In Romans chapter 1 verse 28 it says, "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 gives man over to his own sinful mind. There's nothing more that God can do. God made a provision for our salvation through Christ and all we have to do is believe it, but most people refuse to believe it. They want to try to save themselves and be their own God. God has also sent out ambassadors for Christ to preach the Gospel (those who have believed the Gospel), but they are often ridiculed or ignored, and the Christians who actually do share a pure grace message are also very rare. Satan's policy of evil, his lie program, (sharing and teaching false gospels) is hard at work against Grace Believers.
In times past, before the dispensation of grace, God had given up the Gentile Nations because of their wickedness, rebelliousness, abominations, idolatry and witchcraft. God had to form a separate nation that would worship God alone and so He formed the nation of Israel. However, even the Jews would turn to the same religious practices, rebelliousness, unthankfulness, and wicked ways at times as the Gentile Nations. Today we see Christians doing similar things- adding new-age and pagan practices to their faith or believing in things like evolutionary theory instead of creationism or approving of awful things like abortion. There's also a lot of greed, division, and abuse in various churches, groups and denominations. For most of church history there's been idolatry in the form of worshipping saints in heaven, Marianism and the worship of angels! There are so-called Christian idols all over the world! But, we also have Christians that basically worship their denominational leaders, preachers, pastors and Bible study teachers too. Mankind just cannot seem to be okay with just worshipping God alone. Thank goodness for God's mercy and grace!
But also, the Jews during Jesus earthly ministry ended up rejecting Christ except for a remnant of Jewish believers. They chose their own religion over Jesus. They had corrupted the word of God and the religious leaders had put the people under a heavy bondage. It's a similar thing in Christendom today!
It's important to understand however that today in the dispensation of grace Jew and Gentile can be saved. As mentioned in a previous study, the middle wall of partition has been removed. Today, God is forming a New Creature (Gal. 6:15), the one new man (Eph. 2:15) made up of both individual Jews and Gentiles (Gal. 3:28). Today, there is no difference or distinction in the body of Christ between Jews and Gentiles. Israel is in apostasy as a Nation and not God’s preferred nation. After the Rapture God will resume His dealings with Israel.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Gal 6:15 KJB
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; Eph 2:15 KJB
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:28 KJB
God is also NOT pouring out his wrath today on this world. God isn't judging the nation's today. Today God is dispensing grace! However, we do not know when the dispensation of grace will be over. The rapture can happen at anytime! And when it does, the unbelievers left behind will have to face God's wrath (and also the anti-christ and satans evilness towards man gets worse) during the tribulation period, when God will resume his program with Israel.
**Homework: Begin your Bible reading with prayer and make this a habit before Bible study. Then, Reread Romans chapter 1.
Journaling: How would you summarize this chapter? Is there anything specific in Romans chapter 1 that you want to study out more on your own? It's good to compare scripture with scripture as well. For example, you can look up the word grace in a Bible wordsearch program or simply use Google and then read other verses about grace in Paul's Epistles (rightly dividing) too to help you more clearly define and understand Grace.
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