Understand Man's Sin Nature
Romans 1: 22-32 really lays out mans wickedness and why God's wrath is just. Let's just read the verses, and you can see for yourself the depravity of man in his flesh.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
First, God is showing us that man really thinks that with his religion, philosophies, moralism, scientific discoveries, art, inventions and sinful lifestyle choices that he is so wise! But God says they are fools! In our flesh, we (mankind) really think that what we think and do is above God and His word.
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
This is the introduction of idolatry. Please keep in mind that these verses are not just speaking about mankind in general in the past, but also each individual persons choices when they are not at peace with God (which is all unbelievers). Some may be more extreme than others in their actions, but all have sinned. God absolutely hates idolatry, it's all throughout scripture. We are not to idolize people (not even fellow saints, mary etc like some religions do or even our own selves), false gods, angels, or things like money, nature, animals, plants, the sun or moon etc too. Idol worship really sets people off in a worse direction and everyone has been guilty of it to one degree or another. I will talk more in detail about idolatry in another study.
Man begins by elevating himself and his own thoughts and ideas above God and his word. Today there are Bibles almost everywhere on the planet and yet how many people, even Christians, have actually read the whole Bible? Let alone who study it? Not many. They have plenty of time for social media or politics or watching Netflix or the news, but claim to have no time for Gods word?
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Sexual immorality seems to always follow idolatry and covetousness. This is because since man has now elevated himself in his own mind, and chooses to not have anything to do with God, he only now desires to fulfill the lusts of his own flesh. The opposite sex then becomes his own God and when that doesn't fulfill the lusts of his flesh he turns to the same gender and on and on becoming increasingly more reprobate like the people in Sodom and Gomorrah.
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
In Today's culture certain sins are considered acceptable while others are still taboo. We are not to base our morals on what society says is acceptable or not, but rather on God's Word.
Everyone sins, even believers (and that is only until believers receive our glorified bodies at the rapture or when we go to be with the Lord in heaven when we die, whichever happens first), but believers are not supposed to live like the world. When you are saved and have been established in sound Grace Doctrine and you yeild to Christ, He will live his life in and through you and your lifestyle choices and thoughts will be opposite to the ways of the world. You might seem odd for not wanting to be just like the world, but that's OK! The unbelievers who never choose to believe the gospel will be judged for all of their sins. As believers we have been delivered from the power of darkness, but we can still choose to either live after the flesh or to walk in the Spirit. An unbeliever however has no power over sin. All they have is their sin nature! They are still "in Adam" whereas a believer has imputed righteousness and is now "in Christ." An unbeliever is spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins. A believer is spiritually alive in Christ and we have His very own life inside of us even while we still live in mortal bodies. Incredible!
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
God allows man to live out the fruit of his own works. Of course we also have another option- believe the Gospel and be forgiven and saved! Then, once you are saved you can learn how to really live for God, with having His LIFE working in and through you. This will produce good fruit, the fruits of the Spirit and brings glory to God!
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Not only does man do these things but enjoys others who do these things as well! The movie industry is an example- people not only commit violence, or immorality, etc but they enjoy watching it on TV! It was even worse during the time of gladiators, people just sat in the audience watching mostly innocent people, including early Christians, and some criminals get torn apart, beaten, humiliated and killed and they considered it entertainment! Religious people have also found torture entertaining as happened to the Bible believers who were persecuted for printing the Holy Bible into English! The religious Jews and pagan Romans also did the same thing to the Lord Jesus Christ when he was flogged, beaten, spit upon, laughed at and crucified and died. Some people witnessing it considered it entertaining. Just awful.
Every person who is not saved when they die will be judged for all of their sins. Christ took all of these sins, and every sin ever committed by anyone whether in thought, word or deed, upon himself on the cross but only believers are forgiven. The moment you believe in Christ's death, burial and resurrection as atonement for your sin you are completely forgiven of all past, present and future sin.
But even today in so-called modern, civilized times, how much time today do people spend watching, reading and listening to violence, murder, sexual immorality, gossip, debates, curse words, sarcasm, blasphemy, conspiracy theories, fake news, etc? And they spend billions of dollars on this kind of "entertainment"? It fulfills the desire of their flesh. Man is depraved and desperate, but thank God for the Gospel of the grace of God! Thank God for the Lord Jesus Christ! Without Him not one of us would make it into heaven. Without Him we'd all be lost and without any hope. This is the important message in Romans chapter 1, that man needs to understand his desperate need for salvation and that in our flesh we fall short of the glory of God. Mankind actually needs the very righteousness of God in Christ.
**Homework: Read Romans chapter 1 again. If you use a highlighter in your Bible, highlight all of the sins listed. It's important to really grasp and understand man's desperate need for a savior.
Journal: Can you see the truth of Romans 1 in our world today? Should believers live like unbelievers? Aren't you grateful for God's grace?
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