The Never Ending Problem of Sin.
Romans 1:16-32
Scripture Reading: Romans 1:16-32
Text: Romans 1:18-19
Sermon Idea: Man has refused God’s revelation of truth. In so doing they have refused God. This has proved to be destructive.
We all like cute furry animals when they are little. Puppies, kittens, racoons, you could name just about anything. As small animals they are adorable. But Racoons go through a change when they reach about two years old. They can attack anything in their path without warning when this change occurs. Gary Richards who was a zookeeper knew a young woman who had a racoon that was just about to reach adulthood.
He went over one day to tell her about what was going to happen and the danger that lay ahead. She told him that her loving racoon would never attack her. Three months later this young woman underwent plastic surgery to repair facial lacerations from her unprovoked attack by her pet racoon.
Sin too often comes disguised in an adorable outfit that we play with, it is so easy to say “it will be different for me” (Zuck 352).
Indicators have shown that things are changing in this country for the worse. We have all seen the reports of children killing children. Recently a report was given that confirms children are influenced by the violence in our media.
In the last thirty years in our country there has been a 560% increase in crime, a 400% increase in illegitimate births, a quadrupling in divorce rates, a tripling of the percentage of children living in single parent homes, a 200% increase in teenage suicide rate, a 75 point decrease in SAT scores. We are near or at the top of the industrialized world in the rates of abortions, divorce, unwed births, murder rape, and violent crime (Anderson 28).
This is very alarming, is it not? What should be great concern also is what George Barna a leading expert on cultural indicators says. Barna states, that there is not much difference between Christians who profess a conversion experience and those who only say they are Christians (Barna 6-7).
Where do we look to find answers to change these trends? The answers we are looking for are found in the Bible. Paul was writing to people who were living in a world that was as degenerate as our own. The Romans as well as our society have a misguided view of God’s character, this causes a person to begin to treat others differently in many different ways. In Romans 1:16-32, Paul identified the problems for them. They are as contemporary as our own.
These problems have been faced by people of all ages who have turned from God and to their own way. First, we will see the sickness this has caused in our land. Then we will look at the costs associated with the cause. And finally, we will look at how we can do something about the whole situation.
When we refuse God and His truth, we begin to live unnaturally.
What is the cause of this, according to Romans 1:18-20. (Read verses).
I. The cause of my problems. (Rom. 1:18-20)
We have been redefining our belief system in this country for over forty years.
Forty years ago just about everywhere in our country the school day began with prayer. That is no longer true. Forty years ago the Ten Commandments were posted in public places in many government buildings. For a number of years this was not true. In the last few years an Alabama judge posted them in hi court room. Recently the state of Indiana is working on have them erected outside the state capital. Forty years ago most people in this country believed telling truth was right regardless. That is no longer true. Forty years ago most families consisted of one man and one woman married for one lifetime. That is no longer true. Forty years ago virtually every person in this country would agree a child was of greater value than an animal. That is no longer true. Forty years ago abortion and euthanasia were virtually unknown and not practiced in this country. That is no longer true. Forty years ago in this country “gay” meant being happy, a “trip” meant going on a journey or vacation, “coke” was only a soft drink, and “petting” described what we did to our animals. That is no longer true.
When we refuse God and His truth, we begin to live unnaturally.
It all has to do with our values. What our society tells us to do is what we do. Societies belief system defines our values, or what is important in our lives. Our values have been redefined because we have fallen prey to the same things as the recipients of the Epistle to the Romans.
They exchanged the truth for a lie. They believed what was wrong to be right and what is right to be wrong.
The Romans rejected the revelation of God in creation, commandments, their consciences, and in Christ. As a result they placed other gods and idols in His place. They did what felt good to them. Fulfilling the passions of their evil desires. As a result they received the wrath of God and began to suffer all kinds of disease and disorder in society and their bodies.
We, too, have believed the wrong things. We have adopted two dominant philosophies that have redefined our value system.
First, we have accepted secularism which says God is unnecessary because I have a life without Him. He only comes into play in my life when I say so. God is relegated to a “genie in a bottle” role. We call on Him when we need Him or want something from Him.
Second, we have embraced relativism which says I am at the center of this world. We end up saying something to the effect, “I have to do what is right for me regardless of how it affects others or God.”
That my friends is where we are at as a nation. We have accepted these as the standard by which we determine our values.
When we refuse God and His truth, we begin to live unnaturally.
II. The consequences of my decisions. (Rom. 1:24,26,28)
What are some of the results? We are living unnaturally, ungodly, and unprofitable. These are the results of living confused! That is where we are going in our land.
We are living unnaturally. The outcome is that women now began to exchange the heterosexual relationship that God had intended for His creation. Lesbianism would now become part of what was to be thought of as normal because of continued turning away from the truth (Butler 1009).
Immorality is gripping our nation. Fidelity in marriage is slipping. Virginity is not normal on the wedding day. According to God, that is not in agreement with His standard of what should be normal.
We are moving to the unnatural and trying to make it normal. It is unnatural for male to be sexually active with male or female with female. It is unknown except for very rare occasions in the world of nature. Yet, it is happening in this nation, being promoted as acceptable, and being tolerated.
In the April 6, 1997 issue of Time, Ellen DeGeneres told them she was a lesbian. She didn’t have to be afraid. Why did she feel it was necessary to do this? She said she was speaking out for her truth. She went on to say that she never wanted to be the spokesperson for the gay community. She never wanted to be a lesbian actress. All she ever wanted to do was to speak up for her own truth.
What is her truth? Relativism! It says there is no absolute truth, so each can have his own truth! Relativism will always lead to the breakdown of society because it breaks down the standards and disregards the truth of the Bible.
When we refuse God and His truth, we begin to live unnaturally.
We are living ungodly. Paul said the Romans had taken the track where they didn’t give God His rightful place in their thinking and living. They had not dismissed God altogether. They had just lowered His value.
As a result they began to do those things which were not fitting. They began to worship the man and his creation. That was idolatry.
A man’s god is that for which he lives, for which he is prepared to give his time, his energy, his money, that which stimulates him and rouses him, excites, and enthuses him (Zuck 207-208).
Idolatry has taken hold of our culture. What is our problem? The way we believe. We have practically accepted secularism which says God is unimportant because we have other gods to worship and the God of revelation is relegated to the place of another god in our lives. That’s why 90% of Americans believe in God but do not worship Him as God. We look at the people’s of the earth that bow down before their idols carved out of stone or wood and say, “Poor misguided uneducated fools. They don’t know any better. They worship something they created with their hands.” We do the same thing except our idol may have chrome on it with an emblem on the hood, or a trailer and a fishing rod on the side, or a manicured lawn surrounding it..., the list could go on. We have relegated God to the place of just another item in our daily schedule...we will work Him in if we can get Him on the “A” priority list for the day or for the Sunday. God calls that idolatry.
When we refuse God and His truth, we begin to live unnaturally and ungodly.
We are living unprofitably. Paul described the living of the Romans as riotous living, if there ever was a picture of it, it is found here.
We are living in a riotous land of our own. Day by day we are seeing the order of things disappear. We are living in a society where each looks out for “Number One.”
What is this? It is humanism which moves us to an individualism that promotes the mindset that I have to do what I need to do to fulfill my needs and desires.
When we carry this to its logical extension, we will wind up living turbulently...in our personal life, our family life, church life, community life, and the life of our country.
What can we do?
The Bible is clearly not silent on what the problem is. The problem is sin. God has made provision for us to understand where sin came from and why it remains. How it affects our life and the lives around us. There is also explanation as to how we can rid our lives of sin and live life without the weight of sin around our neck. Remaining in sin is clearly a choice made by man to turn away from the truth that God has revealed to each and every one of us.
First, we can repent where we have fallen prey to the subtleties of Satan.
Secondly, we can live authentically...being who we are but the best we can be by God’s grace.
Third, we can live compassionately...being concerned about the well being of others.
Fourth, we can live Biblically...embracing the Scriptures as the standard to truth and right.
Fifth, we can live righteously...having a right relationship with Jesus and showing it.
Sixth, we can live supernaturally...enabled by the Holy Spirit of God.
Seventh, we can live expectantly...looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord!
The chorus says, He is exalted, the King is exalted on High I will praise Him. Tonight is He exalted in your life? Do you honor, glorify and praise His name with your life, words and actions? Tonight I invite you to Exalt Him as the Lord of your life by kneeling here before Him and receive Him.
Works Cited
Anderson, Leith. Winning The Values War in a Changing Culture. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1998.
Barker, Kenneth. ed. “Sins Effects.” Reflecting God Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.
Barna, George. The Second Coming Of The Church. Nashville: Word, 1997.
Bence, Clarence L. Romans A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. Indianapolis: Wesleyan, 1996.
Butler, Trent C. ed. Holman Bible Dictionary. Nashville: Holman, 1997.
Boa, Kenneth D. and Robert M. Bowman Jr. An Unchanging Faith In A Changing World. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998.
Douglas, J. D. ed. New International Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.
Harrison, Everett F. “Romans.” Kenneth L. Barker & John R. Kohlenberger III. eds. Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary. 2 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.
Kaiser Jr., Walter C. Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, Manfred T. Brauch. eds. Hard Sayings of the Bible. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary New Testament. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
McGrath, Alister E. ed. “The Universality of Sin; 6023.” Thematic Reference Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.
Radmacher, Earl, Ronald B. Allen, H. Wayne House. eds. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999.
Thompson, Frank Charles. “The Gift of God; 3123, (8)” Thompson Chain Reference Bible. Indianapolis: B. B. Kirkbride, 1995.
Zuck, Roy B. The Speaker’s Quote Book. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2000.
