Romans Chapter One                                 Lesson 17

Review:

 

 

b. The object of God's wrath  v.18b  "against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,"

 

The first term, ungodliness, focuses on man's attitude towards God.

- avse,beia = lack of reverence toward God, impiety, irreligious

This is sin at its root, its core;

 

Asebeia simply means to live as though there was no God.

 

 

The 2nd term unrighteousness, focuses on man's attitude and actions towards themselves and others, conduct that results from a failure to recognize and accept man's proper relationship to God.

-  avdiki,a  unrighteousness/wickedness/lawlessness; speaks of moral perversity

 

The distinction between ungodliness and unrighteousness is maintained through out the rest of chapter one;

1:19-27 expands on the details of how man sins against God, how man is ungodly, impious; and its consequences.

In 1:28-32 expands on how man sins against others.

 

- How does mankind get to the point of being ungodly and pursuing unrighteousness?? 

"by suppressing the truth in unrighteousness."

 

- The truth referred to here is clearly defined by the context;

This truth does not lead to salvation, but to a knowledge of God,   condemnation if rejected.

 

 

Paul clearly does not attribute humanity's present condition to passive ignorance. Instead he says it results from actively choosing to suppress the truth of God's existence.

 

2. How man suppresses the truth about God!  1:19-23

 

a. Paul notes that "truth" is revealed  v.19

because that which is known about God

- This word speaks of knowledge that is known not what might come to be known; not talking about potential knowledge but what is reality in their thinking. 

 

- This knowledge is evident within them; for God made it evident to them  

 

This body of knowledge is what I would call, knowledge that leads to God consciousness;  that point where one comes to a conclusion that God exists and that He is creator. 

 

- What is interesting in the context here is that part of the indictment against man is that he starts with a knowledge of God and through a progression of choices ultimately ends up in vs:23  worshiping images of 4 footed and crawling creatures.

 

 

 

How does God reveal this body of truth so that man is without excuse?

Best passage that speaks to this is Psalm 19.

- 19:1-6 David speaks to the issue of natural or general revelation.

 

- 19:1  The witness [light] of creation is specific in that it is the work of God, He created it!

- 19:2  The witness of creation is incessant;

 

- 19:3  The witness is non-verbal;

- 19:4-6 The witness is universal and dramatic.

 

- Point is that man, no matter where he may be on planet earth he has light; and he can and will come to the point of God consciousness at some point in his life.

 

 

- Point is that man, no matter where he may be on planet earth he has light; and he can and will come to the point of God consciousness at some point in his life.

- What verse 19 does is to destroy all the arguments that man can come up with, that he doesn't know, or that somehow he was deprived of that knowledge, he's a victim; 

 

With vs:19 we also have the 1st of 7 steps that man takes downward.

- What we have here in the context is devolution; opposite of evolution; 

 

?? Did man begin with polytheism and move to monotheism??

Or did man start with monotheism and fall towards polytheism??

 

 

Overview of the Steps of the degeneration of humanity

#1. 1:19a  Revelation of light; "that which is known of God"

#2. 1:19b-20a  Illumination of the light; gives understanding of light;

#3. 1:20b  Obligation: "so that they are with out excuse."

#4. 1:21a  Man responded with rejection:  did not honor God or give thanks.

#5. 1:21b  From that rejection man sinks into human speculations;   "became futile in their speculations"

#6. 1:22  Human speculations leads directly to [arrogant] Delusion;  

 

#7. 1:23  Bottom of the pit man has dug for himself; Idolatry!

 

Now step #2:  Illumination of the light, the truth in view.  1:19b-20a

- How can things that are invisible be clearly seen??  [oxymoron]

 

       Unseen                   Creation                                 Clearly Seen

            Who God is        What God created         What Creation reveals about attributes

            attributes