Romans 1:18-21
by:
Dan Hill, PhD
Pastor
Southwood Bible Church
7655 South Sheridan Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74113
E-Mail: hill918@aol.com
Remember the simple outline:
Romans 1-8 our relationship with God.
Romans 12-16 our relationship to one another.
In the first eight chapters Paul establishes a need on behalf of man that
man cannot fulfill himself. In doing this he shows that man must turn to
God if he wants eternal life.
In Romans 1:18 to 3:20 we see Human History and Human nature as God views
them and in doing so we see God's case against man, in three parts:
Romans 1:18-32 God's case against the Pagan Man
Romans 2:1-26 God's case against the Moral Man
Romans 2:17-3:8 God's case against the Religious Man
The result of this argument is that all are under sin. And we can do nothing
about it.
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
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While there is a future aspect of the wrath of God in the Scriptures, the
wrath of God here is revealed present tense.
The word "revealed" is the same as in v 17 where God's perfect
righteousness is revealed. But in verse 18, "wrath" is revealed.
"Wrath" is the Greek word ORGEI, referring to the wrath of God
or His Holy Indignation.
1. Aristotle said of this word that it was anger mixed with
desire and grief.
2. When used of God it looks at the abhorrence of sin but also shows a longing
that is mixed with grief for those who live in sin.
3. In the New Testament, wrath is be avoided by the believer.
4. The wrath of God is expressed not to the believer but to the unbeliever
as a result of their condition separated from God:
John 3:36, He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does
not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
5. Paul will later in Romans tell believers that their faith in Christ has
removed from them God's wrath:
Romans 5:9, Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we
shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
This word "wrath", then, describes the other side of God's righteousness.
If God loves, God will also have anger in the sense of rejecting and punishing
ungodliness and unrighteousness.
In the OT the figure used for this was often "the hand of God."
Psalm 48:10, As is Thy name, O God, So is Thy praise to the ends of the
earth; Thy right hand is full of righteousness.
If the right hand of God's righteousness finds you in faith, there is benefit
and blessing. If it finds you in ungodliness and unrighteousness (as an
unbeliever, without faith), there is wrath.
PRINCIPLE: For God's love to be of value it must have conditions and thus,
it must also be the opposite of wrath. God wants to love his creatures,
man, but if man rejects His provision of salvation, then there is wrath.
APPLICATION: Man must be adjusted to the Justice of God at salvation and
the only way to do that is by having God's righteousness.
NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE: Paul does not begin with the solution which is Christ,
but with the problem, man's sin. It is essential that man recognize his
need prior to the consideration of God's solution.
Mark 2:17 Jesus said . . . It is not those who are healthy who need a physician,
but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
Do we know that we are sick? The only way we know is by what God has revealed.
This verse also tells us the source of this wrath: It is from heaven. This
is idiomatic indicating that this wrath comes from the very throne of God.
First wrath comes against ungodliness: ASEBEIA.
This is a word that is primarily used to describe a category of unbeliever.
They are said to mock God, to reject God, refuse to believe God.
The word GODLY which is EUSEBOS is taken from a root word meaning "to
honor" and "to adore". In the cultic Greek religions it was
used for approaching the gods with a gift and that gift being accepted.
As we transfer it to the NT we can see in this word an approaching of God
and fellowship or friendship relationship with Him.
HENCE: UNGODLINESS rejects the relationship man can have with God through
faith in Christ.
Second, wrath comes against "unrighteousness."
Unrighteousness is ADIKIA in Greek and refers to sins that are against man.
It points to immorality and the acts of sins perpetuated against others.
The INHUMANITY of man is not INHUMAN at all, it is ungodly.
Man abuses his fellow man, hurts the innocent and the ones unable to defend
themselves because he has first rejected God and then secondly, God's creatures.
Jesus talked of the wrath of God coming against those who would abuse the
innocent in Matthew 18:
Matthew 18:6, But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe
in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around
his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 18:10, See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face
of My Father who is in heaven.
The words "of men" expand this concept of wrath beyond the category
Paul is immediately addressing. He will look at those who are in paganism
and idolatry first, but so much of what is said in each category can apply
to the others. There are those who reject a relationship with God and sin
against the innocent in every category of mankind.
THE LAST PHRASE sets up how ungodilness and unrighteousness is developed
- "who suppress the truth in unrighteousness."
The word "suppress" can mean to hold onto in a good sense or as
it is used here, to hold down, to cover up, to suppress.
Man can cover up the truth of God, hold it down, but man cannot destroy
it.
In order to suppress something, you must be aware of it, you must know it
exists. This is not an ignoring but a suppressing of the truth of God.
The PAGANS of the ancient world had come, as we will see, to God consciousness.
But they suppressed the idea of there being a creator and worshipped the
created things of this world.
This suppression first come at the point of God consciousness.
The word "unrighteousness" describes the manner in which the truth
is suppressed. It is done influencing others through sin. The pagans would
abuse others, child sacrifices, forced prostitution, molesting children,
inflicting pain upon others. All part of the pagan rituals that suppressed
the truth of God.
The next five verses (vv 19-23) describe man's journey from reality to religion.
Here God the creator providing for man in grace, and man ended up worshipping
animals and images. Man goes from the grandeur of God and ends up on the
garbage heap of his own devices.
Romans 1:19
Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made
it evident to them.
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This verse tells us why it is suppression and not ignorance.
This also answers the question regarding the heathen or those who have never
heard about Christ. Are they responsible, why do they receive the wrath
of God?
Because there is an evidence within them:
When we speak of revelation from God we normally think only in terms of
the written word, the Bible. But there are other categories of revelation:
1. Here we have man's inner consciousness. Man, in any culture,
in any society, at any time in history, can examine himself. He is created
being. And as a created being to some extent he establishes norms and standards,
right and wrong.
This tells us a number of things. If I am a created being there must be
a creator. If I can establish what I think is right and wrong then there
must be an absolute right and wrong. There must be a standard that is higher,
greater, grander than myself.
The standard of morality in some cultures may not be very high, but it is
still there. Certain thing are evident, murder, violence, abuse. Man can
quickly figure out that these things are wrong. And if there is a wrong
there must be a right and then there must be a standard higher than man.
2. In the next verse (v 20) God revealing himself through nature.
Now with these two we must recognize that they can make man aware that God
exists, this type of revelation can even make man aware of the power and
therefore, the judgment of God . . . but they cannot lead man to the love
of God.
That can only be revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ.
3. Hebrews 1:1-2, God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets
in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in
His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made
the world.
Jesus Christ incarnate is the revelation of God. He revealed to man the
glory and the love of God. He is the living Word of God.
4. Now that Jesus is risen and has ascended to the right hand of the Father,
the written word contains the mind of the living word.
The Bible is the mind of Christ.
Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal
power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through
what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
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Pretty straight forward isn't it. Nature reveals God. This is not even hidden,
but is clearly seen.
First, we have in this verse the consistency of this revelation:
For since the creation of the world.
This shows us that every man who has ever lived has witnessed this revelation.
Also that in nature, man's major opportunity is to gain a knowledge of God.
Second, we see the message of this revelation.
His invisible attributes, His eternal power, and divine nature.
Creation, nature, is a reflection of its creator. God's fingerprints are
all over creation.
Psalm 19:1, The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse
is declaring the work of His hands.
The message is first general: God's invisible absolute attributes. Second
it is specific: His attribute of power. Third it is tells of God Himself:
His divine nature.
Third, we see the clarity of the message.
"They have been clearly seen ..."
This is an oxymoron. We have something that is invisible and yet at the
same time it is clearly seen.
The unseen is God - The Seen is what He has created - The clearly seen is
what creation reveals.
Not only are they SEEN they are also UNDERSTOOD.
Therefore, man is without an excuse.
This revelation cannot lead to salvation nor to a personal relationship.
But it can lead man to a longing that comes from an unmet need to know the
one who has created him and all around him.
At this point, man is conscious of God, and that consciousness of God demands
a volitional decision.
Do I seek God my creator or degrees to creation itself?
Do I seek the one who made the tree or do I worship the tree?
Topic: ESSENCE OF GOD
Romans 1:21
For 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.
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"They knew God": That is from the revelation of consciousness
and nature.
This refers to the knowledge of a fact apart from allowing the fact to become
personal.
Instead: They did not honor Him as God or give thanks.
Two things here, they refuse to believe that the creator whose fingerprints
are seen in nature is God. Therefore they did not have an attitude of thankfulness
towards Him for how He made them or Creation.
David saw it, he knew it, and he gave thanks:
Psalm 139:14, I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; Wonderful are Thy works, And my soul knows it very well.
Consider the one who is behind all this - Satan.
Satan's objective with an unbeliever is to obscure the knowledge of God.
To hide that which is revealed by creation. So he removes God from creation
and makes all this just a product of evolution.
Or, as we will see in the next verses, he gets man to hug the tree and worship
what is created.
So rejecting what is evident result in the rejector become futile in his
speculations.
FUTILE is a word that means "to render foolish". It can also be
translated "vain" or "empty". So they become foolish
or fools, vain and empty, in their thinking.
SPECULATION is a word that is used for imagination, what one thinks, but
also for discussion and debate.
So this picture those who have rejected any idea of God as an all powerful
creator sitting around discussing what is all around them in creation and
trying to come up with some explanation, any explanation, other than the
fact that God is the Creator and sustainer of all things.
Warren Doud [ Grace Notes ]
1705 Aggie Lane, Austin, Texas 78757
Phone: 512-458-8923
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