Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20070930.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Romans: Charter Of God's Salvation Grace
Part II: Exposing The NEED For God's Salvation Of Sinful Man, Romans 1:18-3:20
A. Pagan Man's NEED For God's Salvation From Sin
(Romans 1:18-32)
  1. Introduction
    1. In today's secular world, what was once thought to be right is now often called wrong, and what was once considered evil is now often called right, the same inversion that Isaiah 5:20-21 condemned!
    2. Regardless what definition changes man makes on morality, God's moral definitions do not change, and Romans 1:18-32 with its condemnation of secular man still rings true as it shows his need for salvation:
  2. Pagan Man's NEED For God's Salvation From Sin, Romans 1:18-32.
    1. God's wrath is revealed from heaven at pagan men due to their sin, Romans 1:18a,b.
    2. This sin is explained in Romans 1:18c-32 as follows:
      1. Pagan man suppresses the truth of God by means of his unrighteousness, Romans 1:18c NIV, ESV:
        1. The KJV's word "hold" is better rendered "suppress," NIV, ESV; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to Romans 1:18. It comes from the Greek word, katecho, meaning "restrain, suppress," U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966 ed., p. 531; Arndt & Ging., A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., p. 423-424.
        2. Since the phrase "in unrighteousness" (KJV) describes this suppression, as the NIV and ESV put it, Paul claimed the evil of pagan man itself suppresses the truth of God in the world, Romans 1:18.
      2. In Romans 1:19-23, Paul explained how pagan man's wicked suppression of God's truth occurs:
        1. First, pagan man inexcusably ignores the creative order's evidences of God's eternal power and Godhead (Rom. 1:19-20), a fact we can document: Karl Popper who is highly lauded by atheistic evolutionists has admitted in his autobiography: " . . . Darwinism is not a testable scientific theory, but a metaphysical research program . . . Its theory of adaptation was the first nontheistic [non-God] one that was convincing; and theism [belief in God] was worse than an open admission of failure, for it created the impression that an ultimate explanation had been reached.'" (Karl Popper, Unended Quest, 1976 as cited in Luther Sunderland, Darwin's Enigma, 1984, p. 28, brackets ours)
        2. Though seeing the evidences of God in creation, pagan man has not glorified Him as the Creator nor thanked Him for sustaining his life, but he has become vain in his imaginations, 1:21a,b.
        3. Going from vain philosophy into deep spiritual darkness, pagan man has come to view himself as wise while foolishly exchanging God's glory for the worship of man and animals, Romans 1:22-23.
      3. For dishonouring God in his worship of created bodies, God has consequently released pagan man to the judgment of dishonouring his own body, Romans 1:24-27. Hence, both homosexual and lesbian orientations and activities have arisen and are prominent in secular societies, Romans 1:26-27.
      4. Furthermore, God also released pagan man to added debased viewpoints and activities, Rom. 1:28-32:
        1. Paul noted that God released pagan man following his rejection of the knowledge of God to delve into other crass forms of wickedness, Romans 1:28.
        2. These include covetousness, malice, envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossip (Rom. 1:29 ESV), slander, hating God, insolence, haughtiness, boastfulness, evil inventions, disobedience to parents (Rom. 1:30 ESV), foolishness, unbelief, heartlessness and ruthlessness (Rom. 1:31 ESV).
      5. Indeed, though some pagans are aware that God's Word condemns those who do such evils to deserve to die, they yet proceed to practice such evils, and even give approval to others who do them in open rebellion against God and His Word, Romans 1:32 ESV!
Lesson: Pagan man is an object of God's wrath today because he suppresses God's truth by resisting evidences of God's power and eternal Godhead in creation, only then to develop vain imaginations and worship created bodies. For this sin, God has turned pagan man over to dishonour his own body, and to descend into crass, blatant evils of open rebellion and astounding shame!

Application: Pagan man needs Christ's salvation from sin, for his indulgence in atheistic evolution, idolatry, sexual aberrations, socially destructive acts and open rebellion to Scripture reveal this need!