A young man walked into a jewelry store to shop for an engagement ring. Standing nervously at the counter, he peered through the glass top at a tray of beautiful gems. The salesman brought out some of his finer diamonds and held each precious jewel up to the light. The diamonds were quality stones, but the young man wasn’t impressed. None of them caught his eye. Realizing he needed a new approach, the salesman pulled a black velvet pad out of the drawer and placed it on the counter. Using his tweezers, he delicately picked up one of his choicest stones and laid it on the black backdrop. As he did so, all the light in the room seemed to pour through the stone causing it to shine as it had never shone before. The man was dazzled. He had seen this very diamond moments earlier, but not like this. All the beauty of this precious stone was now dramatically enhanced and clearly showcased for him to behold. Noting his approval to the salesman the man said that this was the diamond he wanted to purchase.

What changed the man’s view of the diamond? Why did the costly gem, which only moments before had appeared so unimpressive, now sparkle like the stars above on a moonless night? In the jewelry business, the dark background makes all the difference. When placed on a glass counter, the black velvet causes the light overhead to radiate brilliantly through the stone, revealing its true beauty and causing it to sparkle and shine more brightly. Remove the black backdrop, and it’s difficult to see the diamond’s splendor. It’s the darkness that causes the stone to burst forth with dazzling light. The same principle can be applied to the spiritual realm. In order to fully appreciate God’s love, we must examine it against the black backdrop of His wrath. The blackness of God’s wrath showcases the flawless gem of His great love toward us. But remove the black backdrop of His wrath, and our appreciation of the brilliance of His amazing love fades.

As we learned last week, the gem of Romans is the Gospel. The word “gospel” means “good news,” and the book of Romans certainly presents good news. However, before we can understand and appreciate the good news we must understand the bad news which Paul presents in Romans 1:18-3:20. The theme of this section is that everybody, everywhere, is condemned before God. Therefore, Paul makes his greatest attempt to get us lost in our sin so that we can then be found. Paul wants us to emerge from this section with a feeling of utter desperation. Not a little guilt but absolute desperation! How many of you have ever heard the expression, “Hunger is the best cook”? That’s a true statement, isn’t it? Well, my purpose in the next three lessons will be to get each one of us famished—famished for God’s love.

1. God’s Activity Towards Man (1:18-20). In 1:18, Paul tells us that God has revealed Himself through His wrath. The word “revealed” is the first word in the Greek text. Paul wants to emphasize that God has revealed Himself. He has revealed Himself through His wrath. How should we understand God’s wrath? The great New Testament theologian, J.I. Packer, defines it well, “God’s wrath is His righteousness reacting against unrighteousness.”

In our previous ministry, Lori and I served in Corvallis, OR. Corvallis is located in the Willamette Valley. The Willamette Valley has the second largest pollen count in the entire world. When we arrived, I began to have all kinds of problems. My eyes were regularly bloodshot and would continually run with tears. I would sneeze throughout the day. I experienced constant congestion. This would last from March through October. As a result, I had to have weekly shots. What was the problem? I was allergic to pollen. My body was especially susceptible to pollen. It naturally and violently reacted to pollen. The Bible teaches that God is so holy that He naturally and violently reacts to sin. He’s just plain allergic to sin! This morning, one of the greatest truths we can learn is how much God hates sin.

Not only has God revealed Himself through His wrath, God has revealed Himself through His creation. Paul states twice in 1:19 that God has made Himself “evident.” What does creation reveal about God? Verse 20 says, “His eternal power and divine nature.” God’s power is evidenced by the fact of His creation. God’s divine nature is evidenced by the fact that His creation is a created order, and not random chaos. This implies that God has a character, which gives order and purpose to creation.

I’d like to briefly share three examples of God’s creative genius. First, let’s consider the sun. Scientists tell us that this massive earth fits into the volume of the sun one million times! Flames on the sun leap 350,000 miles at a time. But more than that, it’s only one small sun of millions in the universe. It’s been placed 93 million miles from us so that it’s just warm enough to maintain life. If it were a little closer, we’d all die, either from the heat or from drowning, because the polar ice would melt and flood the earth. If the sun were farther away however, we would all die by freezing. It’s said that one second of energy given off by the sun is approximately 13 million times greater than the average amount of electricity used each year in the entire United States.

Now, let’s consider animals, plants, and insects. Did you know that only a tiny fraction of all the species on earth have been discovered and named? Biologists have cataloged a total of between 1.5 million and 1.8 million species. Some estimates of the true number of living species range from 3.6 million to more than 100 million. What’s more astonishing is that scientists estimate that more than 95% of all the species that have ever existed are extinct! Two amazing examples of God’s infinite creativity: (1) In one 2.5-acre area of Brazil’s rain forest, there are 425 kinds of trees. (2) In one small corner of Peru’s Manu National Park, there are 1,300 butterfly species. God’s creation is amazingly diverse and is completely overwhelming to man.

Finally, let’s consider the amazing human body God has created. In my final year of seminary, Dr. John Medina, a genetic engineer at the University of Washington, came and gave a lectureship. I’m only going to share those very few facts that I can understand. Are you ready? The average human heart pumps over 1,000 gallons a day, over 55 million gallons in a lifetime. This is enough to fill 13 super tankers. It never sleeps, beating 2.5 billion times in a lifetime. The lungs contain 1,000 miles of capillaries. To write out the information in one cell would take 300 volumes, each volume 500 pages thick. The human body contains enough DNA that if it were stretched out, it would circle the sun 260 times.

Do you see how God has revealed Himself in His creation? As we look back at the text, please notice the second half of 1:20. Paul states that the truth of God in nature has been “clearly seen, being understood through what has been made.” Those two verbs are very important. “Clearly seen” means that everyone has seen something of God’s handiwork in the world. “Understood” is even stronger. It means that the revelation of God in nature strikes the heart of every man. Please understand that Paul isn’t suggesting that nature contains a revelation about God which every man may see. That’s not strong enough. Paul is saying that every man actually sees the revelation and every man actually understands it to some degree. This is why Paul can say in 1:20b that man is “without excuse.”

[We have all experienced God's activity toward man, now we can examine...]

2. Man’s Response Towards God. In 1:18, we learn that man has responded in three ways towards God. First, man has responded with “ungodliness.” “Ungodliness” means “without reverence.” It refers to hostility toward God. Second, man has responded with “unrighteousness.” “Unrighteousness” means “without righteousness.” It refers to wickedness toward self and others. Finally, man has responded by “suppressing the truth.” The word translated “suppress the truth” means “to hold back” or “resist.” The German philosopher Frederick Nichtze wrote, “If you could prove God to me, I’d believe Him all the less.” This is what it means to suppress the truth. The bottom line: Man’s response to God’s activity has been characterized by wickedness. This verse serves as a summary statement for all of 1:18-3:20. This section can be summed up in one word: SIN.

This leads us right into where man begins at ground zero. In 1:21, Paul testifies that “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.” What was the response of man? A failure to honor God, as God, or give Him thanks. How many of us are guilty of this? How often have we refused to acknowledge God for the great God He is? How many times have we failed to give thanks? Gratitude is a difficult attitude to practice, isn’t it? But did you know that we sin when we don’t regularly give thanks? Who are some people in your life that you can be thankful for? What are some possessions in your life that you can be grateful for? Gratitude to God is critical. When we refuse to give God thanks, the result of this behavior entails mental and moral consequences. The mental consequence was that men “became futile in their speculations” and thoughts. The moral consequence was that their hearts were “darkened.”

After ground zero, we arrive at level 1. At level 1, man’s response is to bring God down to creature level. Paul writes, “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” and cars and houses and money and clothes. God has been “exchanged.” We’ve taken Him back like a Christmas present that doesn’t fit and we’ve said, “We want our money back.” This is the great insanity of idolatry. This morning, it’s possible that you too are guilty of idolatry and you probably don’t even realize it. Let me ask you a few questions: (1) Is there an object, person, or activity in your life that’s a substitute for God? (2) Are your affections centered on something God has created rather than God the Creator? (3) Does this activity prevent or replace your love for God? (4) Is there something you worship more than God? To answer these questions accurately, ask yourself, what dominates my time? If you respond honestly to these questions, you may have recognized the idolatry that exists within you. Commit yourself right now to forsake idolatry. Begin this process by exposing your idol to another person. Request prayer and press on.

The result of this idolatry is found in 1:24: “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.” Man is given over to a greater unrighteousness: sexual impurity. Please notice that it was God who gave man over. The words translated “God gave them over” are used three times in this passage. This teaches that there is a present wrath. There are present consequences to sin. The wrath of God in the present is God handing man over to himself. God is trying to get man sick of himself.

Now we come to level 2. In 1:25, the response of man is to exalt the creature over God. Paul writes, “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.” This verse states that man “exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” If you have a center column reference Bible, you probably noticed that the phrase “a lie” is literally translated “the lie.” This should lead us to ask, “What lie is Paul referring to?” The lie that Paul has in mind is the first lie, the mother of all lies that began in the garden. The lie is godship, that we are the masters of our fate, the captain of our souls. This is a satanic deception straight out of hell. I believe that the worst time in our history was the period of “Higher Criticism of the Bible” (1800’s to the present) where man stood over the Scriptures and decided what parts were true and what parts were false. People slowly lost confidence that you could trust the Word of God. In this, the creature became exalted over the Creator. There was role reversal of the most demonic sort. When this happens it can be legitimately said that man “worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.” Once God is brought down to creature level, the creature is then worshipped above God. And of course, as I’ve said in previous sermons, “Whatever we worship, we inevitably serve.” Who are you worshipping? Who are you serving?

In 1:26-27, the result is that once again man is given over to a greater unrighteousness. Paul writes, “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 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.” In level 2, the intensity increases. The penalty is rampant homosexuality. God calls these “degrading passions.” The word “degrading” is also translated “dishonor, disgrace, shame.” This eventually leads to men “receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” What does this mean? I believe Paul is referring to the gnawing, unsatisfied lust itself, along with the dreadful physical and moral consequences of sexual promiscuity. Even though it’s not popular or politically correct, when the Scriptures refer to specific sins like homosexuality, I must tackle the issue head on. This passage teaches that homosexuality is sin. It’s not an alternative lifestyle. God calls it sin throughout the Bible and so must we. Yet, we must be careful to not suggest that the sin of homosexuality is worse than any other sin. Many Christians can be downright brutal. We go off on this sin because it’s one that most of us don’t struggle with. However, in 1 Corinthians 6, Paul lumps the homosexual and the coveter together. Have you ever wanted something that doesn’t belong to you? If so, then you are covetous and so am I. In God’s sight, we’re no worse or better than the homosexual. Therefore, we must treat people with compassion. We must seek to win men and women out of this lifestyle with Christian love. On a very practical note: Fathers, don’t ever shy away from expressing your love to your boys. Lavish love on your boys both physically and verbally. Don’t be afraid to hug and kiss them. Always tell them how wonderful they are and how much you love them. This is one of the greatest ways that I know to ensure that your boys have healthy, God-honoring relationships with other men. Obviously, this principle applies to daughters and mothers as well. But it’s especially critical between fathers and sons because statistically, men are three times more prone to adopt a homosexual lifestyle than women.

Finally, we conclude this passage with level 3. In 1:28, man’s response is to dismiss God altogether. The result is dreadful: utter mental and moral darkness. In 1:28, Paul writes for the third time that “God gave them over.” This third time, He gave them over to a “depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.” A vice list of 21 different sins is chronicled in 1:29-31. As you look through this vice list, please notice that many of these sins are fairly acceptable in the Christian community. Sins like greed, envy, strife, gossip, slander, arrogance, and disobedience to parents are common traits of many Christians and are found in every church. Yet, Paul says that these behaviors are sin and he cleverly links these acts with homosexuality, murder, idolatry, and every form of wickedness. This should change the way that we view sin. This should motivate us to achieve a new standard of holiness. We are to be holy as He is holy.

Paul concludes this passage in 1:32 by hitting way too close to home. In 1:32 he writes, “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.” We’re here right now as a nation. God’s wrath is being revealed all over the place. We have idols everywhere we look. We’re trying to legalize homosexuality. Our TV talk show hosts are trotting out the most perverted guests they can find and the audience claps and roars at what they’re doing. This is the wrath of God. God has backed off and has allowed the world to go stark raving mad! George Bernard Shaw, the famous playwright and theater critic, said it well, “Earth is the place other planets send their insane.” Of course when God gives people over and puts into motion His wrath, it doesn’t matter who’s in the White House or who’s on the city council or who’s on the school board. It’s irrelevant because when the wrath of God is your problem, the goodness of God is your only solution.

As we close, I want to take us back to 1:18. Please notice the first word of this passage. The word “for” is important because it links 1:18 and following to 1:16-17 and gives a reason for it. The Gospel is necessary because there’s such a thing as the wrath of God, and only the Gospel brings deliverance from that wrath. I also would like to draw your attention back to the word translated “gave over.” One can’t help but notice that in this passage the term “gave over” is used three times. As I studied this word, I found something interesting. This word isn’t found again until 4:25 where Jesus Christ is “delivered” or “given over” for our sins. That’s good news! We have a future hope. Why? Because as Martin Luther said, “God is not hostile to sinners, but only to unbelievers.” Would you believe the Gospel?

N.B. This sermon was not intended for publication and is, therefore, not well footnoted. Should the reader desire further documentation, this can be provided.

All Scripture quotations, unless indicated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, and are used by permission.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Read on »
Edit N Place