Rom 3:21-4:25, Salvation has always been by faith

1. Introduction 1:1-17 (includes purpose, 8-15; and theme, 16-17)
2. The Need for God's Righteousness 1:18-3:20
1. The Need for All People 1:18-32
2. The Need of Good People 2:1-3:8
3. The Guilt of All Humanity 3:9-20
3. The Imputation of God's Righteousness 3:21-5:21
1. The description of justification 3:21-26
2. The defense of justification by faith alone 3:27-31
3. The proof of justification by faith from the law 4:1-25
1. Abraham's justification by faith 4:1-5
2. David's testimony to justification by faith 4:6-8
3. The priority of faith to circumcision 4:9-12
4. The priority of faith to the promise concerning headship of many nations 4:13-17
5. The exemplary value of Abraham's faith 4:18-22
6. Conclusions from Abraham's example 4:23-25
4. The benefits of justification 5:1-11
5. The restorative effects of justification 5:12-21




3. The Imputation of God's Righteousness 3:21-5:21
1. The description of justification 3:21-26
Rom 3:21-26 (ESV) But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.


• Now something different is occurring, what is it?
• Look up manifest in Greek - to reveal, comes to light, "in the darkest moment of history, God reveals light" (Swindoll)
• A righteousness that is apart from the law
• Apart means that it is not part of the law, but it has been made known and testified to by the law and the prophets
• Key points:
• Righteousness from God through faith in Jesus to all who believe (salvation is a transfer of righteousness, ibid)
• Freely justified by grace (salvation is a gift of grace, ibid)
• Redeemed by his blood (salvation is a display of love, ibid)
• Received by faith (salvation is a declaration of truth, ibid)
• What did God do?
• God presents him as a sacrifice of atonement (actually propitiation)
• That means he covered us (atoned)
• Also means God's wrath is satisfied (expiated)
• Previous sins were left unpunished (meaning: previous sacrifices of atonement)
• Implication: Justice at the present time was executed on Jesus
• Result: All who have faith in Jesus are justified (justice is executed and paid, not just covered, although we are also covered)


B.  The defense of justification by faith alone 3:27-31
Rom 3:27-31 (ESV) Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.


• The issue of pride is an issue for readers, why?
• People really want to earn their salvation
• Another questions comes up regarding God's partiality, why?
• The Jews saw the law as the means to salvation
• The Jews thought they were privilege because of the law (and they were in a sense)
• What does it mean that we don't overthrow the law but rather uphold it if in fact no one is made righteous by the law nor does it matter if you are under the law or apart from the law?
• Righteousness by faith fulfills the demands of the law.  The law is what made Jesus death necessary
• Without the law, Jesus' death would not make sense
• The law was required for Jesus' death in order to have a vehicle to express itself
• In fact, Jesus' death then cancels the law
• Col 2:13-15 (NIV) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
• Heb 10:8-9 (ESV) When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second.
• Matt 5:17-20 (ESV) "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  19  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Uphold (NIV, ESV, RSV) can also be translated as "confirm (CJB), establish (KJV, NASB), fulfill (NLT), or place"
• Paul addresses the issue of nullification head-on, but he does not fully answer the question yet
• Grk is "histemi" and means to cause of make to stand, to make firm, to set or place in a balance.  A secondary meaning is to stand by or near
• How do we uphold the law?
• The intent of the law still stands (love God and love your neighbor)
• The punishment of the law (OT and conscience) but it is paid by Jesus
• But the written code (OT law specifically) is cancelled


3. The Proof of Justification by Faith (from the law) 4:1-25
1. Abraham's Justification by Faith 4:1-5
Rom 4:1-3 (ESV) What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."


• So what did Abraham learn? Remember, this is the key patriarch of the Jewish faith
• He had no basis for boasting -- key tenant of salvation by faith alone
• His righteousness was based upon his belief
• Paul's point is that there is has always only been one way of salvation, and that is by faith (OT and NT)
• "counted" or "reckoned" is an accounting term. Paul continues the business analogy


2. David's testimony to justification by faith 4:6-8
3. The priority of faith to circumcision 4:9-12
Rom 4:4-12 (ESV) Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:


7  "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin."


9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11  He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.


• Paul starts out by contrasting faith and works.  What is the contrast?
• Work results in wages which are the person's right
• Faith results in a gift of righteousness
• To stress the importance of this point, Paul points out that at the time of the verse in Genesis, Abraham was not circumcised, why?
• Circumcision is one of the quintessential markers of the Jewish OT Law
• Galatians was primarily written in a response to Judaizers requiring new Christian believers to be circumcised as a necessary condition of their Christian life
• Paul has used Abraham from the patriarchal period. He now brings David from the monarchial period. A common Jewish practice is to build an argument on the basis of verbal parallels.  In this case, the word reckon/counted (or credits or taken into account) is the key. Psalm 32 is one of David's penitential psalms which he wrote after a great sin
• Two points are made in Psalm 32
• David believed in the forgiveness of his sins (and it is not on the basis of any work)
• Secondly (implied by his attitude and comments), David's sin did not cancel his salvation
• Technically, while the sins are not held against the individual, the propitiation does not occur until Jesus' death.  His faith makes him righteous, but only Jesus' death pays the penalty for sin


4. The priority of faith to the promise concerning headship of many nations 4:13-17
Rom 4:13-17 (ESV) For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14  For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.


16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.


• Why the pictures / stories of Abraham?
• Because this "radical" idea is not so radical
• Even the product or blessings of righteousness did not come from the law, but through Abraham's righteousness by faith
• In other words, it was not his obedience to the law that resulted in his being heir of the world
• The blessing was a result of faith not works
• Now, there is one distinction here.  There are specific blessings that come as a result of obeying the law (Mosaic Covenant).  They are summarized in Deut 28
• The major blessing (Abrahamic Covenant), the promise of the future, came by faith
• Our inheritance in the future is guaranteed by our faith not works
• On the other hand, our position of service in the millennial is determined on our obedience to the law of grace (and no other)
• There is a distinction then between our inheritance and our reward
• One is by faith, the other is by service
• In the case of our inheritance, we are all children of Abraham, Jew and Gentile alike
• Rom 4:13-17 (CJB) For the promise to Avraham and his seed that he would inherit the world did not come through legalism but through the righteousness that trust produces. 14 For if the heirs are produced by legalism, then trust is pointless and the promise worthless. 15 For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law, there is also no violation.  // 16 The reason the promise is based on trusting is so that it may come as God’s free gift, a promise that can be relied on by all the seed, not only those who live within the framework of the Torah, but also those with the kind of trust Avraham had — Avraham avinu for all of us. 17 This accords with the Tanakh, where it says, “I have appointed you to be a father to many nations.”  Avraham is our father in God’s sight because he trusted God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls nonexistent things into existence.
• Also, there are two aspects of Abraham's faith (verse 17). What are they?
• Abraham believes that God can give life to the dead (which will be important later on when he heads up Mount Moriah).  This is a resurrection belief
• Abraham believes that God can create things from nothing.  This is a belief in God as a creator (one of the early things that men deny)


5. The exemplary value of Abraham's faith 4:18-22
6. Conclusions from Abraham's example 4:23-25
Rom 4:18-25 (ESV) In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead ( since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." 23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25  who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.


• Abraham had no cause for hope, but in hope he believed
• His body was as good as dead
• Sarah's womb was dead
• But God's promise was true
• APPLICATION: Likewise we are dead in our trespasses and sin, but God's promise of salvation is true and is our hope
• The passage says he did not waver
• To waver means to "pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness." Abraham was certain of God's word and he was willing to obey.  Consequently, he did not pause or hold back
• APPLICATION: It can be difficult to find a promise of God that is specific to ourselves and our situation.  I'm not referring to moral commands of God, but to the larger will of God issues that are not a point (only one course of action) but are represented by a circle (many possible options none of which are sinful).  On the other hand, even within the circle of God's will, we are told not to worry, not to fear, to pray, and to act prudently.  These are things I can do without pause or holding back.  And in fact, my faith is shown by my willingness to obey God in these tasks.  So, if I am exercising faith, am I praying?  If not, I am wavering.  Am I worried or fearful about the future?  Then I am wavering

Rom 2:1-3:20, Jews and Gentiles are all guilty in God's eyes

Review:
• History
• Paul in Corinth in winter
• Paul near end of third missionary journey, prior to imprisonment
• Purpose
• The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes
• In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith
• Judgment (basis for just cause)
• 1:18 For suppressing God's truth
• 1:19-20 For ignoring God's revelation
• 1:21-23 For perverting God's glory
• God gave them up
• They ignored what they knew || … to impurity and dishonor of bodies
• They exchanged truth for a lie || … to dishonorable passions (homosexual)
• The did not acknowledge God || … to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done


Constable (2010) Outline
1. Introduction 1:1-17 (includes purpose, 8-15; and theme, 16-17)
2. The Need for God's Righteousness 1:18-3:20
1. The Need for All People 1:18-32
2. The Need of Good People 2:1-3:8
1. God's principles of judgment 2:1-16
2. The guilt of the Jews 2:17-29
3. Answers to objections 3:1-8
3. The Guilt of All Humanity 3:9-20


The Need of Good People: God's Principles of Judgment
Rom 1:18 (ESV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.


Rom 1:32 (ESV) Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.


Rom 2:1-4 (ESV) Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?


• Interestingly, what we do we recognized about others?
• We know others should pay for their sins--Hitler, Stalin, murderers, thieves, adulterers (Rom 1:32)-- but we don't see ourselves in the same boat
• Reminds me of the gospel illustration that asks questions of a person regarding the ten commandments (and sermon on the mount) and then by the person's own words shows him that he is a thieving, lying, murdering, adulterous person not worthy of heaven
• We think of ourselves as "good people" basically
• Verse 4 is actually the "God is good" argument turned on its head, what is he saying?
• God is good and will not judge me
• The same argument that says God cannot exist because there is evil in the world [WE WILL ADDRESS THIS ARGUMENT LATER]
• But how does God judge?
• God judges on truth
• We judge others on a scale we rarely use on ourselves


Rom 2:5-11 (ESV) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.


6  He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.


• What is Paul's argument?
• The good person is storing up wrath for their self
• Because we are guilty of the very same things that we judge others
• Does Paul then argue for works salvation?
• This is a theoretical argument
• It is absolutely true in every sense
• If you do evil, there is wrath and fury
• If you do good, there is glory and honor and peace
• God shows no partiality in regard to race regarding salvation
• Which is an important point since Jews are the elect people of God
• But what is the problem?
• No one does good
• This will be confirmed at the end of this section


Rom 2:12-16 (ESV) For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16  on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.


• What is the argument here and how does it follow the previous discussion?
• If you sin apart from the law, you will be judged by that and you will perish
• If you under the law, you will be judged by the law
• If under the law, it is not good enough to hear the law, you must obey the law
• Being under the law does not justify you or make you right in God's eyes
• Gentiles who do things required by the law are a law for themselves, showing that some requirements of the law are written on our hearts and enforced by our conscience
• God says all men will be judged by their secrets
• Where does morality come from and how is it known?
• We all know right and wrong.  Right and wrong may differ by culture but in every culture there is the sense of right and wrong.  Every culture will be judged by that sense
• Epistemological: One does not need to believe in God to the difference between good and evil
• Ontological: Good by definition would be defined by the greatest good. Since God is the greatest good, good would proceed from him and hence be objective
• What is best for society is a poor definition and does not really define where good comes from. The Germans as a people felt it was good to eradicate Jews and Gypsies. If Germany had won, it would still be wrong
• Summary (Constable): To convict any self-righteous person, God will use three principles
• Verse 2: He will judge righteously, not on appearance
• Verse 6: He will judge people by their deeds (covertly and overtly)
• Verse 11: He will judge impartially, not on the basis of privilege but how they respond to the truth they had


The Need of Good People: The Guilt of Jews
Rom 2:17-27 (ESV) But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21  you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."


25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.


• In theory, if you do not break the law at an point, you would be considered righteous
• But what is Paul trying to show in this passage regarding the Jew?
• They do break the law
• The robbing temples was not uncommon
• Jews would use the precious metals taken from idolatrous articles in pagan temples
• Also, while they abhorred idolatry, they would take part in pagan worship (OT has many examples)
• God's name is blasphemed because of them
• In theory, if you didn't have the law but kept the law, you too would be considered righteous
• Having the law (knowing truth) and being circumcised (identified with religious people) will not save you
• NOTE: Jewish leaders taught
• Abraham sits at the entrance of Gehenna to prevent any circumcised Israelite from descending into Gehanna
• The only way to invalidate circumcision was to renounce the covenant
• APPLICATION: If God's name was blasphemed because of the Jews, Christians are no better today
• How do we treat the fast-food worker who got our order wrong?
• How do we respond to the person who cuts us off in traffic?
• Do we gossip or talk down other people?


Rom 2:28-29 (ESV) For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.


• One of the key requirements of the law is circumcision, but what is important about circumcision?
• The point is not the physical act nor the written code (written refers to the law)
• The point is a spiritual circumcision of the heart
• Why was there circumcision?
• It was an identification with the God of Israel for Jews
• It set Jews apart from all other peoples
• It is not the written code that sets a person apart as part of the family of God, but it is an internal thing done by the Spirit which makes a person a part of the family of God
• This is what a person needs -- a new heart.  And this is what is missing


The Need of Good People: Answering Objections
Rom 3:1-18 (ESV) Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3  What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though everyone were a liar, as it is written,


 "That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you are judged."


5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? ( I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.


9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:


 "None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one."
13  "Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive."
 "The venom of asps is under their lips."
14  "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."
15  "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known."
18  "There is no fear of God before their eyes."


• What is Paul not saying (or doing)?
• Paul is not dismissing the value of being Jewish.  In fact, Jews (who are defined by the law) were given the very words of God
• This is one argument against the reformed position that suggests the church has replaced ethnic Israel as God's people
• Paul is not saying that not having the law is better either (verse 5-6: How could God judge the world if he showed partiality)
• Paul is not saying that Jews are better or worse than Gentiles (but they have received privileges -- and will continue to receive blessings from God's unconditional promises)
• NOTE (Verses 7-8): "If my lying, for example, glorifies God by showing Him to be the only perfectly truthful person, why does God punish me for lying? Paul had been stressing reality and priorities in chapter 2. This objection gets down to that level. If circumcision is of secondary importance compared to perfect obedience to God, is not sinning of secondary importance to glorifying God? // Paul's reply was that, in spite of accusations to the contrary, he had not taught that the end justifies the means. Circumcision was secondary, but it was not sinful. God will not overlook sin, though He will overlook lack of circumcision (2:26-29). If anyone thinks that God should overlook his sinning because in some imagined sense it glorifies God, that person deserves condemnation (v. 8). Paul implied that this objection is so absurd that it is not worth considering." (from Thomas Constable's Notes on the Bible. Copyright © March 4, 2014 by Thomas L. Constable. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
• What is Paul saying?
• No one (Jew or Gentile) is righteous
• No one does good
• No one seeks God
• Conclusion: Jew and Gentile have the same problem.  Neither have obtained righteousness, either under the law or apart from the law


Rom 3:19-20 (ESV) Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.


• So what is and is not the value of the law?
• The law only speaks to those under the law
• No one will be declared righteous under the law
• The law's real value is showing you that you are a sinner.  A Jew especially, should have more reason than a Gentile to see his need for a savior

Rom 1:18-1:32, God "gave us" what we wanted and it isn't very pretty

Rom 1:17-20 (ESV) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."


18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.


• Do you notice the parallelism of these verses?
• A righteousness of God is revealed -- from faith and for faith
• The wrath of God is revealed -- from heaven against …
• Ungodliness (of men)
• And unrighteousness (of men)
• Both the warning (wrath) and the solution (righteousness) are revealed
• How then does God view man's situation? Men are without excuse
• Why?
• What may be known about God is plain to man (it is obvious)
• God has shown it to man (it is purposeful -- so you can say there is no evidence for the existence of God, but God's response is that is not true)
• What is known?
• His invisible qualities, eternal power and divine nature, are clearly perceived
• Invisible … perceived -- God says that we should be able to "see" these qualities
• How are they seen?
• Understood from what has been made -- since creation -- everything that has been made
• Complexity -- watch requires a maker
• Logically -- cause and effect suggests a first cause that is eternal (uncaused)
• Morality -- we know in our hearts things are wrong
• Meaning -- we recognized the importance of meaning to life
• If one understands creation, they will see the hand of God
• This is a fascinating point.  Because some scientists have reasoned that we are the product of random chaotic forces
• Not all scientists agree
• Mathematically, the theory has some incredibly small probabilities
• But science gives us little insight into the metaphysical questions of existence and cannot prove or disprove them
• Summary: Satan and our own evil desires have blinded our understanding of what should be obvious from creation.  But God will still hold men accountable on the day of judgment


Rom 1:21-25 (ESV) For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.


24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.


• This is the first step in a downward spiral of sin.  How does is start?
• Men knew God
• Apparently, the knowledge of God was much more widespread in the days prior to Noah
• The very number of religions suggest some deep inner acceptance of something that is bigger than self
• Men did not glorify him as God.  Interesting -- they knew God but they don't glorify him -- why?
• To glorify him or to accept him requires obedience (many atheists make this very argument)
• Men did not give him thanks.  Again, why?
• Because we want to be our own gods
• Gen 3:5 "… you will be like God …"
• Gen 3:5 "… your eyes will be opened … knowing good and evil …" (Gnosticism)
• These are the conditions, knowledge of God but failure to glorify or thank.  The result then follows
1. Their thinking becomes futile
• Thinking is the use of our minds to reason and choose
• A definition for futile, is that it serves no purpose, and it is occupied with trifles
2. Their foolish hearts become darkened
• Hearts represent our passions or emotions
• Darkened means to not see clearly
3. Pride.  They claim to be wise
• The reality is they became foolish
4. They exchanged God's glory for images (we are still doing that today when we remake God into the image we want … "well, my God would not … ")
• They reduce God to something they can control
• They reduce God to something they created
• They reduce God to look like the rest of creation
• The consequence of their sins is one of the three "God gave them up"
• The first "God gave them over" to sexual impurity (which was the sinful desire of their heart)--this is what men wanted--God gave them what they wanted
• They now start to worship their lust
• They degrade their bodies with one another (perverting the goodness of sex which God had created for pleasure within set boundaries)
• The serve created things (material things consume their passion) or they served the creature (Satan)
• Ps 81:11-13 (ESV)
11 "But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13  Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
• The consequence of not listening is that you often get what you wanted …


Rom 1:26-27 (ESV) For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.


• So because they worship their lust (sexual and material), God gives them up (over-NIV, AMP, HCSB, NET)  a second time
• Homosexuality or  unnatural relations
• Consuming passion
• Shameful acts
• Bodies receive the due penalty for their perversion
• Perversion means to use something for a purpose it was not created
• Not sure what the due penalty would be.  It would seem that AIDS would be so today, but most likely there is some other spiritual effect from homosexuality that occurs to a person's spirit (since homosexuality has been around for a long time)
• There were some studies which showed brain differences in persons with homosexual behavior -- I've also seen studies that show brain changes based on behavior
• APPLICATION:
• Deliberate sin has an effect upon our bodies
• Even worse, is sometimes we get what we want and it is not good for us


Rom 1:28-32 (ESV) And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.


• Additionally to the perversion of sex, what else does mankind do?
• It does not value the knowledge of God
• It is not worthwhile
• It is a waste of a person's time
• It is one thing to replace God with images you can control, but now the knowledge of God, however poor, is disdained
• The result of their disdain of God's existence, is that God gives them up a third time.  What is the overall category here that God gives them over to?
• A depraved mind
• Definition: impairment of virtues and moral principles (thefreedictionary.com)
• Doing what ought not to be done
• The list is incredible and pretty much describes most societies today.  I want to focus on the last verse, vs. 32
• Men know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death
• Men know the result is death
• Men continue to sin
• Men approve of those who do the same things
• APPLICATION: Deep down, we all know that we sin.  We all recognize that 'certain sins' leads to death.  But where we fool ourselves is thinking that our sin does not deserve death