(Rom 1:18-32 KJV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
{19} Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath
showed it unto them. {20} For the invisible things of him from the creation of
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even
his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: {21} Because
that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. {22} Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, {23} And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
{24} Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their
own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: {25} Who changed
the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than
the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. {26} For this cause God gave them
up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into
that which is against nature: {27} And likewise also the men, leaving the
natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with
men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that
recompense of their error which was meet. {28} 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; {29} Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of
envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, {30} Backbiters, haters
of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents, {31} Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful: {32} Who knowing the judgment of God, that
they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but
have pleasure in them that do them.
INTRODUCTION:
There comes a point in God’s dealing with men and nations when he abandons them.
They become required to reap the benefits of their own sin. If you were to ask
me "What is wrong with America today in 1998", I could answer by saying that
"God has abandoned America, and is now reaping what she sowed." More to the
point however is the fact that America has abandoned God!
We have chosen to sin, chosen to turn our backs on God, chosen to reject the
gospel, chosen to reject a Biblical morality, chosen to disobey direct
commandments from God, and God is saying "Let them alone". He is in effect
allowing us to "go our own way". Sin has an ultimate price, and as Americans, we
bear the responsibility for the sins of our countrymen.
Three times in the scripture passage we see the dreaded words "God gave them
over!" GOD GAVE THEM OVER!!!! Mankind has been found guilty before God, and
God’s wrath is being released against guilty man! God has taken off the
restraints, and is allowing us to live with the results of our own sinful
nature. If we continue to go our own way, making our own choices, God will turn
us over to an uninterrupted course that will allow us to feel the full effects
of our sinful choices.
Sin has become rampant in our country. It is so widespread, so tolerated, that
things once confined to the realm of the deviant are now commonplace. Living
sinfully has become so widespread that it has become part of the very fabric of
our society. Sin is not only the cause, it is also the effect! Sin results in
more sin, and then more, and more, and more.
We want to tell mankind that all is well! We want everyone to be allowed to do
his or her own thing. Afterall, that is what freedom is all about, RIGHT? God
says "WRONG" The only morality prevalent today is a humanistic version do
everything you can, while you can do it. This is a blatant rejection of the
moral law given to us through scripture. It is no wonder that the wrath of God
is kindled against us. Our rejection of Him causes it! I find four specific
reasons in today’s passage to show us reasons for God’s wrath.
I. Revelation (V19)
The very first reason is the revelation of God to us. God has been revealed to
us, and his will has been made known to us. We know what his will and desire is,
yet we choose to ignore it. Verse 20 says we are without excuse.
1. Right has been revealed to us.
The power of God has been revealed through our very being. He created us in His
image, giving each of us a part of Him. It is not obscure to believe in god, it
is not unnatural, it is innate within us. Just as when you wound yourself, you
feel pain. It is plain common sense to believe in God.
2. God is revealed through Nature.
Surely one must realize that somebody must send the rain. Somebody had to pain
the sunsets, someone made the flowers, and caused them to grow. Someone gave us
the variety of foods we eat. Someone makes life happy, makes life sad. Somebody
had to be in charge of bringing precious sweet soft, tender newborns into this
world. None of these things are mere happenstance. Someone has to be in control
of them, and that someone is GOD!
3. God is revealed through Human Reason.
The mind and the reason, the very fabric of our soul cries out that there is a
God. There is a creator! He is the most powerful. He is good, and wise. In Acts
17:23 Paul found an inscription on Mars Hill "TO AN UNKOWN GOD". He then told
the who that God was!...that he was the God who made all things...the god who is
Lord of heaven and earth, a God who does not dwell in temples made with mere
hands. You see, Paul assumed that they would be able to rationally embrace what
he was saying. Paul assumed that they would believe because it is common sense!
The reality is that this world demands a creator! That is why we are without
excuse! Since the beginning of creation Man has been aware of the invisible
attributes of God. His eternal power, his divine nature, his love.
SECONDLY, God’s wrath falls on us because we reject him.
II. Rejection (v 21)
1. God is angry because mankind has rejected him!
When man discovered the truth, man proceeded to reject God. We didn’t honor him,
we didn’t give him respect, we didn’t give thanks for our very being. We turned
from his principles and invented our own. An unknown (to me at any rate) author
penned these words:
"Will God give man brains to see these things, and will man then fail to
exercise his will towards that God? The sorrowful answer is that both of these
things are true. God will give a man brains to smelt iron, and to make a
hammerhead and nails. And God will grow a tree and give man strength to cut it
down and brains to fashion a hammer handle from its wood. And when man has the
hammer and the nails, God will put out his hand and let man drive those nails
through it and place him on a cross in the supreme demonstration that men are
without excuse."
2. Man rejected God by dishonoring his creation. V 24
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own
hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:
Mankind dishonored the bodies that God has given us.We have begun to worship the
things of our own hands rather than God. We have (verse 25) turned the truth of
God into a lie!
3. Man rejected God by dishonoring Nature. (v 26-27)
I refuse to belabor this point, but Homosexuality is an abomination to God.
There is no gray area, there is no way to make it OK, there is no way to call it
anything other than sin. We cannot in any shape, form or fashion condone the
homosexual lifestyle. It is within the bounds of scripture for us to expect a
Christian to forsake a lifestyle of homosexuality.
4. Man rejected God by participating in things against his word. (v 29-32)
Paul gives us a shopping list of sins which many of us may be guilty of. The big
things like murder and stealing we can probably be safe with, it is these other
things that are liable to trip us up!
III. God’s wrath is kindled because of our rationalizations. (V 22)
1. We have blinded our selves to the point where we believe that we are doing
OK, and all is well. We have focused the primary point of worship upon
ourselves. Mankind has said I am the center of my world. No one sits in judgment
of me. How utterly foolish.
2. We rationalize our sins according to our circumstances.
3. We rationalize our worship according to convenience.
IV. RELIGION (v 24,25,28)
The fourth cause is one we probably would rather not talk about. We don’t want
to think that our religion is a cause for God to become angry. Yet because we
profess ourselves to be wise, we invariably invent a religion to go along with
our belief system. Man must believe in something, so he creates his own god to
fill his mind. It has been said that "God made man in his own image, and man
returned the favor".
Religion for the sake of religion is not based on scripture! True theology is
derived from careful interpretation of the Word of God. Religion today is not
based on God, but rather on the wants, and desires of mankind who created it! In
fact religion today has become the rejection of God and the creation of
alternate gods. Our "religion" has already been laid out for us in the
scripture. Any attempt to modify the requirements or rationalize our approach is
futile. Christianity is not so much a religion as a conviction. God will
ultimately reject our pathetic attempts at religion because worshipping Jesus
Christ is the only true religion to be found It is the only valid Worship. Only
through Christ can we achieve salvation.
CONCLUSION:
Is there hope for us? God’s wrath is kindled, but do we have an opportunity to
make things right? I say yes. We must first return to God as Creator. If we
don’t return to God for our direction, his wrath will continue to be poured out
upon us. When a man believes that there is no God, he loses all sense of hope
and direction, and will ultimately find eternal death. However there is hope, we
have to pray for hope. We have to pray that we as a nation will ultimately
return to our belief in the risen savior. If we do this, God will bless us, if
not the wrath will continue. Where do you stand today? Are you an instrument of
God’s wrath? Or do you do what you can to cause it to cease? Make things right
with God today.
Copyright 1998 by Rev. Charles S. Mims All rights Reserved
