LessonTwo--Romans1:18--2:5
Without the gospel, God's wrath triumphs over all who suppress the truth
1:18-23 Mankind's reaction to the truth about God as revealed in nature
HowcanGod's divine nature beseen fromcreation?
Verse18 Verse18forms astriking contrastwithverse17.Accordingto verse17,Godrevealshis _________________.
Butaccordingtoverse18,Godalso revealshis_________________.
Godrevealshiswrathbecausepeople suppressthetruth.Suppressingthetruth iswhatPaulterms“ungodlinessand unrighteousness.”
Sometimespeoplesay,“Godwould nevercondemnapersonfornot believingwhathedoesn'tknow.”What insightdoesverse20giveusfor answeringthischallenge?
Peopleextinguishthelightofnature's testimonyaboutGod,atestimonythat shouldleadthemtoglorifyGodand give himthanks.
Verse19Whatisthetruththatpeople suppress?
Verse20PaulsaysthatGod'sinvisible qualitiescanbeunderstoodfromwhatis visible,thatis,God'screation.
Howcanevenanunbelieverlearnto knowGod's eternal power fromhis creation?
Verse21 Insteadofallowingthelightof God'struthtoshineintheirhearts,all peopleshutthatlightoutoftheirhearts.
AlthoughpeopleknowaboutGod,
theydonot_________________him
or_________________tohim.
Rather,
theirthinkingbecomes _________________,andtheirfoolish heartsare_________________.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
Verses22,23What,specifically,do godlesspeopledo?
Whatisthe“main”sinGodsendson idolatersbecauseoftheiridolatry?
ThesinPaulmentionsiscalledidolatry.
Howdididolatryshowitselfinthepast, inthecultureofPaul'sday?
Verses28-31Thissin,however,isjust oneofthesinsGoduses.Notetheother sins.Whatdotheyallhaveincommon?
Howdoesidolatryshowitselfinthe present,innon-Christiansocieties?
Whocanclaiminnocence?
Verse32 BesidesGod'spowerand divinenature,peopleknowsomething elsenaturally.Whatisthat?
Howdoesidolatryshowitselfin modern,scientificallydeveloped nations?
Whatdopeopledowiththenatural knowledgeofrightandwrongandwith thenaturalknowledgethatGodwill judgesin?
InsteadofworshipingGodastheysee himrevealedincreation,allpeople suppressthistruthandcreatetheir owngodstoworship.
1:24-32 How God reveals his wrath on those who suppress the truth
Verses24-27Godpunishesidolatryby givingpeopleovertovarioussinsand allowingtheresultsoftheirsinstoserve ashiswayofpunishingthem.Thisis howGodrevealshiswrath.
Peoplearewithoutexcusebecausethey denytheevidenceofGodinnatureand becausetheysilencethetestimonyof theirconsciences.
Godrevealshiswrathbyletting peoplesinkintovarioussinsand suffertheconsequences.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
2:1-5 God's warning to those who judge others
Inthepreviousverses,Paulhasspoken abouttheGentilesinparticular.Mostof themwouldagreetheyweresinfulwhen theyheardPaul'sdescriptionofthem.At thispoint,however,Paulbeginstalking toallwhorefusetoacceptthefactthat theyalsodeserveGod'swrath.TheJews inparticularfallintothiscategory.
Verses1-3If youjudgesomeoneelse, whatareyoudoingto yourself?Why?
Verse4Godmaywithholdhiswrath fromsome.Sadly,manymisinterpret this.Whatconclusiondotheyarriveat whenGoddoesnotpunishthemright awayfortheirsins?
Verse5 Ifpeople aresparedGod'swrath now,yetrefusetorepent,whattheyare sparednowwillbepouredoutonthem infullineternity.
WhatisGod'srealintentinwithholding hiswrathfromsome?
Noonehastherighttojudgeothers andinterpretGod'spatiencewith themashisstampofapprovalon theirlives.Ifpeoplejudgeothers, theywillbringeternaljudgmenton themselves.
Summary
Godrevealshiswrathagainstidolatry byallowingpeopletosinkintosins ofperversionandpaythepenaltyfor thosesins.Nooneisexemptfrom God'sjudgment--eventhosewhodo notfeelhiswrathinthislife.
For next time
1. ReadRomans2:6-29.IsPaul teachingwork-righteousnessinthese verses?
2. Readaboutthecovenant of circumcisioninGenesis 17.
3. ReadIsaiah3--5forasample descriptionofIsrael'swickedness.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
Romans1:18–2:5(EHV)
God’sAngeronAllWhoRejectHim
18Indeed,God’swrathis beingrevealedfromheavenagainstalltheungodlinessand unrighteousnessofpeoplewhotrytosuppressthetruthbyunrighteousness. 19This happensbecausewhatcanbeknownaboutGodisevidentamongthem,becauseGod madeitevidentamongthem. 20Infact,hisinvisiblecharacteristics—hiseternalpower anddivinenature—have beenclearlyseensincethecreationoftheworld,becausethey areunderstoodfromthethingshemade.Asaresult,peoplearewithoutexcuse, 21because,eventhoughtheyknewGod,theydidnothonorhimorgivehimthanksas God.Instead,theirthinkingbecamenonsense,andtheirsenselessheartwasdarkened.
22Althoughtheyclaimto bewise,theyhavebecomefools 23andexchangedtheglory oftheimmortalGodforimagesmadetolooklikeamortalhuman,orlikebirds,fourfootedanimals,andcrawlingthings. 24So,astheyfollowedthesinfuldesiresoftheir hearts,Godhandedthemovertotheimpurityofdegradingtheirownbodiesamong themselves. 25SuchpeoplehavetradedthetruthaboutGodforthelie,worshippingand servingthecreationratherthantheCreator,whoisworthyofpraiseforever.Amen.
26ForthisreasonGodhandedthemovertodisgracefulpassions.Eventheirfemales exchangednaturalsexualrelationsforunnaturalones. 27And,inthesameway,their males,afterabandoningnaturalsexualrelationswithfemales,wereconsumedbytheir lustforoneanother.Malesperformindecentacts withmalesandreceiveinthemselves thepenaltythatisfittingfortheirperversion.
28Andsincetheydidnotconsideritworthwhileto holdontothetrueknowledgeof God,Godhandedthemovertoacorruptedmindtodothingsthatshouldneverbedone. 29Theyarefilledwitheverykindofunrighteousness,evil,greed,andwickedness.They arefullofenvy,murder,quarreling,deceit,andmalice.Theyaregossipers, 30slanderers, God-haters,insolentmockers,arrogantboasters,andloudmouths.Theydreamupevil things.Theydisobeytheirparents. 31Theyaresenseless,faithless,heartless,and merciless. 32EventhoughtheyknowGod’srighteousdecreethatthosewhodothese thingsareworthyofdeath,suchpeoplenotonlycontinuetodothem,butalsoapproveof otherswhocontinuetocommitsuchsins.
GodWillJudgeWhatEachPersonDoes
2Therefore, youarewithoutexcuse,everyoneofyouwhojudgessomeoneelse, becausebyjudgingtheotherperson youalsocondemnyourself,sinceyou,whoare judging,aredoingtheverysamethings. 2AndweknowthatGod’sjudgmentonthose whodosuchthingsisbasedonthetruth.
3Areyouthinkingthat youwillescapeGod’sjudgment,youwhojudgethosewhodo suchthingsandthendothesamethings yourself? 4Ordoyouhavesolittleregardforhis richkindness,hisrestraint,andhispatience,that youignorethefactthatthepurposeof God’skindnessistolead youtorepentance? 5Asaresultofyourstubbornnessand your unrepentantheart, youarestoringupwrathfor yourselfonthedayofwrath,whenGod willrevealhisrighteousjudgment.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.