On The Sixth Day #6

Romans 1.18 – 23 Humans Reject God and Embrace Corruption

For the anger [wrath] of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

• NT Wright's story of the felling of a rotting/en tree
  
  • looked okay on the outside – a little fungus near the ground
    
  • inside it was rotten to the core
    
    • 4 ft in diameter
      
    • 3 – 5 inches nearest the bark was strong/sturdy
      
    • the rest was just rotten
      
  • is just like the human race
    
    • outside MAY look okay
      
    • inside there is only rot
      
    • needs God's justice & salvation v. 18
      
• from here through 2:16 Paul lays out the case against humanity
  
  • rotten at its heart
    
  • it will result in the crash of humanity
    
    • 1:32
      
    • 2:5
      
    • 2:16
      
  • vv. 18 – 23 deal with the decay corruption & rot in the roots
    
  • vv. 24 – 31 deal with the decay corruption & rot in the upper branches
    
• humans already have a knowledge of God from what He has created vv. 19 - 20
  
  • invisible power
    
  • divine [beneficent] nature
    
• there is no excuse
  
• the disease/rot progresses like this: v. 21
  
  • the root sin is the failure to value God above all things [v. 23 also]
    
  • deny/suppress the truth
    
  • then what happens is distorted thinking
    
    • loss of intellectual integrity
      
    • use of the intellect to create evil plans
      
    • to promote only self
      
  • a darkened heart
    
    • brilliant people who do not honor God miss the whole purpose of life
      
    • the center of motivation and purpose pursues selfishness and evil
      
    • call foolishness wisdom and prudence v. 22
      
    • while demeaning and ignoring true wisdom and prudence
      
• the primary signs of this disease v. 23
  
  • Idolatry is the fundamental sin, using temple gods as well as 'house gods'
    
  • turning from the worship of the Creator-God
    
  • turning to the worship of the dying decaying creature

(Source material from N T Wright, John Wesley, Martin Luther, ESV Study Bible, Orthodox Study Bible, et al)