Understanding Hypocrisy
Romans 2:1-6
September 2, 2007

Last Sunday morning we finished studying chapter 1,
And finished the section on the revealed wrath of God.

We learned that God’s wrath was revealed in that
• He allows men to worship false gods and thus dishonor their bodies.
• He allows men to practice homosexuality and thus receive the due penalty of their error.
• He allows men to be indifferent and thus be given over to depravity to do those things which are not proper.

Last Sunday night we then asked the question,
“With whom is God most angry?”

We learned that the answer to that question is not found in chapter 1.
The answer is found in chapter 2

And this person is the HYPOCRITE
If you really want to see the fire in the eyes of Jesus,
Then approach Him while He is dealing with the Pharisees.

He ate and drank with sinners,
But seemed only to argue with the hypocrites.

In fact, the word “hypocrite” is recorded 20 times in the gospels, 15 of those times are found in the gospel of Matthew, and all of them were said by Jesus.

The word “hypocrite” translates HUPOKRITES (hoop-ok-ree-tace)

“an actor under an assumed character; a stage-player”
A dissembler: on who conceals their true feelings
or motives under a false appearance.

IT IS SOMEONE WHO IS A FRAUD OR A SHAM.
In the gospels it is associated with the Jews,
And even more specifically with the leaders of the Jews.

Matthew 15:7-9 “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'”

Matthew 23:4-7 “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. “But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.”
Although they definitely looked like great followers of God,
They only looked that way.

Their devotion is self-serving.
They do what they do because they love themselves,
Not because they love God.

IT IS THE HYPOCRITE THAT DRAWS GOD’S WRATH

Here we learn three characteristics about the hypocrite.

There are three things he has:
#1 A DENIAL OF PUNISHMENT
Romans 2:1-3

Now having been through chapter 1, and certainly those who were here last Sunday night, you have just noticed a very important change in Paul’s writing.

Paul has changed pronouns.
Chapter 1 – “them”
Chapter 2 – “you”

If you want to get specific, Paul is addressing the religious community, And even more specifically he is addressing the Jews.

And all of a sudden we learn that chapter 1 was really a set up.
Paul was getting the religious community to sit firmly upon their pillow of self-righteousness, and here he will knock them off of it.

And in verse 1 he gets specific.
“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judge practice the same things.”

First of all,
The main thrust of this verse IS NOT ON JUDGING OTHERS.
Judging others is condemned.
It is wrong, Jesus is unequivocal about that.

But that is not really the thrust here.
THE MAIN THRUST IS:
GOD’S WRATH ON A PERSON WHO KNOWS WHAT SIN IS,
AND CONDEMNS IT IN OTHERS,
BUT WHO PRACTICES IT ANYWAY.

If you judge, then you obviously have a standard you use to judge.
If you judge and practice the same sin, you are doubly condemned.
He says someone who would condemn a person for a certain sin,
And then practice that sin is absolutely without excuse.

“you condemn yourself, for you who judge practice the same things.”

And we talked about that last week.

If you CONDEMN (not just convict) a man for IDOLATRY,
And then put anything before God in your heart, you have just condemned yourself.

If you CONDEMN (not just convict) a person for HOMOSEXUALITY,
And then step out of God’s intended role for your own life, you have just condemned yourself.

If you CONDEMN (not just convict) a person for INDIFFERENCE,
And then fail to obey God’s commands in your life, you have just condemned yourself.

AND THAT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS.
And then Paul adds another key phrase in verse 2

“And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.”

Well sure we do.
We know that God will judge, and is judging, idolaters.
We know that God will judge, and is judging, homosexuals.
We know that God will judge, and is judging, the indifferent.

So if I love my money more than I love God,
Then I know that God’s judgment rightly falls upon me.
If I fail to fulfill my role as a husband, or as a wife, or as a child,
Then I know God’s judgment rightly falls upon me.
If I fail to obey the word of God, and show indifference toward it,
Then I know God’s judgment rightly falls upon me.

WE AREN’T IGNORANT ARE WE?
We know what the Bible says about such sins.

Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Did you catch the “and things like these”?

When we judge we reveal we know the standard.
When we judge we also reveal we agree with the punishment.
When we practice the same things, we reveal that we deserve punishment
THAT IS COMMON SENSE.

BUT THAT IS WHAT THE HYPOCRITE IS LACKING.
For some strange reason, they have entered a state of denial.

For some reason they think they can commit the sins
They judge others for and not get in trouble.

And this is Paul’s point in verse 3.
“But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?”
“Do you think you are the only one
who won’t be judged for practicing such sins?”

Seems foolish doesn’t it?
Yet we have seen people with this mindset time and time again.

Matthew 3:7-10 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘ We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

They thought this because they were descendants of Abraham.
They were untouchable in judgment.

Luke 13:1-5 “Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

And indeed many live like this today.
I don’t know where this confidence comes from.

God has never shown such partiality.
Deuteronomy 10:17 “For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.”

APPARENTLY, THEY THINK THAT THEIR EXTREME GOODNESS,
NULLIFIES THEIR BLATANT BADNESS.

But this is foolish, for no man’s goodness is enough.

Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

But despite clear Biblical teaching, they remain convinced
That they can sin and not get caught.

THEY LIVE IN DENIAL OF PUNISHMENT
They have tried for so long to fool others,
And to fool God that they are good,
That they ended up fooling themselves.

And they will be shocked during the judgment.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”

Luke 13:24-30 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘ I do not know where you are from.’ “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’ “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. “And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. “And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”

That is one of the characteristics of hypocrites.
They have a denial of punishment.

They have
#2 A DISDAIN FOR PITY
Romans 2:4

Paul mentions a second mind boggling question.

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”
“think lightly of” translates KATAPHRONEO (kat-af-ron-eh-o)

“to think against, despise”

THEY DISDAIN PITY
THEY WISH IT DIDN’T EVEN EXIST

WHY?
Because they honestly think they are good enough,
And if God is merciful, allowing people in who don’t deserve it,
Then it only cheapens their lofty status.

THAT IS NOTHING BUT ARROGANCE.
A man who doesn’t want pity is a man inflated and arrogant,
Who has put too much stock in his own goodness and ability.

In order to be saved, you must recognize that you need pity.
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

But not the hypocrite, they disdain pity.

THEY REJECT PITY BECAUSE PITY LEADS TO REPENTANCE
AND THEY DON’T WANT TO REPENT

“the kindness of God leads you to repentance.”

“leads” translates AGO (ag-o)

“to lead; to bring, drive; induce”

When a person realizes the mercy of God,
The natural response should be to embrace it through repentance.

YET MANY DO REJECT GOD’S MERCY
A LACK OF REPENTANCE SIGNIFIES A REJECTION OF MERCY

When mercy is offered, it should lead to repentance…
BUT NOT FOR THE HYPOCRITE
They disdain mercy.

FIRST THEY DISDAIN IT FOR THEMSELVES.
Luke 18:9-14 “And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

SECOND THEY DISDAIN IT FOR OTHERS
Luke 15:28-30 “But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. “But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’”

Matthew 20:10-16 “When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. “When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ “But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? ‘Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ “So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
They disdain mercy all together.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE MAKE THE STATEMENT?
“They’re just getting what they deserve.”

That is the epitome of what we are talking about here.
It is a person who disdains mercy.

ONLY THE DECEPTIVELY ARROGANT
WANT EVERYONE TO JUST GET WHAT THEY DESERVE.
If everyone got what they deserved, we would all go to hell.

But hypocrites can’t see that.
They have a denial of punishment
They have a disdain for pity

They have:
#3 A DEBT TO PAY
Romans 2:5-6
Now all of their judgment, and merciless assumptions
Might be fine and well for this life.

Most of the time a hypocrite goes through life
With seemingly no consequence whatsoever.

THEY HAVE FOOLED EVERYONE, AND NO ONE BOTHERS THEM.
EXCEPT FOR GOD.
THERE WILL COME A DAY WHEN GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT
WILL BE REVEALED

“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.”

This is what Jesus continually told the Pharisees.
Matthew 23:13-15 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. [“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.”

They haven’t gotten away with anything,
And the righteousness they are presenting
Is far from acceptable to God.

RELIGIOUS APPEARANCE CANNOT WASH AWAY SIN
Micah 6:6-8 “With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”

Joel 2:12-13 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.”

Psalms 50:8-15 “I do not reprove you for your sacrifices, And your burnt offerings are continually before Me. “I shall take no young bull out of your house Nor male goats out of your folds. “For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. “I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. “If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains. “Shall I eat the flesh of bulls Or drink the blood of male goats? “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High; Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

And the writer of Hebrews put it best when he said:
Hebrews 10:4 “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”
Yet continually men offer to God some religious practice,
And then assure themselves that they are fine with God.
Forget the fact that their lives never changed…
Forget the fact that they participate in the sin they condemn…
Forget the fact that they have never repented…

THEY STILL THINK THAT GOD IS PLEASED WITH THEM.
How foolish.

God says the hypocrite has never pleased God at all.
All they are doing is storing up wrath on the day of God’s wrath.

Revelation 20:11-15 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

EVERYTHING EVER DONE IS RECORDED
That is why Jesus told the Pharisees this.

Matthew 12:33-37 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. “The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

That is why Jeremiah said.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.”

When God divvies out judgment it is based upon the heart.
And this is what kills the hypocrite.

God wants righteousness.
And self-righteousness has never cut it.

So many people think they’re saved because THEY did something.
“I walked the aisle…” “I was baptized…”
“I prayed the prayer…” “I did communion…”
“I asked Jesus…” “I sacrificed 2 million goats on God’s altar…”
“I ate unleavened bread at the Passover…”
NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE ENOUGH.
NOT ONE PERSON HAS EVER BEEN SAVED
BECAUSE OF ANYTHING THEY DID.

We are only saved because of what Jesus did.
He came to this earth…
He died on a cross…
He rose from the dead…
He appeased the wrath of God…

The only way to be saved is to receive the righteousness of Christ.

HOW DO I DO THAT?

Stop denying judgment.
Before you can be saved, you must first get real with the fact that you are lost.
We call it “poor in spirit”
You must realize your desperate condition.
You are lost and there is nothing you can do to change that.

Stop despising mercy
Accept God’s mercy by repenting of your sin.
It is called HUMILITY.
Come before God on your race, willing to leave sin, and begging for mercy.

AND GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST.
Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

Don’t be a hypocrite.
Don’t ride your religion all the way to hell.
Give your life to Jesus.

Romans 5:8-9 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”

With Whom is God Most Angry?
Romans 2:1
September 2, 2007

Hopefully you noticed the title of the sermon tonight.
“With Whom is God Most Angry?”

And I think after coming out of Romans chapter 1, that is a legitimate question.
I mean we saw Idolaters, Homosexuals, and Immoral Pagans.

IDOLATERS
Those who “exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man.”

Those who “worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator.”

Certainly God is furious with them.
I can’t imagine anyone committing such a heinous or ridiculous sin.
And we think about Muslims, or Buddhists, or Hindu’s, and how they give God’s glory to an idol.

CERTAINLY THEY ARE THE ONES THAT GOD IS THE ANGRIEST WITH.

But then we see the next section.
HOMOSEXUALS
Those who “exchange the natural function for that which is unnatural”

And this “degrading passion” is really an abominable sin. It is backward to say the least, and many of us cannot even comprehend the urge, let alone think of participating in it.

It just defies logic, and God’s natural design.
A sin so backward…

CERTAINLY THEY ARE THE ONES THAT GOD IS THE ANGRIEST WITH.

But then we see the next section.
THE INDIFFERENT
Those who “did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer”
Those who “do the same and give hearty approval to those who practice them.”

At least an idolater can be shown the truth and begin to give his worship to the true God.

At least a homosexual can be shown the fallacy of his lifestyle and be led to the forgiveness of Jesus.

But those who are indifferent, they don’t even want to know God any more. They don’t want to hear from God.
Of the three, these are really the ones who defy God’s call like no other.

CERTAINLY THEY ARE THE ONES THAT GOD IS THE ANGRIEST WITH.

I mean it’s a real toss up isn’t it?
Which would you pick?
NONE OF THEM
We haven’t even talked about the type of person God is the angriest with yet. In fact, while Paul spent 2 verses on idolaters, 2 verses on homosexuals, and 5 verses on the indifferent; Paul will spend a whole chapter on the sinner that wins the gold.

WHO IS IT?
THE HYPOCRITE

Now the hypocrite wouldn’t dream of actually bowing down to an idol of stone or wood.

The hypocrite wouldn’t dream of entering a homosexual lifestyle.

The hypocrite wouldn’t dream of telling God to get lost in order to engage in open wickedness.

BUT IT IS THE HYPOCRITE GOD IS ANGRIEST WITH.
WHY?

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

God is concerned about the heart, for that is where the real sin is.
Matthew 15:19-20 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

Matthew 12:35 “The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.”

It is the heart that is the root…
It is the heart that is the source…
It is the heart that concerns God.

Deuteronomy 10:14-17 “Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. “Yet on your fathers did the LORD set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day. “So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer. “For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.”

Jeremiah 4:3-4 “For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns. “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your deeds.”

God wants the heart clean.
AND THOSE WHO PRETEND TO BE RIGHTEOUS, BUT WHO ARE FILLED WITH INIQUITY, ANGER GOD MORE THAN ANY OTHER.

WHEN JESUS WALKED THIS EARTH:
Matthew 11:19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

Jesus walked with the meek, the lowly, the sinner, and the reject.
In fact, you could argue that those are precisely the type of people He chose as disciples.

WAS HE EVER FRUSTRATED WITH THEM?
Sure – The man with a demon possessed son
Mark 9:19 “And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”

DID THEY AGITATE HIM AT TIMES?
Certainly – The man who couldn’t hear
Mark 7:33-34 “Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

DID HE WANT THEM TO CHANGE?
Absolutely – The woman caught in adultery
John 8:11 “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, ” I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHO DREW OUT HIS MOST FIERCE WRATH, LOOK TO THE HYPOCRITE.

Matthew 23:25-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. “You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

These are the ones that angered God the most.
Even in the Old Testament, it was the religious hypocrite that drew the strongest warnings from God.

Jeremiah 7:8-11 “Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail. “Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’ — that you may do all these abominations? “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 1:11-15 “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. “When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.”

GOD IS ANGRIEST AT THE HYPOCRITE.
(Even more than the idolater, the homosexual, and the immoral pagan)

WHY? Because they know better…

Luke 12:41-48 “Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. “Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. “But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

We can talk all day about idolaters
We can talk all day about homosexuals
We can talk all day about the indifferent immoral pagan

But look at what Jesus said.
Matthew 11:20-24 “Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. “Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon inthe day of judgment than for you. “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

Tyre and Sidon were pagan lands who were indifferent to God.
Sodom and Gomorrah was the most homosexual and immoral society ever
BUT JESUS WAS ANGRIER WITH HIS OWN PEOPLE

Matthew 12:41-42 “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. “The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”

Nineveh and Egypt were highly idolatrous,
Yet Jesus is angrier with His people.
THE POINT IS THAT GOD IS ANGRIEST
WITH THOSE WHO KNOW THE TRUTH, AND STILL REBEL.

THIS LEADS US TO OUR TEXT TONIGHT.
Tonight there are no points, we are simply going to look at verse 1, by way of introduction into this “no nonsense” chapter in the word of God.

Paul says.
“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

And let’s look at that first statement for a moment.

“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment,”

The “therefore” of that verse must tie us back to the previous verse.
Paul wants you to remember how angry God is at the indifferent.

Because (1:32) “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.”

And then Paul says, “Therefore you have no excuse”

Now first, you must notice the change in pronoun.
In chapter 1 Paul constantly used the word “they” or “them”

He was always talking about those people outside the religious circle. He was talking about that godless pagan outside the church.

But in chapter 2, the pronoun changes. We are no longer talking about those pagans outside the church. Now we are talking about those pagans inside the church.

And Paul says, “you have no excuse”

WHO IS HE TALKING TO?
“everyone of you who passes judgment”

NOW WE MUST DO OUR HOMEWORK HERE.
Let’s talk about judgment.

Our world has it horribly messed up. We have talked about this before, but it is necessary to make sure everyone is clear in their mind what we are talking about.

“judgment” translates KRINO (kree-no)

“to distinguish, to decide, condemn, determine, decree”

It is to sit in the seat of God and to pass down the final condemnation or judgment to an individual.

THIS IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN IN SCRIPTURE
Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.”

James 4:12 “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?”

It is totally forbidden for us to pass a final sentence on anyone.
It is totally forbidden for us to “put a person in hell”
WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO PASS THE FINAL JUDGMENT

WHAT IS NOT FORBIDDEN (but commanded)
Is that we warn a person who is headed to hell of the danger they are in.

THIS GREEK WORD IS:
ELENCHO (el-en-ko)

“to convict, confute, with a suggestion of putting the convicted person to shame”

Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.”

2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

We are commanded to convict one another.
We are commanded to challenge one another.
We are commanded to shame one another.

WE ARE FORBIDDEN TO CONDEMN ONE ANOTHER.

And this is what Paul is speaking of here.
It is the person who looks at a sinner (idolater, homosexual, indifferent pagan) and says, “They might as well be in hell already; they’ll never change.”

And Paul says if this is what you are doing…
If you are passing judgment, then “you have no excuse”

“excuse” translates ANAPOLOGETOS (an-ap-ol-og-ay-tos)

“indefensible; without excuse”

In other words, it would do you no good to hire a defense attorney, because there is no defense for you. YOU ARE GUILTY.

Now that is pretty strong what Paul is saying.
If you judge one of these immoral pagans,
Then you are absolutely without excuse in your own judgment.
WHY?
“for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself;”

Now that is a bold statement.
Paul says, when I condemn others, I in turn condemn myself.

HOW CAN THAT BE?

When you judge another,
It reveals the fallen state of your heart.
Luke 9:51-56 “When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them, [ and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”] And they went on to another village.”

Did you catch that?
“You do not know what kind of spirit you are of”

They were not like Jesus, they were like the devil.
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Not only are we called to have a different outlook,
But if Jesus is really in us,
WE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK.

Luke 6:27-29 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.”

If we judge others, then we automatically reveal a heart
That would rather condemn men than save them.

And that condemns us.

BUT THERE IS YET ANOTHER REASON.
God is not just angry because our heart is in the wrong place.

“for you who judge practice the same things.”

Now that is getting serious isn’t it?

YOU SEE THE POINT.

The outsiders in chapter 1 suppressed the truth.
We know what truth they had available to them,
(creation, glory of God, natural function, ordinance of righteousness)

WE KNOW WHAT THEY HAD AVAILABLE
BUT DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY KNEW

BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT AT ALL,
THAT THE PEOPLE IN CHAPTER 2 KNOW BETTER.

THEY KNOW ENOUGH TO KNOW
THE PEOPLE IN CHAPTER 1 ARE WRONG.

This makes them twice as guilty.
For they certainly cannot plead ignorance.
THEIR JUDGMENT REVEALS THEY KNOW THE STANDARD

This makes their sin even more heinous to God.

AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO SEE.

THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT PASSING JUDGMENT
THE ISSUE IS COMMITTING SIN
THAT YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW IS WRONG.

People get off on judging, but that isn’t the point.
The issue is the hypocrisy of a person
Who condemns others for the sin they live in.

Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

The issue is living in the sin you condemn.

AND THIS IS WHERE THE JEWS IN ROME
WHERE CLUTCHING THEIR CHEST AND GASPING FOR AIR.

We don’t do those sins.

“I’ve never bowed to a graven image…”
“I’ve never been gay…”
“I’ve never spurned the Word of God…”

OH YEAH.

IDOLATRY = It denies the Deity of God
It is to put self in the place to receive God’s glory.

1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.”

Colossians 3:5 “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”

Matthew 6:1-2 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

Matthew 6:5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

Matthew 6:16 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

HOW IS WORSHIPING BUDDAH ANY DIFFERENT THAN DOING YOUR DEEDS TO BE NOTICED BY MEN?

Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”

HOMOSEXUALITY = it denies the Design of God
A usurping of God’s natural order.

Colossians 3:18-22 “Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.”

HOW IS IGNORING THE NATURAL FUNCTION OF THE WOMAN ANY DIFFERENT THAN IGNORING THE NATURAL FUNCTION OF THE WIFE?

1 Peter 2:19-23 “For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”

INDIFFERENCE = it denies the Decree of God
It is disobedience to the Word of God.

And there is only a slew of them.

Hebrews 10:25 “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

HOW IS IGNORING GOD’S COMMAND TO BE SAVED ANY DIFFERENT THAN IGNORING GOD’S COMMAND TO GO ON MISSION?

Luke 6:46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

THE POINT IS THIS.
God is angriest at the person who knows better, but who sins anyway.
He is angriest at the hypocrite who pretends righteousness to Him.

Tonight I just want to ask you to make sure to put hypocrisy aside.
Don’t pretend obedience to God.
But genuinely and fully devote your life to Him.

Psalms 81:15 “Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him, And their time of punishment would be forever.”

Instead surrender your life to Jesus Christ, let Him change you, and allow His righteousness to be credited to your account.

Romans 5:8-9 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”

Indifference: The Revealed Wrath of God
Romans 1:28-32
September 2, 2007

In the days of Samuel, the children of Israel once again rejected God.

1 Samuel 8:4-7 “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.”

Of course then Samuel related to the people
That rejecting God for a human king would not be in their best interest.
1 Samuel 8:12-18 “He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. “He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. “He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. “He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. “He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. “He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. “Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

And so it was obvious that it was not in the best interest of the people
To turn from God in order to follow a human king.
Their life would work best if they would stay devoted to the LORD.

But the people answered Samuel.
1 Samuel 8:19-22 “Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD’S hearing. The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

People, because they rejected what was in their best interest,
And because of their insistence,
Were given over to a plan that was not in their best interest.

We saw it in the garden as Adam and Eve rejected God’s warning not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

We saw it in Noah’s day as the people refused to listen to Noah.

We saw it in Lot’s day as he told the men of Sodom and Gomorrah, “Please do not act wickedly.”

We saw it in Moses day as the people refused to take the promised land, instead wanting to stay in the wilderness, or go back to Egypt.
We saw it in the days of Jeremiah as the people refused to repent, and put away their false gods.

We saw it in Jesus day as the people refused to accept the invitation of Jesus to “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

And as Paul pointed out last Sunday, we still see it today.

IT IS THE WRATH OF GOD REVEALED
IN THAT HE ALLOWS MEN TO RECEIVE FULL CONSEQUENCE
OF THE SIN THEY SO DEEPLY LONG FOR.

Last Sunday morning we saw men steadfast in idolatry.
Romans 1:24-25 “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 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.”

Because men lusted so greatly for their impurity.
Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.
Because they worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.

“God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity,”

His wrath was revealed
In that He allowed men to worship gods that cannot save.

Sunday night we saw men and women steadfast in homosexuality.
Romans 1:26-27 “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 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.”

Because the women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural
Because the men abandoned the natural function of the woman.
Because they wanted it so bad.

“God gave them over to degrading passions…receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.”

And His wrath was revealed in that He allowed them to engage
In a lifestyle that will not only destroy their hope, but also their flesh.

It is the wrath of God revealed by what He allows.

HERE WE SEE PAUL’S THIRD EXAMPLE OF GOD’S REVEALED WRATH.

INDIFFERENCE
Webster says to be indifferent is to be “Unconcerned or apathetic” it is to view important things as though they have no importance.

#1 THE DESCRIPTION OF INDIFFERENCE
Romans 1:28a, 32

“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer,”

“acknowledge” is actually one English word to translate two Greek words.

ECHO (ekh-o)
“to have; to possess; to hold fast”
It was even used as a pregnant woman “as having conception”

EPIGNOSIS (ep-ig-no-sis)
Which is a strengthened form of GNOSIS

GNOSIS = “a seeking to know, an inquiry, or investigation”

That was the form that Paul used in Romans 1:21
Romans 1:21 “For even though they knew (GNOSKO) God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

But here Paul uses an intense form.
EPIGNOSIS = “denotes exact or full knowledge, or recognition”

AND SO THE POINT HERE IS THIS.
We are talking about a people
Who had a limited, general knowledge of God
(because of conscience and creation)
But who willfully refused to have a deeper full knowledge of God.

They were content with surface information,
They don’t want to know God in a more intimate way.
They could care less.

Instead of seeking out the deep things of God,
They chose to embrace the fleshly lusts of the world.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE CHRISTIAN HEART.
Philippians 3:8-11 “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
A true Christian has a deep yearning to know God personally.
They are not satisfied with a surface relationship.
They are not satisfied with just a biographical sketch.
A true Christian wants to real knowledge of God.

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

And that word “hunger” is a good word to describe a Christian.
They hunger for the things of God.

BUT THE INDIFFERENT PERSON DOES NOT.
They don’t really care about knowing any more of God.
Prayer…
Bible study…
The Fellowship of Obedience…
The Fellowship of Suffering…
THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN THOSE THINGS

“they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer,”
(literally: “they did not see fit to have God in knowledge,”)

THEY ARE SEEN IN SCRIPTURE.
Jeremiah 2:8 “The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ And those who handle the law did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me, And the prophets prophesied by Baal And walked after things that did not profit.”

Jeremiah 4:22 “For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know.”

Jeremiah 9:3 “They bend their tongue like their bow; Lies and not truth prevail in the land; For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know Me,” declares the LORD.”

Jeremiah 9:6b “…Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” declares the LORD.”

They are too in love with the lusts and pleasures of this life
To seek a true and personal relationship with God.

“they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer”

AND THAT IS CERTAINLY BAD ENOUGH.
But if you look to the end of our passage,
Paul reveals that they have taken their indifference to a whole new level.

They almost have militant, aggressive, indifference.
Verse 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.”
Now that is pretty telling verse as well.
WE ARE NOT DEALING WITH THE IGNORANT.

Paul said these, “know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death,”

“ordinance” translates DIKAIOMA (dik-ah-yo-mah)
“a concrete expression of righteousness”

• Certainly a person who has had religious training.

• Or it could be the uneducated person who simply has an understanding of righteousness in their heart.

Romans 2:14-15 “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,”

It is interesting that most of the attributes listed in verses 29-31
Are universally condemned as wrong.

And most governments have laws geared around these truths.

THE POINT IS:
These people know the difference between right and wrong,
And they also know something else.

“that those who practice such things are worthy of death,”
They know their wickedness deserves punishment.

BUT DESPITE THEIR UNDERSTANDING,
LOOK AT THE LEVEL OF THEIR INDIFFERENCE.

“they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”

“approval” translates SUNEUDOKEO (soon-yoo-dok-eh-o)

SUN = with EU = well DOKEO = to think
(literally – “to think well of”)

Acts 8:1 “Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

This is why I would say their indifference is aggressive.

It is bad enough to disregard God’s commands personally,
But to openly approve of, and encourage others to do the same
Takes their indifference to a whole new level.

A SOCIETY IS AT THE DEEPEST POINT OF DEPRAVITY WHEN WICKEDNESS IS NOT ONLY PRACTICED BUT ENCOURAGED.

Psalms 50:16-21 “But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to tell of My statutes And to take My covenant in your mouth? “For you hate discipline, And you cast My words behind you. “When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, And you associate with adulterers. “You let your mouth loose in evil And your tongue frames deceit. “You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son. “These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.”

They are those who not only cast aside God’s word, but also:
Are pleased with a thief
Associate with adulterers
Engage in slander and deceit

AND EVEN WORSE
“You thought that I was just like you”

It is seen in the Corinthian church.
1 Corinthians 5:1-2 “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.”

Instead of reproving an adulterer,
He Corinthians were patting him on the back.
THAT IS THE GREATEST LEVEL OF INDIFFERENCE.

INDIFFERENCE DESCRIBED,
It is those who not only reject a deeper knowledge of God,
But also who encourage others to do the same.

AND I THINK OUR WORLD CAN BE FOUND HERE.
A society that encourages:
Drinking Adulterous Sex
Gambling Homosexuality
Abortion

So first The Description of Indifference.
#2 THE DANGER OF INDIFFERENCE
Romans 128b-32

Now you will notice a key phrase in verse 28. “just as”

“just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over”

God is responding to man in the like manner
That man has responded to God.

When we draw near to God, He draws near to us.
When we seek God, He allows us to find Him.
But when man pushes God away…

Man was indifferent toward God,
So God in turn becomes indifferent toward man.
He just quits caring (in a sense).

EVER WONDER WHY IT SEEMS LIKE GOD JUST DOESN’T CARE ABOUT IMMORALITY IN THIS COUNTRY?

It is yet again the tragic picture of God allowing men
To live in the cesspool they desire.

2 Chronicles 15:2 “and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.”

2 Chronicles 24:20 “Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘ Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.'”

INDIFFERENCE IS DANGEROUS
BECAUSE IT PROVOKES A LIKE RESPONSE FROM GOD.

You quit wanting to know of God
God quits trying to get you to know of Him.

AND IS THIS NOT DANGEROUS?
John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

BUT PAUL GETS EVEN MORE DESCRIPTIVE.

“God gave them over to a depraved mind”

“depraved” translates ADOKIMOS (ad-ok-ee-mos)

“unapproved, rejected, worthless”
It was a term used of worthless metal that did not stand the test.

Jeremiah 6:30 “They call them rejected silver, Because the LORD has rejected them.”

If man will not use his mind
For the purpose of seeking, and knowing God,
Then God responds by giving his mind over to depravity.

YOU SAY: WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF A DEPRAVED MIND?

“God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,”
The result of bad thinking is bad action.
The result of immoral thinking is immoral action.
The result of depraved thinking is depraved action.

“proper” translates KATHEKO (kath-ay-ko)
“becoming, convenient, fit”

ACTION SO DEPRAVED IT DOESN’T EVEN FIT, AT ALL, EVER

And to make sure you get his point, Paul gets specific.
Verses 29-31 “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;”

Most of these are obvious to us in meaning.

Paul is just painting a general picture of what he means
When he mentions the deeds of depravity.

BUT LET’S LOOK AT THE END OF THE LIST
These are especially revealing sins.

“disobedient to parents”

Extreme depravity is manifest in a child, or youth,
That refuses to obey their parents.
It is in direct opposition to the original order of God.

“without understanding”
This is really just depravity at it’s most basic form. It is the inability to even perceive the difference between right and wrong.

No longer are they immoral, they are amoral.
They don’t even recognize the difference.
“untrustworthy”
Is a word that means “a covenant breaker”

“unloving” translates ASTORGOS (as-tor-gos)

“hard-hearted towards kindred, without natural affection.”

It is the depravity of a mother who shows no love for her child. It is the depravity of a child who shows no love for his elderly parents.
It is a person without the most basic and most natural love.

“unmerciful”
The King James adds a word “implacable” which means “truceless”.
It is a person who rejects the plea for mercy.

These attributes are exactly opposite of what is natural behavior.
And the reason is because men have rejected God.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY THIS WORLD HAS SO MUCH EVIL IN IT?

First, because man is bent on evil.
Romans 3:10-18 “as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.” “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

Man is naturally evil.
But God provides natural checks and barriers
To restrain man’s evil nature.

BUT WHEN A PERSON WILFULLY DISREGARDS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
MAN RUSHES HEAD LONG INTO EVERY FORM OF WICKEDNESS,
EVEN INVENTING NEW EVIL ALONG THE WAY.

“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,”

AND THIS IS THE DANGER OF INDIFFERENCE.

If a person willfully rejects God,
They are given over to practice all these vile and evil deeds
And ultimately it leads to the rightful punishment.

(32) “those who practice such things are worthy of death”

Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Revelation 21:7-8 “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Revelation 22:14-15 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.”

• Man rejects God.
• God allows man to reject Him.
• This results in depravity.
• Depravity results in wickedness.
• Wickedness results in death.

GOD’S WRATH IS REVEALED IN THAT HE ALLOWS MEN
TO HAVE A DEPRAVED MIND AND TO PRACTICE SUCH WICKEDNESS.

GOD’S WRATH IS BOTH REAL AND REVEALED.

It is revealed in the impurity of those who insist on worshiping false gods.
It is revealed in the degrading passions of those who insist on homosexuality.
It is revealed in the depravity of those who refuse the true knowledge of God.

And these are just three examples.
DON’T BE A PERSON UNDER THE PERMISSIVE WRATH OF GOD.

GOD’S PLAN IS FOR YOU TO DENY YOURSELF
AND FULLY SUBMIT YOUR LIFE TO JESUS.

BE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF GOD.
Romans 5:8-9 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”

Homosexuality: The Revealed Wrath of God
Romans 1:26-27
August 26, 2007

We have been looking at Paul’s letter to the church at Rome,
In which Paul has begun his first theme of the book.

Paul first begins with the wrath of God.
Certainly and unpopular topic…
Also a seemingly forgotten topic…
BUT AS WE HAVE LEARNED AND EXTREMELY RELEVANT TOPIC

Romans 1:18-20 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 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.”

God’s wrath is real, and God’s wrath is revealed.
God still judges ungodliness and unrighteousness,
And the fact that man continues to suppress God’s truth,
Only makes His wrath that much greater.

And as we said this morning,
Paul is taking this first chapter and
Giving us three illustrations of how God is revealing His wrath.

This morning we saw that the existence of idolatry
Is evidence of God’s wrath.

God doesn’t have to allow men to worship other gods.
He could stop it any time He wants.

And in reality it is not wise for men to worship false gods,
For they are placing all their hope in a myth that cannot save.

But since man is so determined to follow this lust for impurity,
God has finally allowed it to happen.

Tonight we see the 2nd illustration of the revealed wrath of God.

Tonight we talk about
HOMOSEXUALITY

AND WHAT A DIFFICULT TOPIC
People all across our nation seem to be caught in limbo
As to what to do about homosexuality.

But I hope you realize this is not a new problem.
Abraham’s nephew dealt with it.
Moses commanded against it.
The Judges dealt with it.
And in the New Testament Paul wrote against it.

This specific sin has always been around.
At any given point in history, men could look up
And see that this was occurring.

(Probably one of the reasons why Paul chose it.)

NOW I DO NEED TO SAY AT THE START,
That this sermon is not for the purpose of “gay bashing”.

Homosexuality is a sin,
Those who live in it evidence that they are not believers in Jesus, And that they will not inherit eternal life.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.”

FURTHERMORE IT IS AGAINST THE COMMAND OF GOD
Leviticus 18:22 ‘You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.”

Leviticus 20:13 ‘If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”

But, as we heard this morning, God can forgive sinners.
God can change sinners, even homosexuals.

My prayer is that through this sermon, even homosexuals
Would come to know of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

But beyond that, let’s take a moment and look at what Paul teaches, and we will follow the same basic outline as this morning.

#1 THE DESCRIPTION OF HOMOSEXUALITY
Romans 1:26-27a

I don’t want to get graphic here as to what is occurring,
But we do need to understand
WHY HOMOSEXUALITY IS CONSIDERED AN ABOMINATION TO GOD.

In these two verses, Paul mentions two groups of people.
First he mentions women who he says, “exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural.”

Second he mentions men who he says, “abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another,”

Now you do need to notice that in both cases,
Paul refers to the misuse of “the natural function of the woman”

He says nothing of the natural function of the man.
Women “exchanged” that natural function
Men “abandoned” that natural function

But in both cases,
Paul is referring to the natural function of the woman.
And this will help us understand the problem here.

SO FIRST, we need to take a look at “the natural function of the woman”

Genesis 2:18-25 “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

Now if you read that passage,
It becomes apparently obvious that man needed a companion.

“It is not good for the man to be alone”

And so first God created all the animals and brought them to man.
“but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.”

And so God created woman
And He created her to be a compliment to man.

She was created FOR the man.
She was created to be COMPLIMENT.
She was created to be a HELPMATE.
She was created to be a COMPANION.
She was created to BRING FULFILLMENT to his life.
And obviously included there is an emotional fulfillment.

I want to give you a theological fact.
MEN AND WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT

They were created different on purpose,
So they could complement one another,
Not so they could compete against one another.

And because this is God’s design,
God made them different,
And even gave them different roles to play.

Titus 2:1-8 “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.”

Even in that letter you can see the different makeup
And different expectations God has for men and women.

There is an emotional fulfillment a woman brings to a man’s life.
Carrie and I used to talk on the phone for hours.

BUT EVEN THAT IS NOT THE MAIN THRUST OF THE TEXT
(Not in Romans, Not in Genesis)

The main thrust of both of those texts
Is that woman was created to be a physical partner to man.

She was created with a different body than man,
So that she would be fulfilling to man physically.

There is a definite idea of sexual fulfillment here.

Notice what God said to Adam.
Genesis 2:24-25 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

“they shall become one flesh” “naked and not ashamed”
(My mom’s translation)
The physical aspect between man and woman
Was part of the plan from the get go.

No one reason is obvious.
PROCREATION

Genesis 9:7 “As for you, be fruitful and multiply; Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it.”

But there is also another reason.
RECREATION

Genesis 26:8 “It came about, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out through a window, and saw, and behold, Isaac was caressing his wife Rebekah.”

The King James Version says, “Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.”
(that doesn’t mean they were playing tennis)

And this thought is also carried over to the New Testament.
1 Corinthians 7:1-5 “Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

God created woman to be a physical fulfillment to her husband,
And even as Paul notes, she can also be a wonderful safety net
To help her husband in a world of sexual temptation.

THIS IS THE NATURAL FUNCTION OF THE WOMAN.
In fact,

“function” translates CHRESIS (khray-sis)

“sexual intercourse as an occupation of the body”

This is one of, if not the main reason women were created.
As God looked at man, the animals were not suitable for him.
So God created woman.

THAT IS THE NATURAL FUNCTION OF THE WOMAN

BUT WHAT IS OCCURRING HERE IN ROMANS 1?

“their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,”

These women took what was natural, and exchanged it for was not natural.
They took their natural role, and disregarded it.

They cast it aside in order that they might assume a role
That was not natural for them to assume.

AND WE SEE THIS IN VARIOUS WAYS

TURN TO: 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

That is not the only place it occurred.
1 Timothy 2:8-15 “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”

Even Ephesus had a problem with role reversal.

These issues reveal disdain for God’s natural design.

Ephesians 5:22-27 “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”

There is another place that God’s divine design is under attack today.

NOW, IN HOMOSEXUALITY,
NOT ONLY ARE ALL THESE INTENTIONS OUT THE WINDOW,
BUT SO IS GOD’S DESIGN OF SEXUAL FULFILLMENT.

These women here “exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural.”

Jude 7 “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”

Jude said they went after “strange flesh”.
And really, this is why we have such a hang up with homosexuality.
Because it is unnatural. (That is why abortion bothers us too)

When you look at an animal, in their natural instincts. Even a mother animal naturally protects her young, and even a male animal natural desires a female.

But these women went for what was unnatural.

And the men were no better.
(27a) “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”

Now the women may have refused their role,
But here these men refused the women.

They “abandoned the natural function of the woman”

It is the picture of God giving woman to man,
And man willfully rejecting her,
And as such rejecting God’s perfect gift to him.

Instead they “burned in their desire toward one another”

They willfully rejected God’s natural order, and sought to gratify their lusts through their own way.

And of course, what started out as desire ended up in action.
“men with men committing indecent acts”

And if you want to see the degree of this desire,
You only need to read the Bible.

TURN TO: Genesis 19:1-11

These guys were intent on their lust weren’t they?

You would think that would be the last time in the Bible
That such atrocities would occur.

TURN TO: Judges 19:16-25

A man and his concubine were traveling and at night went to the city of Gibeah. It was in the tribe of Dan and he was waiting at the city square. (Read)

There again is the picture of the intense desire for sin.
This the definition of homosexuality.
It is men and women
Who completely overlook the natural function of the woman
As a gift from God to bring fulfillment to man,
And instead seek to fulfill that desire in their own way.

That is the definition of homosexuality.
#2 THE DANGER OF HOMOSEXUALITY
Romans 1;26a, 27b

There at the first of verse 26 is the phrase yet again.
“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passion”

Yet again, it is the picture of man being so persistent in his sin…
Of woman being so unwilling to listen to the counsel of God…
Of men and women so searing their consciences to the truth…

That God eventually says, fine you can have what you seek.
And He literally places them in the hands of the lifestyle they have chosen.

Psalms 81:11-12 “But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me. “So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in their own devices.”

God finally allows them to reap the full consequence of their lifestyle.

In verse 26 Paul says, “God gave them over to degrading passions;”

“degrading” translates ATIMIA (at-ee-mee-ah)
“indignity, dishonor, reproach, shame”

It was the same word used in 1 Corinthians 11
About a woman with a shaved head being disgraced.

And the idea here is that the lifestyle itself brings shame on them.
And if homosexuals would open their eyes they would see this.

Despite all the pushes, despite all the legislature…
Even if gay marriage gets legalized some day.

Homosexuality will never be universally recognized as acceptable.
Even a non-believers see it as unnatural.

It is a shameful lifestyle, it embarrasses those who engage in it, and it always will.

But since they persist in it so fervently, God has finally said, “Fine embarrass yourself.”

But that is not the only consequence.
Look down to the end of verse 27.

“and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.”

“due penalty” translates ANTIMISTHIA (an-tee-mis-thee-ah)
“a reward in return; wages in return”

It is the common payment for a common action.
It is the common reward for a common action.

And here it is used in a negative connotation to express that when you willfully reject the plan of God, then you will get the wages you deserve.

In short.
THIS IS NOT GOD ZAPPING HOMOSEXUALS
This is God simply allowing homosexuals to reap the natural benefits of their lifestyle.

WHAT ARE THEY?

One is obviously sexually transmitted disease, AIDS
It happens, and if you persist in that lifestyle, that is a natural reward.

Another is unfulfillment.
God knows what is fulfilling, for He created us, and that is not it.
And homosexuals are reaping this today.

Statistics say that a homosexual male will have around 300 different partners in a year.

Among females jealousy and rage are extremely high because a female is always looking for a new relationship, seeking fulfillment.

BUT THERE IS NONE TO BE HAD.

There is no fulfillment in that lifestyle, and that is their punishment.
It is a high risk – no reward lifestyle

AND YET GOD’S WRATH IS REVEALED
IN THAT HE ALLOWS IT TO HAPPEN.

SO WHAT IS THE POINT?
Well obviously, if you are here and homosexuality is something that you have struggled with. (and I realize you may be the only one that knows)

Maybe it is even something you have allowed to manifest in your life and it has led to action.
Let me say, please turn from this lifestyle.
There is nothing for you there. Momentary lust, momentary gratification, but there is no lasting satisfaction there, and the end result is judgment.

God created them male and female and He knows how to satisfy your life and your desires, and your cravings. TRUST HIM.

IF YOU DO NOT STRUGGLE WITH HOMOSEXUALITY

Then realize homosexuality is not the only issue we are dealing with here.

Homosexuality is just the extreme form of a person
Who has rejected God’s role for themselves.

There are plenty other (less extreme) manifestations of this same problem.
Men who refuse to love their wives…
Women who refuse to submit to their husbands…
Children who refuse to obey their parents…
Fathers who refuse to train their children…
Employers who refuse to submit to their bosses…
Men who refuse to lead in the church…

ALL ARE FORMS OF THE SAME SIN AS HOMOSEXUALITY
They are a rejection of God’s original design,
Seeking to gratify a desire in an unacceptable way.

Adrian Rogers
“Temptation tries to get you to fulfill a legitimate desire in an illegitimate way.”

That is what all those sins are.
Tonight I want to ask you to step back in to your God ordained role

And if you will,
Not only will you find the fulfillment that your life is looking for,
But you will also pull yourself out from under the wrath of God.

Romans 5:8-9 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”

Idolatry: The Revealed Wrath of God
Romans 1:21-25
August 26, 2007

In verse 18, Paul began a new theme in his letter to the Romans.

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”

Paul taught us that God’s wrath is both real, and it is revealed.
His wrath is revealed against “all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men”
He is angry because they “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”

Sunday night we learned what he meant by they suppress the truth
AS WE SAW THE DIFFICULTY OF DISBELIEF.

Failure to trust in God is not the logical choice.
In fact, if you desire to disbelieve God, you will have to work to do so.

Romans 1:19-20 “because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 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.”

Every person had two basic testimonies.

THE TESTIMONY OF CONSCIENCE
“that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.”

THE TESTIMONY OF CREATION
“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.”

CONSCIENCE is NOT ENOUGH to lead you to salvation,
But it is enough to lead you to seek God.

CREATION is NOT ENOUGH to lead you to salvation,
But it is enough to lead you to seek God.

Men need the gospel to be saved.
“it is the power of God for salvation” (That’s our part remember)

The testimony of conscience and the testimony of creation
ARE TO MOTIVATE MEN TO SEEK GOD.

And this is what Paul said.
Acts 17:26-27 “and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;”
The problem is that men still didn’t seek God,
But instead they suppressed that truth, they held it down,
And refused to pay attention to it.

For this reason, “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven”.

Paul gives us in this first chapter
Three examples of how God’s wrath is revealed.
God may not be raining down fire from heaven…
God may not be sending locust invasions…
God may not be delivering men into the hand of their enemies…
BUT GOD’S WRATH IS REVEALED NONE THE LESS

THIS MORNING WE SEE PAUL’S FIRST EXAMPLE
IDOLATRY

As the Romans read this letter from Paul,
All they had to do was open their eyes to see idolatry in their world.

Rome itself had Emperor Worship
But idolatry was spread throughout the Roman Empire

When Paul went to Lystra, he healed a lame man
Acts 14:11-13 “When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.”

Later when Paul went to Athens:
Acts 17:16 “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.”

It was in Ephesus that Demetrius the silversmith stirred up the crowd to defend “Artemis of the Ephesians” because Paul’s preaching was killing her ministry.

Corinth was at one time the home to at least 12 heathen temples, in which idol worship and prostitution ran rampant.

All the Romans had to do was open their eyes
To see that idolatry was everywhere.
It had saturated their society.
(probably why Paul chose idolatry as one of the three he mentions)

SO HERE PAUL TAKES THE PRESENCE OF IDOLATRY TO SHOW THE ROMANS HOW GOD’S WRATH IS REVEALED TODAY.

2 main things I want you to see about idolatry.
#1 THE DESCRIPTION OF IDOLATRY
Romans 1:21-23

As Paul reveals that idolatry is the wrath of God,
He does an incredible job of describing idolatry.

And we can describe idolatry in two ways.
1) FUTILE THINKING (21)

People don’t worship idols because they don’t know about God. People worship idols because they wish to rebel against God.

Everyone knows about the true God. (Conscience & Creation)
THE QUESTION IS NOT KNOWLEDGE, BUT SUBMISSION.

“they knew God, they did not honor Him as God”

These people where throwing it right back in God’s face.
“You may be God, but you won’t catch me worshiping You.”
“You may be God, but I’m not gonna do what You say.”

“nor give thanks”
The rain comes from heaven…
Their heart continues to beat…
Their crops continue to grow…
BUT THEY ARE NOT GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR IT.

Instead they present themselves to the god of their choice.
They reject the true God in order to worship false gods.

Paul explains this course of action.
“but they became futile in their speculations,
and their foolish heart was darkened.”

In other words, they had the truth,
They had what made sense, they had what was logical.

“Worship the true and living God and submit yourself to Him,
for He can both reward and punish you.”

BUT THEY REJECTED SUCH LOGIC.

“they became futile in their speculations”
Paul said they had new ideas.
They had new “speculations”
They imagined something different.
Now what they imagined was “futile”.
It was pointless, it didn’t make sense.

They would actually create a god
And then credit that god with creating them.
WHAT COULD THEY POSSIBLY HOPE TO GAIN FROM THIS?

It reeks of a person who hasn’t thought it all the way through.
It is a stupid thought to say the least.

Which is of course what the prophets have been saying for years.
Isaiah 44:18-20 “They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!” He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

In Isaiah 41, God challenges the false gods to be of some benefit.
Isaiah 41:21-24 “Present your case,” the LORD says.”Bring forward your strong arguments,” The King of Jacob says. Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were, That we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming; Declare the things that are going to come afterward, That we may know that you are gods; Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together. Behold, you are of no account, And your work amounts to nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.”

We are all familiar with the “show down” at Mt. Carmel

Time and time again God has pointed out the ignorance
Of first creating a god and then serving that god.

THE VERY NOTION OF IT IS FUTILE, YET MEN DID IT ANYWAY.

AND PAUL SAYS THIS FUTILE THINKING RESULTED IN TRAGEDY.
“and their foolish heart was darkened.”

THEY SO PERSISTED IN THEIR WORSHIP,
THAT BEFORE LONG
THEY ACTUALLY BELIEVED THE LIE THEY HAD INVENTED.

They told themselves over and over
That the god they created really was god,
Until one day they woke up and they actually believed it.
“and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Ephesians 4:17-19 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.”

Idolatry is described by FUTILE THINKING
2) FOOLISH DECISIONS (22-23)

“Professing to be wise, they became fools,”
They were dead wrong, but they thought they were right.

They boldly claimed that their god was the true god.
(We see this today don’t we)

Acts 19:23-27 “About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. “You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. “Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

Can you hear the foolishness?
Yet he is convinced of his wisdom.

“Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all.”
I mean that statement alone should have opened his eyes.
But it gets even better than that.

He was worried, “that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

He really had a lot of confidence in his god didn’t he?
The point is he thought he was so wise,
And yet look how foolish he was.

Those who refuse to honor God become fools.

PAUL THEN DESCRIBES THEIR FOOLISHNESS

[They] “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.”
IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOOLISHNESS, THERE IT IS.
They had the “glory of the incorruptible God”
But they traded it for “an image in the form of corruptible man”

ILLUSTRATION
I live with Carrie and get the benefits of the relationship.
Suppose I traded Carrie for a picture of Carrie?
Suppose the picture wasn’t even of Carrie?

HOW FOOLISH WOULD I BE TO MAKE THAT TRADE?

They exchange the full benefit of a relationship with God
For an image that isn’t even an image of God.
It’s a man, or a bird, or a beast, or a snake

YET A PERSON IN IDOLATRY MAKES THE TRADE.

And we see this foolishness throughout the Scripture.
Jeremiah 2:11-13 “Has a nation changed gods When they were not gods? But My people have changed their glory For that which does not profit. “Be appalled, O heavens, at this, And shudder, be very desolate,” declares the LORD. “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.”

PERHAPS THE MOST SHOCKING IS IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS.
Exodus 32:1-4 “Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Aaron said to them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

HOW FOOLISH WERE THESE PEOPLE?

Exodus 19 – God came down on Sinai in fire and smoke AND THE PEOPLE HEARD.
Exodus 19 – God gave the Ten Commandments in their hearing.
You want to top that, look at this:
Exodus 24:9-11 “Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.”
All the people heard God and saw the fire…
All the leaders saw God…

Then in chapter 32 they make this dinky golden calf and Aaron says,
“This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”
TALK ABOUT FOOLISH
Yet that is what idolatry is.

And the Romans could see it going on everywhere.

AND THAT IS WHEN PAUL DRAWS IT HOME.
HE REVEALS THAT THIS IS THE WRATH OF GOD.

First – the description of idolatry
#2 THE DANGER OF IDOLATRY
Romans 1:24-25

THE EXISTANCE OF IDOLATRY IS EVIDENCE OF THE WRATH OF GOD
God doesn’t have to allow people to worship false gods…
God doesn’t have to allow people to bow down to graven images…
He could stop it any time He pleases
But He allows it.

“There God gave them over”

“gave them over” translates PARADIDOMI (par-ad-id-o-mee)
“yield up, give up, bring forth”

It is the word used of Jesus giving Himself up to the cross.
Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,”

But here it carries a negative connotation
As God gives idolaters into the hands of the gods they serve.

“Fine, you can worship that god, you can trust that god,
And then come death, we’ll see how well that god delivers you.”

Hosea 4:17 “Ephraim is joined to idols; Let him alone.”

Judges 10:13 “Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer deliver you.”

CAN YOU NOT SEE THE TRAGEDY IN THIS?
Imagine the rude awakening by those men who flew the airplanes into the world trade center towers on September 11.

THEY EXPECTED GLORY, VIRGINS, & PARADISE.

They found their god was a fake and their prophet
Was already in the same torment they were now receiving.

THIS IS THE HORROR OF IDOLATRY.
Jeremiah 2:26-28 “As the thief is shamed when he is discovered, So the house of Israel is shamed; They, their kings, their princes And their priests and their prophets, Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to Me, And not their face; But in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise and save us.’ “But where are your gods Which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you In the time of your trouble; For according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah.”

Judges 10:14 “Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.”

WHY WOULD GOD DO SUCH A THING?

“God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity”

God allowed it because they wanted it so bad.
That is what their heart craved.
That is what their heart desired.
That is what they strived for.

“impurity” translates AKATHARSIA (ak-ath-ar-see-ah)
“impurity, uncleanness, filth”

Many times it refers to sexual impurity.
Most idol worship in Paul’s day involved sexual impurity.

But even if sexual impurity is not what Paul had in mind.
Certainly it is the spiritual impurity
That is seen throughout the Old Testament.

When Israel worshiped false gods, God called them harlots.

Jeremiah 2:31-32 “O generation, heed the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of thick darkness? Why do My people say, ‘ We are free to roam; We will no longer come to You’? “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me Days without number.”

People so desperately wanted to worship someone else,
That God eventually allowed them to do it.

Jeremiah 2:23-25 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel entangling her ways, A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; In her month they will find her. “Keep your feet from being unshod And your throat from thirst; But you said, ‘ It is hopeless! No! For I have loved strangers, And after them I will walk.’”

And here is the judgment part.
“so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.”
Seems to suggest Paul did have sexual impurity in view here.

For through their idol worship,
They were using their bodies in a way that dishonored them.

THE PURPOSE OF THE BODY IS TO GLORIFY GOD.
But men, in order to follow their lusts,
Used their body in a way that dishonored it.

They thought it didn’t matter
What they ate, where they bowed, or who they slept with,
For the body was simply for their pleasure.

Paul said NO.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

It is a dishonor to your body to engage in sexual impurity,
Or to offer your body up to the worship of a false god.

But God allows men to dishonor their bodies.WHY?

“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.”

I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO IDOL WORSHIP
ALL IDOL WORSHIP IS SELF-WORSHIP IN DISGUISE.

That is why men make idols.
They form a god that they desire to worship;
A god who rewards their lusts and who gratifies their sinful desires.

THIS IS WHY FALSE GODS SEEM TO ENDURE.

Allah doesn’t endure because he is real he gratifies the sinful nature of those who want to elevate their own works, and gain earthly power.

Buddha doesn’t endure because he is real he gratifies the sinful nature of those who want the fame of self-sacrifice and the glory of religious work.

THE REAL ISSUE IN THESE VERSES IS THIS:
Men did not want God to rule over them,
So man invented a god to serve,
That they could gratify his own sinful lusts.

The wrath of God is revealed in that God allows them to do it.

They worship a corruptible, temporal, man-made myth over the “Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ME?

God has placed a testimony of Himself for all to see,
Both in the conscience of man and in His creation.
(Even more is you have heard the gospel)

If your life is contrary to that,
Don’t assume you are square with God,
Just because He isn’t beating you over the head.

Romans 2:4-6 “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:”

God’s wrath is revealed today.
It is evident by the fact that He is allowing men
To worship gods that cannot save.

TODAY IT SEEMS REWARDING
BUT IT WON’T BE REWARDING SOME DAY.
Jeremiah 5:31 “The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?”

And that is the question.
WHAT WILL YOU DO AT THE END OF IT?
My prayer is that men will be saved from the wrath of God.
Romans 5:8-9 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”