All Scripture text will be presented in normal cased lettering, and all notes within the text will be in TRUE TYPE FONT, as shown. This (I hope) will allow you to avoid confusion between God's Word and my notes. As I update this website, I will continue to embellish the text so that anyone using NETSCAPE 3.0 or MICROSOFT 3.0 will be able to read the document easier. Greek tenses are abbreviated as follows:
1:17-18
Romans 1:17-18 "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath (ORGE = God's attitude toward sin, righteous anger, burning anger. See Mat 3.7; Rom 1.17; 12.19)
of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (KATECHO = to hold down, repress)
the truth in unrighteousness;"
The righteousness of God is only fully revealed through the Gospel Message of the Scriptures. This same Gospel clothes those who accept it in purity so that they can stand before our Holy Creator:
Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
The Gospel of Salvation must be accepted by faith in Christ Jesus. As humans and, particularly as independent Americans, we have been raised with the notion that there's nothing that we can't do, if we only work hard enough. The Bible makes it plain that we are unable to work our way into a state of righteousness before God. The just, or those who received righteousness through Christ, must live by faith. The concept of justification by faith is not just a New Testament concept. God has always required sinful man to admit defeat, admit his unrighteousness, and throw himself on the mercies of God's Grace.
Habakkuk 2:4 "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."
But what of the Law. Wasn't man supposed to be saved by the Law in the Old Testament? Absolutely not. Man, as you may or may not believe, is a hardheaded creature. The most common response I get when witnessing to people is, "But I'm a nice person, I'm basically good. I don't drink, I don't curse." My reply is, "So what!". Man has always had this little nagging belief that he could be good enough to enter a dialogue with God. So God gave man the Law, and in so giving said, "all right, if you think you're good enough, then keep all these commandments". The Law contains 613 precepts and over 2000 legal ramifications that had to be kept perfectly. After the Law was given, guess what? Man failed miserably. He broke every Law several times over, up to and including all of the Great Patriarchs of the Old Testament (Kind David, King Solomon, Abraham, Moses, and so on). Yet many Old Testament believers were considered righteous by God. Why? Well, it's all spelled out in the text of Hebrews 11:
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. "
Hebrews 11:5 "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. "
Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. "
Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. "
Hebrews 11:8 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."
The Law was just a harsh schoolmaster, there to teach us that we cannot achieve righteousness before God by our own works. Even today there are Christians who believe that by doing something in their own power they are doing righteousness before God. The God of the Bible says, NO, Your own pitiful works are nothing if not done by faith and through the power of the Spirit. All that we do must be done By faith.
1:18
Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness (ASEBEIA = lack of reverence toward God, impiety)
and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"
The word wrath is the Greek ORGE, which means a desire, a violent passion, a reaching forth or excitement of the mind, abhorrence, punishment, vengeance (by implication). ORGE is a provoked anger, an anger incited by continued disobedience on the part of God's creation. We as believers are no longer children of Wrath, but we have become Children on the Promise because of what Christ did for us. The "politically correct" religion teaches that all men are brothers, that we are all going to ultimately inherit the same divine status because we are all equal under God's scheme of creation. The Bible teaches:
Ephesians 5:5-8 "For this ye know, that no whore monger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:"
Colossians 3:5-7 "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them."
Ephesians 2:1-5 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)"
Cross-referencing back to our Romans text we see that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against the godlessness of man (this concept of ungodlessness being outlined in the above Ephesians and Colossians texts). Please note that the Children of Satan (those who are not under the sacrifice of Christ) are so closely identified with God's vengeance that they are identified with the adjective ORGE (were by nature the children of wrath) in the Ephesians 2 text. It is certain that there is a hell, and that those who participate in the pleasures of this world apart from God in Christ will spend eternity in the same. The Unitarian/Universalists believe that God, since He is a Being of Love, will automatically send all to Heaven. God may be love, but He's also a God of justice. Those who reject God's provision of salvation die as children of wrath, and can only expect eternal punishment for their disobedience.
1:18
Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"
"hold the truth in unrighteousness" is best translated "hold down the truth in unrighteousness". The Apostle Paul starts here to explain how God has revealed Himself to man, but man has ignored and throttled the truth of God by nature of their very unrighteousness.
1:19-20
Romans 1:19-20 "Because that which may be known (GNOSTON = that which is known. Refers to the universal knowledge of God throughout mankind)
of God is manifest (PHANEROS = apparent, evident, known)
in them; (EN AUTOIS = in their hearts or conscience)
for God hath shewed (PHANEROO = to make visible or manifest)
it unto them. 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:" (ANAPOLOGETOS = without defense. Where we get "apologetics")
Had Christ never come to the earth as Man, had He never walk and testified of our Heavenly Father; had the Father Himself not shown His power through numerous miracles and wonders, even so, man would still be without excuse. God has, from the beginning of all time, revealed Himself through the Nature which He created. There is a definite design and purpose in all facets of nature that cry out for the existence of God. Scientists have, for years, been trying to disprove the existence of God by coming up with more and more increasingly stupid theories. Yet all these theories fall when examined in the light of reason.
Consider the Nuclear Theory of creation. Scientists propose that a dwarf star went nova, exploded, and by this explosion threw together our universe. This theory is much harder to believe in than a belief in God. Imagine the delicate balance of our earth in relationship to the universe around it. Had the earth been a little closer to the sun there would be no polar ice caps, and because of that, no land mass. The earth would be covered with water (much like in the days of Noah). If the earth were but a little farther away from the sun we would live in one giant winter wonderland! But more likely, in either case, we wouldn't be alive at all!
Consider, if you will, the position of the moon relative to the earth. If the moon were a little closer to our earth it's tidal pull would be astronomical. Waves would become tidal waves, shorelines would quickly erode and change. Farther away and there would be no tides, and without tidal flow no lower life forms to feed the seas inhabitants. The sun, moon, and earth are all perfectly balanced in harmony by our loving Creator.
What about the Evolutionary Theory of Life on earth. This wild theory supposes that two non-life forms accidentally drifted together, created a chemical reaction, and, surprise, here comes life! It certainly takes more faith to believe in this hogwash than it does to believe in a loving Creator. The main reason so many grasp for the impossible to explain the formation of life on earth is because we are so finite. The scientist, when confronted with the idea of God, immediately asks "well, who made God". We, as finite creatures tied to time, cannot understand a Being who exists outside of Time, who creates because He loves. So our natural tendency is to look for a non-personal "first cause" rather than observe the universe around us and make a rational decision.
Look at the universe, and see it majestically witness of God. A beam of light traveling at 700,000,000 miles per hour, will take approximately 100,000 years to travel across our universe alone. The starlight we see today with our naked eyes started traveling from it's point of origin when Abraham walked the earth as a boy! If the thickness of a sheet of standard paper represents the distance between the earth and it's sun, it would take a stack of paper 71 feet tall to represent the distance between the earth and the next nearest star! Each ear the earth travels in an orbit, 20,936,400,000 miles through space, and yet retains it's best position between itself and the sun. It took an Almighty Creator to design something so exacting, not some preposterous "Big Bang" theory.
Evolution and the Big Bang theory require scientists adding astronomical amounts of time to the theories in order to make them more palatable. They believe that the ridiculousness of evolutionary thought is lessened if you say it took billions of years to happen. Yet nature itself witnesses against the extreme time frames of evolution. Every year 14,300,000 tons of dust from meteorites falls on both the earth and it's moon. The majority of the dust that hits earth is destroyed by the atmosphere, but the moon has no atmosphere to impede this weird rain. In 5 billion years the moon would have 137 feet of dust covering it's surface. Yet in the 70's manned space flight to the moon, Armstrong's footprint only went one eighth of an inch deep into dust. Using this as a basis for computing the age of the earth, the earth is really only about 10,000 years old. Scientifically the amount of dust on the moon disproves evolutionary theory (though you'll never hear about this on a television newscast).
1:21-23
Romans:1:21-23 "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain (MATAIOO = devoid of force, truth, success, or result)
in their imaginations, (DIALOGISMOS = the thinking of a man deliberating with himself)
and their foolish (ASUNETOS = unintelligent, without understanding)
heart (KARDIA = heart)
was darkened. Professing (PHASKO = to affirm, allege, pretend, profess)
themselves to be wise, (SOPHOS = mental excellence at its highest and fullest sense)
they became fools, (MORAINO = to be or act foolish, to be a moron)
And changed (ALLASSO = to change, to cause one thing to cease and another to take its place, to exchange one thing for another)
the glory of the uncorruptible (APHTHARTOS = imperishable, not liable to decay)
God into an image (EIKON = a derived likeness)
made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."
And so it has always been. Rather than watch and learn of God's existence through Nature, man has always turned to vain philosophies and theories to negate His existence. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools". Fools is the Greek MORAINO, from which we get our English word moron. Man, in an attempt to avoid the clear revelation of God, became a moron. "They knew God", knewbeing the Greek GINOSKO (experientially knew, knew by experiencing through the five senses), and yet turned moronic and ignored the reality of the Creator. In ignoring the true Creator man began to create his own god. Why? Because even our conscious demands that there is a God. Even the most atheistic person will, when confronted with a life threatening situation, automatically turn "religious" and call on his Creator. The old saying, There's no atheists in foxholes, is absolutely true. Man must have something to worship.
But what to worship if we have disposed of the True Creator God? Well, how about worshipping man himself? Yet in mankind you can still see the design of the True Creator. So man sunk a little deeper and began to worship birds. Yet birds are marvels of design, perfectly balanced for flight. And as man continued to move farther away from God he moved to worshipping lower and lower levels of creation. Yet God's design was still there, witnessing that He is.
1:24-25
Romans 1:24-25 "Wherefore God also gave them up (PARADIDOMI = to give into the hands of another, to give over into one's power or use. This is a judicial giving over)
to uncleanness (AKATHARSIA = the impurity of lustful, luxurious, or prolific living)
through the lusts (EPITHUMIA = a passionate craving, desire)
of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed (METALLASSO = to exchange on thing for another)
the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped (SEBAZOMAI = to religiously honor)
and served (LATREUO = to render religious service or homage to)
the creature (KTISIS = the creation or created thing)
more than the Creator, who is blessed (EULOGETOS = to speak good or well of a person. Where we get "eulogy")
for ever. Amen."
As man moved farther away from God, eventually the Creator gave them up. Our Father wants His creation to follow Him of their own accord. When man refuses, he cuts himself off from God's controls. It amazes me that any Church can condone homosexuality, or teach that homosexuality is an alternate lifestyle. Homosexuality is a mark that God gave them up, not an alternate lifestyle. It is much like alcoholism, not a disease, not an alternate lifestyle, but a mark that this person has moved far beyond God's plan for his or her life.
1:26-27
Romans:1:26-27 "For this cause God gave them up unto vile (ATIMA = dishonor, ignominy, disgrace)
affections: (PATHEMA = a passion)
for even their women did change (METALLASSO = to exchange on thing for another)
the natural use (CHERIS = the natural sexual function of a woman)
into that which is against nature: (PHUSIS = the nature of things, force, law, order of nature, the natural way as opposed to the monstrous or perverse)
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned (EKKAIO = to burn out. Refers to the rage of lust that destroys)
in their lust (OREXIS = eager desire, lusty appetite)
one toward another; men with men working (KATERGAZOMAI = to accomplish or carry something to its ultimate conclusion)
that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense (ANTIMISTHIAN = a reward or compensation for something)
of their error (PLANE = wandering, roving, deviation)
which was meet." (EDEI = a necessity, considering the nature of the case)
"gave them up" is the Greek APHTHARTOS, which means "to judicially cast away". God didn't just "give up" on these people, He exiled them from His presence while they behaved as they did. Homosexuality is an exile from the human race, an exile from the presence of God. It is not an alternate lifestyle, but clearly "that which is against nature". It is, to all but the most thoughtless of people, something that is not natural. Once God gave them up to their own evil will, the Apostle says that they "receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet". In other words, they got what they asked for. This brings us to the question of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Is AIDS a judgment from God on the human race? Well, no, not really. It is the consequence of doing what is not natural, the final result of a bad decision to ignore the Creator God. What about the innocent, those who did no wrong who suffer under AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases? Again, because mankind chose a poor path, mankind caused the innocent to suffer with the just. Blame man, not God, for the horrible times in which we live!
1:28-31
Romans 1:28-31 "And even as they did not like (ADOKIMAZO = did not put to the test for the purpose of approving)
to retain God in their knowledge, (EPIGNOSIS = a full and precise knowledge or intelligence)
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, (ADOKIMON)
to do those things which are not convenient; (KATHEKO = becoming or fitting)
Being filled (Perfect Participle = having been filled in the past with continuing results into this time frame)
with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, (ASTORGES = without natural familial love)
implacable, unmerciful:"
Mankind in his most reprobate seeks to remove every thought of God from his mind. Once man moves to this next level of depravity God "gave them over to a reprobate mind", that is, He judicially exiled them from all morality. Reprobate is the Greek ADIKOS, which means "heathen, wicked, treacherous". The same type of people are mentioned in Titus 1.10-16, where we read:
"For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
No one can do good works apart from God. And the farther from God you move, the farther from morality and decency you move, too. See the Doctrine of Human Good for more illustration on this point.
We're going to take a break here, and resume the study at Romans 1:32.
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