ALL PEOPLE NEED SALVATION: SUPPRESSING THE TRUTH REVEALS THE WRATH OF GOD
Romans 1:18-2:16
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. While the righteousness of God is being revealed in the Gospel, the wrath of God is being revealed in truth suppression (Rom. 1:18-32).
A. Created inside every person is a certain knowledge of God. In theology (the study of God), we call this general revelation (vs 19, 20: Ps. 19:1-6, Eccles. 3:11).
1. People should see all around them God’s eternal power.
2. People should see all around them God’s Godness “theotas”(many of his attributes).
B. Paul says that because of this people are without legal defense “anapologatos.”
Thought: How much understanding is God expecting from people around the world concerning Him? (Acts 17:24-28)
C. By not glorifying (assigning importance to) or thanking God, people who were created to do these things assign these traits to idols(vs 21-24).
Thought: What idols do we have in our world today?
D. Therefore (as a result, “dio”), God gave them over (vs 24-32, especially vs 24, 26,28).
1. God seems to increasingly remove his sin restraining power (2 Thes. 2:7).
2. The human tendency is toward more and more moral decay.
3. God does view homosexuality as moral perversion and sin in the Old Testament and the New Testament (vs 26, 27: Lev. 18:22; I Cor. 6:9; I Tim. 1:10; Rev. 22:15).
4. Paul lists 21 nouns and adjectives that people fill themselves up with (vs 29-31).
II. All unrighteous people are without excuse against God’s true righteous judgment (Rom. 2:1-16).
A. Thinking your self-righteousness will bring you right standing with God is ridiculous (vs 1-3). However, don’t confuse this and Matt. 7:1 for the same thing as true godly discernment (I Cor.5:12-6:6).
B. God is being patient “makrothumias” (which means long-suffering) toward humanity, leading people to repentance (a change of mind)(vs 4).
C. By not believing the Gospel of God’s righteousness, people store up God’s wrath for what they have believed and done. By believing the gospel and living in it, people receive eternal life and reward (vs 5_16; I Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15).
