The Never Ending Problem Of Sin

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.