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 Daily Bible Study  March 19, 2002 


Scripture and Commentary

Online Bible courtesy of Gospelcom.net
See Romans 1 in the New King James Version
See Romans 1 in the New American Standard Bible
 

Continuing commentary on Romans Chapter 1

Part 3

There is a time when we do need to deal with the "catalogue" of  sins upon which God is revealing his wrath.

Romans 1  (NASB)
18   For  the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 
19   because  that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 
20   For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being
understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 
 

  • Ephesians 5:6 and Colossians 3:6 tell us that the wrath of God is coming on "the sons of disobedience."  These are those who here suppress the truth.
  • Romans 5:9 tells us that being justified by Christ's blood saves us from the wrath of God.
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:6,7 reveals that God is for this time restraining this from happening.

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    But what is really essential is that we understand that it is the men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness that God will judge. This is because:

  • Acts 14:17 stresses that God made himself known, 
  • and Acts 17:24-28 stresses how man even gropes for God.

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    21   For even though they knew God, they did not honor (or glorify) Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their
    foolish heart was darkened. 
    22   Professing to be wise, they became fools, 
    23   and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures (or reptiles). 

    If you are a person who has a litany of injustices that you attribute to God, then are you not professing to be wise?  Or perhaps you don't want to say it's God's fault, so you say that the "church" has misintepreted the scriptures.  (Are you not one who is suppressing the truth?)

    If that is a description of yourself, then please read with eyes wide open what Paul has to say in the next verses.

    24   Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 
    25   For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.
    Amen. 
    26   For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 
    27   and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 

    Now this is not the only place where Paul catalogues sins. However, lest you think that Paul is just picking on the sexual sins, read on:

    28   And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 
    29   being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 
    30   slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 
    31   without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 
    32   and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

    So then, who does not fall into the catagory of sinner?
    Is it you?  I think not.
    Is it me?  I know better!

    Then, what is the answer?

    Let's go back in the chapter to find out:

    Romans 1  (NASB)
    16   For I am not  ashamed of the gospel, for  it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the  Jew first and also to the Greek. 
    17   For in it  the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 
    "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." 

    (Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 here and in Gal 3:11, as does the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 10:38)

    So, to make the point again, Paul makes it clear that salvation is a life of faith, and that faith is in the power of God, which is the good news.  This good news is not just any good news, but it is news that comes bearing power. Hallelujah!

    Again, God's purpose is to bring all men and women to a life of faith. Are you living a life or faith?  Are you seeking to please God?


    Introduction to Romans Study, and summary of today's study.



    Romans is a primer on the relationship of the Believer to The Lord Jesus Christ.

    Today we are continuing our study of the Book of Romans.

    Remember, as we study, our chief concern that we want to address:

  • 1. How am I saved?
  • 2. Can I lose my salvation (that is, if I commit a sin, will I find I am no longer saved)?
  • 3. If I keep on sinning, will I be saved?
  • 4. Is there victory over sin? 
  • 5. If I neglect my relationship with the Lord Jesus, what happens to my salvation? 
  • 6. Once I am saved, do I have license to keep on sinning? 

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    The further issues are: 

  • 7. Once I am saved, how do I keep from sinning?
  • 8. Is it something I do, and thus it becomes an issue of pride? Or is it a work that God does in our lives? 
  • 9. Can we ever expect to overcome sin? If we do, how does it happen? How are we set free? 
  • 10. If a person backslides in his faith, and doesn't come back to vibrant Christian faith, is he saved if he is in that condition when he dies? 

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    Certainly we have a partial answer to question 1.  As Paul is pointing out, we are saved through faith and by the power of God.
    Likewise, question 6 would need to be answered in the negative; I do not have license to keep on sinning, because God's wrath is against sin, which is really rebellion against God himself.
    Question 7 is starting to be answered. Paul has already mentioned that Old Testament quote from Habakkuk 2:4 which states that the righteous person lives by his faith.


    Note that on different days, the placement of the commentary on the page will vary.  Sometimes, I will use the left pane and sometimes the right pane.



     

    Summary of Today's Study:

    1.  God's wrath is against those who suppress the truth.
    2.  Those who suppress the truth profess themselves to be wise. They think they are educated!
    3.  One sign of such a life is sexual impurity and immorality.  Paul spotlights homosexuality here, but all sexual sin is wrong.
    4.  Paul lists so many other types of sin also, that few of us escape the catalogue unscathed.
    5.  Salvation is a life of faith. 

    So there are only two ways to go, either a life of faith, or a life characterized by living in the lusts of our flesh  (and as we will see later on, in bondage to forces that oppress and destroy.)

    If you feel that, even though you are a Christian, you still fall into the sins enumerated, then remember, you have some good news coming as we study Romans.


    I would encourage you to do something that helped me greatly.  Pick a version of the scriptures and start to type it out or to write it longhand, whichever you feel more inclined to do.  As you do so, you will learn the scriptures at the tip of your fingers!


    Scripture is quoted today from the New American Standard Bible.  We work with various versions, because we believe that being well studied in the scripture will enable us to rightly divide the word of truth. We encourage you to do likewise, because of the insights we have gotten. Familiarize yourself with one, and then go on to use others.  This commentary is copyright Rick Galbraith, March 18, 2002.  It is my "daily devotions," my own study of the Scriptures, and you are invited to share it with me.