The Book of Romans – Chapter 1: 18-32
Verse 18
• Wrath of God revealed
• Man supress faith
Verses 19-20
• God has revealed himself plainly and clearly through creation (Psalms 19: 1-2,
Acts 14:7) & conscience (Romans 2:15)
• God’s attributes- Eternal power, Divine nature and Holiness
Verse 21
• Man knew God but he did not honour Him and he did not give thanks to Him
• Man rather became futile in thinking and his futile hearts darkened
Verse 22
• But men claimed to be wise
Verse 23
• God’s truth was suppressed.
• They chose images of mortal men, birds and animals over the glory of the immortal
God.
Verse 25
• They believed a lie
• They worshipped the creature
• They served the creature
Application: 1. God’s truth/word:
✓ The purpose is to know God and honour Him
✓ Supressing it results in idolatry
2. Sinner vs Believer
✓ Sinner- Supresses God’s truth and creates a god that conforms
to his likeness
✓ Believer- Seeks to know God all the more and conforms
himself to God’s likeness
3. Mechanism
✓ Exchange God’s glory (v.23) for a lie (v.25).
✓ Worships the things of the world
✓ Serves the thing of the world (Money, sex, pleasures of self)
What is the Lie?
Idols are more glorious, more honourable, more satisfying, more pleasing
Verses 24, 26 and 28
• God gave them up to:
✓ Lusts of their heart
✓ Impurity
✓ Dishonouring of bodies
✓ Dishonourable passions
✓ Unnatural, shameless acts
✓ Debased mind
The result is all manner of unrighteousness.
• This is pretty much the picture of Hell where the Grace of god is completely
withdrawn.
Verse 32
• They know their end and the penalty they will have to pay. But they continue in sin
because of their debased minds.
• They not only sin but also give approval to those who sins.
The Book of Romans – Chapter 2
Paul’s 2nd verdict from the courtroom of God
Background: The national and religious pride of the Jews:
➢ They are the Chosen Race
➢ They possess the Law
➢ They have the sign of circumcision
The Verdict – The Jewish world is guilty
Paul goes on to give FIVE REASONS of Jewish condemnation.
Reason 1 (Verses 1-3)
• They are quick to judge the Gentiles
• They do the same sin themselves
• God judges man based on truth
• Judgement of God rightly falls
Reason 2 (Verses4-5)
• They take for granted God’s kindness and patience
• They continue in sin instead of repenting
• The reason they don’t repent is because they have a hard and impenitent heart
• And the result is, storing up of the wrath of God.
Application: More blessings received --- More guilt --- More the wrath
Reason 3 (Verses 6-11)
• God shows no partiality. He judges based on man’s works
• There are 2 categories of men:
1
✓ Patient in doing good
✓ Seek glory and honour from God
✓ Seek eternal life
✓ Receives eternal life
2
✓ Self seeking
✓ Disobey truth (supress truth)
✓ Obeys unrighteousness (exchange truth for a lie)
✓ Receives wrath and fury
Application: Does my life prove that I am a child of God?
Reason 4 (Verses 12-24)
• The Jews boast about having the law but keep on sinning under the law
• Verses 12 -13 --- God’s judgement and God’s law
• Verses 14-15
✓ Gentiles are not given the law
✓ But God has written the law in their hearts (conscience)
✓ Conscience does 2 things --- accuses them & excuses them
• Verse 16 --- God judges the deep motives of the heart
• Verses 17-20--- Jews and the law
✓ Jews rely on the law & boast in God
✓ They know God’s will and approve all that is instructed from the law
✓ The Jews assume themselves 4 roles: 1) Guide to the blind 2) Light
bearer to those in darkness 3) Instructor of the foolish 4) Teacher of
children
• Verses 21-22 --- Questions/ Accusations of Paul to the Jews
✓ You need to teach yourselves
✓ Do you steal?
✓ Do you commit adultery?
✓ Do you rob temples?
• Verses 23-24 --- What are the results of the actions of the Jews?
✓ God is dishonoured
✓ God’s name is blasphemed before the Gentiles
Reason 5 (Verses 25-29)
• Outward religion of the Jews
• Paul uses the example of circumcision (a pride of Jews)
Old Testament Background:
✓ Deuteronomy 10:16 – circumcise the foreskin of your hearts
✓ Jeremiah 9: 25-26 – I will punish all those who are circumcises merely in the
flesh.
• Circumcision has value only when it represents an obedient heart
Application:
✓ Jews follow the outward aspects of the law by the letter but ignores the spirit behind
each. What about you?
✓ They long for man’s praise and not God’s. What about you?