'Ro 1:18-32

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Ro 1:18-3:20 HUMANKIND’S SINFUL CONDITION

The Gentile world (Ro 1:18-32)

Because God is holy, just and true, he has an attitude of wrath, or righteous anger, against all that is wrong. He is opposed to sin in all its forms, and therefore guilty sinners are under his judgment. The Gentiles may not have received the teaching about God that the Jews have received, but they cannot excuse themselves by saying they know nothing about God. The created universe should tell them that there is a supreme being, a powerful Creator, whom they should worship (Ro 1:18-20).

Instead of giving glory to God, however, people have insulted him. Instead of worshipping him as the Creator, they have made created things their idols. They claim to be wise, but actually are fools (Ro 1:21-23).

Idols have no life, and as a result those who worship them feel free to practise all kinds of sin, without fear of punishment. But God does not ignore their sin, and one way he punishes them is to leave them to follow their own sinful desires. As a result they go deeper and deeper into sin, both men and women, and in due course they reap the fruit of their sinful behaviour (Ro 1:24-27).

Sin is not limited to degrading sexual behaviour. Its effects are seen in every part of the human character, as it corrupts people’s inner feelings and spoils their personal relationships (Ro 1:28-31).

Even when people know their behaviour is wrong, they persist in it, and reassure themselves by approving of the wrongdoing of others (Ro 1:32).