#8 11-19-06 AM – HCBC
The Wrath of God – Part III
Romans 1:25-32
Rejecting the Truth Discards the Wisdom of God
The Wrath of God Against All Mankind. 1:18 – 3:20
Depraved Gentile society Hedonist 1:18-32
He lives for pleasure, denies that God exists, and sees no need to get right with Him.
Critical moralizers Moralist 2:1-16
He thinks he will be in a right relationship with God because of his good behavior.
Self-confident Jews Legalist 2:17 – 3:8
He thinks that because he is a Jew he is in a right relationship with God.
The whole human race Everyone 3:9-20
No one is righteous, no one has responded to God on his own.
The Wrath of God – Part I Suppressing the Truth Demands the Wrath of God (18-20)
The Wrath of God – Part II Exchanging the Truth Denies the Worship of God (21-25)
The Wrath of God – Part III Rejecting the Truth Discards the Wisdom of God (26-32)
Suppressing the Truth Demands the Wrath of God
They suppressed the Truth 18-20
Suppressing the truth says that God does not exist!
…God has not spoken!
…we are here on planet earth by ourselves!
…there is no God to whom we will ultimately give an answer!
SO: God gave them over 24
RESULT: Futile thinking 21
Exchanging the Truth Denies the Worship of God
They exchanged the Truth of God for a lie! 25
Exchanging the truth says that what God says is wrong now becomes right!
…what God says is good is not good enough for me!
…God wants me to be happy!
…God wants me to have it all!
…I can do as I please!
SO: God gave them over 26
RESULT: Indecent acts 26-27
Eph 5:12
Rejecting the Truth Discards the Wisdom of God Rom 1:26-32
They rejected the truth 28
The wisdom of man says there is no God!
…there is no absolute truth!
…what is truth for you may not be truth for me!
…we can define truth for ourselves!
…everyone can do what is right in his own eyes!
SO: God gave them over 28
RESULT: Depraved mind 29-32
21 SINS RESULTING FROM REJECTING THE TRUTH:
4 general sins:
Wickedness
Ps 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or
stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
Evil
3 John 1:11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone
who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has
not seen God.
Greed
Lk 12:15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds
of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions."
Depravity
2 Pet 2:19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of
depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
5 relation-breaking sins:
Envy
Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:… envy
Murder
Mt 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual
immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Strife
Hab 1:3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict
abounds.
Deceit
Ps 101:7 No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who
speaks falsely will stand in my presence.
Malice
Ps 28:3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who
speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.
2 more sins directed at other people:
Gossips
Pro 20:19 A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.
Slanderers
Pro 10:18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads
slander is a fool.
4 pride-revealing sins:
God-haters
Deut 7:10 But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he
will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.
Insolent
Num 16:1 Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain
Reubenites--Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—
became insolent
Arrogant
Job 35:12 He does not answer when men cry out because of the arrogance of
the wicked.
Boastful
2 Pet 2:18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the
lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just
escaping from those who live in error.
2 forms of rebellion:
Inventing evil
Ps 106:29 says they provoked God by their inventions.
Disobedient toward parents
Ex 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the
land the LORD your God is giving you.
4 areas where they are devoid:
Senseless
Without understanding - Ps 92:6 The senseless man does not know, fools do
not understand,
Faithless
Without faith - Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Heartless
Without natural affection - Lam 4:3 Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse
their young, but my people have become
heartless like ostriches in the desert.
Ruthless
Without mercy - Jas 2:13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to
anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs
over judgment!
So, how will we know that we have avoided this being “given over”?
We know that we have escaped this devastation because we have received Jesus
Christ!
Once we were lost, but now we are found – if we are found in Jesus Christ!
But how will this be demonstrated in our lives?
When we welcome the truth of God!
When we glorify Him!
When we worship Him in truth and in spirit!
When we are thankful to Him!
Happy Thanksgiving!