Romans 1:21-32

Romans 1:21-32

The Descent into Madness

Rom 1:21  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.

Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Rom 1:23  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.

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Rom 1:25  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.

Rom 1:26  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:

Rom 1:27  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 recompence of their error which was meet.

Rom 1:28  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;

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Rom 1:32  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.

1. When Man Rejects God’s Purpose for Him He is Left with the Consequences of His Self Destructive Nature. – vs. 21a*
1. What is the chief end of man?

                                                               i.      To Glorify God – 1 Corinthians 10:31 

                                                             ii.      To Enjoy God - Psalm 73:25-26 

2. Ungrateful for the Gifts that He Has Been Given, Man Rejects God and His Debate Becomes Meaningless.  – vs. 21b* - Isaiah 47:10 
3. Because Man’s Debate is Meaningless, He Becomes Blind to the Truth – vs. 21c*
1. There are harsh consequences for rejecting God and His law – (Be sure to read all of Deut. 28 for a stern warning to a nation that walks away from God.) - Deuteronomy 28:29 
4. Because Man is Blind to the Truth, He Begins to Believe He is All Knowing. – vs. 22* - 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 
5. Because Man Believes He is All Knowing, Man Believes He Has the Right to Say Who is God  – vs. 23*

1. First Man makes God to be like a man

                                                               i.      This is the development of secular humanism – from this belief sprung the totalitarian governments of the 20^th century

2. Second Man begins to worship the creation

                                                               i.      Disappointed by the horrendous behavior of man uncheck by law, Man turns to creation to find hope for the future and begins to worship it. - Psalm 135:15-18 

6. Because Man Worships the Creation Over the Creator, He is Allowed by God to Destroy His Body With Lust. – vs. 24* - 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 
7. Because Man Has Destroyed Himself with Lust, Man Rejects the True Truth of God for the Lie that Nature is All There is.  – vs. 25* - 1 Timothy 1:16-17 
8. Because Man Believes in only “Survival of the Fittest,” He Oppresses the Weak and Abuses Women in Perverse Ways.   – vs. 26*
1. Jesus treated women with love and respect: Mary Magdalene, the woman at the well, Mary and Martha
9. Because Man is Unsatisfied With His Abuse of Women, Men begin to Lust after Other Men and Reject God’s Natural Law, of One Man and One Woman – vs. 27*
1. Homosexuality is prohibited in the Old Testament along with many other sexual sins - Leviticus 18:20-22 
2. Jesus used natural law define marriage - Mark 10:6-9 
3. There is hope for homosexuals and we should love them as Christ loves them.  - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 
10. Because Man Has Rejected God, God Gives Them Over to a Reprobate Mind – vs. 28* - 2 Thessalonians 2:10-13 
11. All Unrighteousness is Sin and We have all Committed it. – vs. 29-31*
1. If this was a list with boxes to check if you have committed that sin, how many boxes would you have to check?

                                                               i.      Fornication, Wickedness, Covetousness, Maliciousness, Full of Envy, Murder, Debate (Over Argumentative), Deceit, Malignity (One with bad Character), Whisperers (A Person that gossips), Backbiters (A person that attacks the good name of others), Haters of God, Despiteful, Proud, Boasters, Inventors of evil things, Disobedient to Parents, Without Understanding, Covenant Breakers (People who do not keep their word of break their contracts), Without Natural Affection (Those who do not have affections that would be expected: like a mother for a child or a husband for his wife), Implacable (A Truce- Breaker), Unmerciful

12. All Men are Guilty Before a Righteous Judge and are Worthy of Death – vs. 32*
1. Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10