be prepared for
- This life is not about you and I and what we want …
- This life is about Christ and what He commands.
- APP: It’s not an option to obey – it’s a commandment (obey my commands)
- Will we stop the insanity and just follow Him?
- This is what Paul writes to us – and we’ve got to decide what to do with it
- Pray
