Title: Lost Heart/Romans 1:18-32
Contents
lost heart
Bible: Romans 1:18-32
We looked at "the righteousness of God" last week. (A brief note) This is what God has accomplished in history to save sinners from before the foundation of the world, and has the meaning of God's standards, demands, and satisfaction. This is something that only Jesus Christ has accomplished and can be given. The only way for sinners to attain God's righteousness is to accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord. It is the only work plan of God. As God is the only God, we cannot find it anywhere other than the intention of God.
Now, today, contrary to the righteousness of God, we declare that man is in a state of utter sin. Aristocratic romances and intellectual Greeks all seem plausible on the surface, but in reality they are helpless and hopeless sinners under eternal judgment and curse. Here we see the poor man who became the object of God's wrath.
1. Therefore, it is to declare that there is God's wrath (this is God's judgmental justice). ( 18-19 )
It is plainly declared that their condition is under the wrath of God, because they block the truth by unrighteousness. To block the truth by injustice completely denies all our rationalizations. There is no room for saying that he did not receive the righteousness of God because he did not know, or that he was not a sinner worthy of being cursed and judged. He deliberately rejected and blocked God's righteousness, but he blocked it with injustice. This is the state we were in when we did not know God, or the state of unbelievers now. Here God demands complete self-denial.
2. In this way, we can see that God's righteousness requires us to confess that we are not completely righteous, but rather, the greatest among sinners. Because if I had not been such a sinner, I would not need the righteousness of God to accomplish my salvation. Complete self-denial must be achieved. Everyone wants to reveal themselves, but no one wants to deny themselves. Therefore, true self-denial comes from realizing one's original spiritual self.
3. Now Paul shows how desperately corrupt man is, and declares that he cannot save himself unless he receives the righteousness of God. Paul reveals the sin of all people, that is, of the Gentiles, that is, the unbelievers, even though all are sinners, and clearly reveals how much it is in opposition to God's righteousness, that is, the demand, and the reason why such sins have come. It is described as an abhorrent and abhorrent sin. However, what was declared as a sin was just an ordinary life that everyone in their society at the time was living, and in a way, it was the appearance of an aristocratic and noble life.
4. First, Paul reveals the root cause of falling into such a sin. (18-22) / / There is a word that characterizes it in one word, which is that the truth was intentionally blocked by unrighteousness. Then, how specifically did you block the truth with injustice? Can unrighteousness block the truth of God? Here, the meaning of blocking the truth by unrighteousness means blocking the truth from entering within yourself, not that the truth of God is blocked and you are stuck. If you look at the specifics...
*. Knowing God - God reveals it. ( 19-20 ) God's wisdom, love, and righteousness are revealed.
Without glorifying God . . . . . . . . . . . .
I didn't even thank you....
I thought of myself wisely.
But..............
Rather, his heart becomes empty,
It's getting dark... (My heart is already foolish)
became stupid
So.../ He changed the glory of the incorruptible God into idols in the form of corruptible man, beasts, and scum.
For this reason, people began to see the concrete form of sin...
1. He radiated sin in the form of idolatry. ( 23, 25 )
As a result of being wise, they created various idols. As with all idols, idols are mirrors of the sinner's desires. He made Baal for a good harvest, and Asherah for pleasure. I did not like the God who gave all things to my heart, so I made a god in the image of all things and used that god as a tool to satisfy my desires and help me, thereby achieving complete self-deification. The reason people worship idols is to serve themselves, not really for their god. In a word, it is greed. Everyone's life without God is motivated by covetousness.
But only God is to be praised forever. Praise, praise, ... This is something that cannot be offered to any creature other than God. If you praise anything other than God, you are actually praising yourself.
2. It appeared as a sexual depravity. (especially homosexuality) / verses 26-27
When people turn away from God, what they seek is sexual pleasure in all ages and ages. Ethics and morals cannot prevent this. Rather, the standard is changed. What is the meaning of purity these days? Even discussing the abolition of the sin of adultery is, in fact, breaking and destroying the things that God has given us to know God. To have ethics and morals means to know God, and to change the standard means to go against nature. It is to block the good conscience originally given by God with unrighteousness.
Ex) It is said that there are fewer boarding students in colleges these days. The reason is that men and women who like each other live together. There is no ethical burden at all.
This is the road to Western society, and it will only get worse in the future. Declaration of freedom Is freedom and loss? Is free sex really happy? Example) Consider a family having free sex!! Between husband and wife... and their children...
That's why Proverbs 5:16 says, "Do not let your well overflow the streets, but rejoice with the wife of your youth."
5. Sex is the noblest gift God has given to man, and it is the source of happiness. Therefore, when a person falls apart from God, the sexual fall must destroy the human soul as the first and final destructive force. Now, sex is no longer a gift from God, but a play dog and a snare for Satan.
And the final destination of sexual depravity is always homosexuality. This is a sin that animals cannot and cannot do. Only human beings apart from God can do the destructive power of sin that blocks the truth through unrighteousness.
Whenever that age receives God's wrath, this very temptation is at work.
Example) In the days of Noah / Following a different color and perishing. ( Yu )
The Time of Abraham / The Sins of Sodom and Gomorrah
In today's Greek and Roman society / aristocrats, homosexuality is a part of their lives, and historians record that Greek philosophers also spoke of a noble philosophy and had homosexuality. This is why Rome fell. There are historical materials such as public baths.
Even today, homosexuality is getting worse as the last days go by. This is also a sign that God's judgment is near. Gradually, the elements of knowing God are erased as unrighteousness. So, when the general good is not recognized as good, God's judgment will come.
Yes) The last time was like the days of Noah, and it was like the days of Sodom!! / The words of Jesus.
6. Pointing to this state, it was expressed as a lost mind. ( 28 )/ Lost mind. It means entering a maze and unable to find a way. Forsaken in this lost heart, people have committed the same sins as those of 29-31. See all the fruit of idolatry and sexual corruption!
Injustice, ugliness, greed, malice, envy, murder, strife, bitterness, slander, slander, hating God, abusive person. Pride, pride, evil, disobeying parents, foolishness, betrayal, heartlessness, ruthlessness.
Nevertheless, people do not repent, rather, they say they are right, and change the truth into falsehood.(32) The truth is, here lies human misery.
Some say that even though people do this, there is no God-like punishment because there is no God. But the Bible makes it clear that this is what God has forsaken. is an illegitimate child It is not because they have committed the same sin, but because they do not want to have God in their hearts. Now we have to admit this fact. Then the righteousness of God truly shines.