Question

---

A WORLD WITHOUT FAITH

Romans 1:18-2:16

Key Verse: 1:18

1. Read 1:18-20. Against what is God's wrath revealed? (Compare 1:17) How do people deliberately suppress the truth?

2. Read 1:21. What happens to the mind and heart of one who deliberately does not honor or thank God? (Compare Luke 20:9-10; Daniel 4:28-32)

3. Read verses 22-23. What foolish exchange do people without God make? What does it mean that "God gave them over?" (24,26,28) How is this an expression of his love as well as of his wrath?

4. Read 1:25-27. What other foolish exchanges do people without God make? How do godless people invert creation order? What happens to human relations in a godless society? (28-32)

5. Read 2:1-5. Who else is a suppressor of the truth? Why is only God's judgment right? How do self-righteous people abuse God's love? (4) What must we do instead of judging others? (5)

6. Read 2:6-7. What is God's standard? What are the two directions men seek? What is the result in each case? (8-11) What does it mean that God judges according to conscience? (12-16) Who can measure up to God's standard? (3:10) Why must we live by faith?  (1:17)

---

Attachment

• paroq0118-0216-2009.doc

Message

---

GOD’S JUDGMENT AGAINST THE WORLD WITHOUT FAITH

Romans 1:18-2:16

Key Verse: 1:18 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppresses the truth by their wickedness.”

  Last Tuesday a powerful and devastating earthquake struck Haiti and killed tens of thousands of people near the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Waves of relief aid from the world arrive day and night and rescue effort for survivors continues even today. The day after the disaster occurred, Pat Robertson, an American TV evangelist, commented on the earthquake that Haiti made ‘a pact with the devil’. He meant that the earthquake was God’s righteous judgment on the cursed and corrupted land. His comment has been largely criticized by the world during the past week. However, in fact Haiti is known as the center of the satanic religion Voodoo. In their ritual practice Haitians kill poultry and pour out the blood into a mud hole. Sometimes, it is said that priests secretly sacrifice human life and mix their blood with mud.  Under the influence of such a satanic religion and political corruption the people in Haiti suffer from hunger, disease and poverty. The controversial and conservative reverend added, “It is time for the Haitians to come back to God.” The earthquake in Haiti and the comment of the TV evangelist reminded me of God’s wrath against the godlessness and his divine judgment against the world without faith.

  Today’s passage is about God’s divine and righteous judgment against the world without faith. The passage contains two parts: first God’s judgment against the Gentiles who suppress the truth of God (1:18-32), second against the legalists who pass judgment on others (2:1-16). The main point of Paul’s statement is that the world without faith is situated under God’s righteous judgment and that the world can be saved only through faith in Jesus Christ, who is the righteousness of God.

First, God’s wrath on those who suppress the truth (1:18-32) Look at verse 18. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” The words “suppress the truth” means “intentionally keep the truth from being known” or “holding back the truth”.  Here the truth is the knowledge of God. God gave each human being the innate knowledge of God. In the beginning God created man in his own image and his own likeness.(Ge 1:26,27) Therefore, as a baby sucks at his mother’s breast, all human beings have inborn knowledge of God in their hearts. Psalm 53:1 says, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.”

How do people acknowledge the existence of God? How does God demonstrate himself to them? Look at verses 19,20. “, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” In this verse are two ideas we have to remember: first, his eternal power, second, his divine nature. Our God is all powerful. In the beginning God created heavens and the earth by his words. All things were created for him and by him (Col 1:16). Things of the world are planned by his wisdom and operated by his power. Open your biology book. Who can explain the complexity and intricacy of the mechanic organism of the living cell? We don’t have to open a biology or chemistry book. Open your eyes and look at the sky. Who can explain the cosmic order and harmony of the universe? How do the solar planets orbit without collision? From the subatomic particles and molecular building blocks of life to galaxies and the expanse of the universe, the intricate beauty and complex design of the creation demonstrates that THERE IS GOD. There is an “Intelligent Designer” behind the things of the world. Everybody acknowledges that there is God and there is no excuse.

  God also reveals himself through his divine nature. In Romans 2:7 we can glimpse of God’s divine nature. “…the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience. Our God is kind, loving, tolerant and patient. In his righteous anger he strikes, but in his favor he shows his compassion (Is 60:10) God revealed his divine nature through Jesus Christ, who is God the Incarnate. Jesus was kind and loving. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He was full of compassion when he saw a crying widow who lost her only son. Jesus was humble and gentle. So he entered Jerusalem by riding on a donkey. Finally, he humbled himself and obeyed God even to the point of death on the cross. Jesus is the very revelation of God Himself. John the Apostle said, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at Father’s side, has made him known.” (Jn 1:18) Look at verse 20 again. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all those who suppress the truth by their wickedness because they have no excuse for their unbelief when they hear even one piece of the story about Jesus in the Bible.

Look at verses 21-23. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Since they know God, they should honor God as God and glorify Him. They should accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior after hearing the message of Jesus. But, they did not do so. Instead of turning to God, they turned to idols. They did not want to put God in their hearts because they wanted to be their own God. In the Garden, Adam should have worked hard for the glory of God. He should have honored God as God and thanked Him who had provided everything for him. But, by Satan’s lie, he became proud. He lost his gratitude toward God. Instead of listening to God’s word, he listened to Satan’s lie, “You will be like God.” (Ge 3:5)

  These days many people do not want to put God in their hearts, saying, “I am my own man.” We met some students on campus who stopped coming to church after graduating from high school. They make many excuses for their backsliding, but briefly speaking they want to be their own man or woman. But Satan never leaves them alone. Soon Satan invites them to the party of the devils.

These verses are also a warning to those who take God’s blessing for granted. We must thank God in all circumstances (1Th 5:18) Ingratitude brings infidelity. When Israelites lost gratitude toward God as His chosen people, they became like an unfaithful wife or a prostitute before God’s eyes. When people lose their thankful hearts toward God, their thinking becomes futile and their hearts become dark. Instead of seeking God, they seek something or someone else which can satisfy their sinful desire. Ancient idols were carved stones or wood in the form of an animal or a man. But modern idols are mortal man, money, parties, sports, the internet, or video games which steal our souls and body. Instead of turning on the TV or computer, we must kneel down before God and seek him. We must honor God as God and acknowledge him in every way of life. It is because we are not our own, but God’s. We belong to Him and we live for his glory. Amen.

  Look at verses 24-26. When people do not repent, their condition becomes worse than before. People without God have no moral values. They live according to their animal nature. So they exchange natural relations for unnatural ones. In a word, they indulge themselves in homosexuality. These days same sex marriage is controversial, but the Bible clearly says that homosexuality is a detestable sin against God. Leviticus 18:22 says, “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” 20:13 also says, “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” Remember when God destroyed by fire the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah where homosexuality was prevailing. (Ge 19:5) 

God’s judgment over sexual impurity is abandonment. In verses 24-28, the words “God gave them over” are repeated three times. It means that God’s tolerance and patience over sexual impurity ran out and that he leaves them alone whatever they do until they face the consequences of their sinful behaviors. Do you think that abandonment is a gift of freedom? No, it is the most horrible punishment. Suppose you don’t care when your little baby grabs a knife or rushes into the fire? You will stop him by any means because you do love him and want to protect him. God cares and punishes those whom he loves. Hebrews 12:8 says, “If you are not disciplined, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.” When God punishes us, we should thank God. When nothing seems to happen to us even though we are deliberately doing wrong, we must consider very seriously whether God gives us over or not.

Second, God’s judgment over those who pass judgment on others (2:1-16) People have tendency to judge others. When the powerful earthquake struck Haiti, some may think that God punished the Haitians because of their idol worshiping and sexual impurity. However, Paul warns those who pass judgment on others that they also cannot escape God’s righteous judgment because they do the same things. Look at verses 3,4. “So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” When Paul said this, he had in his mind the Jews who had God’s law. The Jews were privileged to receive God’s law. According to God’s law, they judged the Gentiles. However, Paul warned the Jews that they also would be judged by the law because they also violated God’s law (2:23)

These verses also warn those who are self-righteous. In Luke’s gospel Jesus told the parable to some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else. In the parable, two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector.” But the tax collector prayed by beating his breast, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” Jesus said that the tax collector went home justified before God. (Lk 18:9-14) We need the attitude of the tax collector when we pray to God. Before we judge others, we must examine if we do the same things before God.

God’s judgment is purposed. His judgment leads us into repentance. (4) Those who refuse to repent with stubbornness will store up God’s wrath against themselves for the day of God’s righteous judgment. At that time God will judge us according to what we have done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (6-8) God will judge us based on the truth (2). God will judge us according to our purpose. In other words, our destiny is determined by what we seek for while living on this earth. Those who seek God’s glory will receive eternal life. There will be glory, honor and peace in them. But those who seek only for himself or herself will receive something else according to what they have done. There will be trouble and distress for them.(10) Therefore, it is very important what we seek for on this earth. Jesus answered, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…” (Mt 6:33) When we seek Jesus’ kingdom and his righteousness first, we will experience that God provides all things necessary for us. Amen.

  Verses 12-16 tell us that God gave conscience as the law in each person’s heart, especially to those who did not hear the law of God. Look at verse 15. Because God gave a conscience to each person, they have no excuse for their evil doings. God will judge those who sinned against their conscience.

  In today’s passage we learned about God’s divine judgment on the Gentiles and the legalists. God judges those who are ignorant and arrogant. God also judge those who are self-righteous. We must honor God as God and glorify Him every day. Let us fill our hearts with gratitude toward God and his grace of salvation. By God’s law no one can be saved. There is no one righteous not even one. But, God satisfied his righteousness through Jesus Christ. Whoever believes in him as Lord and Savior will be saved. Let us share this gospel to those who are ignorant and arrogant through one to one Bible study this semester. May God make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Amen.

---

Attachment

• parom0118-0216-2010.doc