1. Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened…therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. [Romans 1:21-24]
2. Because they exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, God gave them up into vile passions. In context this behavior is identified as homosexual perversions. [Romans 1:25-26]
3. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not proper. [Romans 1:28]
Does Romans 1 speak to modern America?
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” [Romans 1:18].
“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven…” It is not a matter of opinion or of argument; wrath has been revealed in history and is being revealed not just in America, but among the nations of the earth. It matters not at all what men may think or say or decide. In our depravity, we make our own gods, or we take out of God everything which is hateful and repugnant to our natural minds, and fondly imagine that all is well. What a fool's paradise! How arrogant for sinful man to deny his own history and sit in judgment of the thrice holy God!
The nature of man has not changed since Adam’s fall into sin…’he begot a son in his own likeness’ [Genesis 5:3]. Would the scoffers have us believe that man has somehow overcome his sinful nature and that God has changed in his hatred of sin?
Why is the preaching of the Gospel such an urgent matter for the apostle and for the church? The answer is “that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” Why is salvation entirely a matter of faith? The reply is that the whole world is hopelessly guilty before God. Why is nothing less than the power of God unto salvation sufficient for man’s redemption? The answer is that sin has corrupted man’s nature and put him in rebellion against his Creator. Wrath is a reality because sin is a reality.
[credits to Lloyd-Jones, Hendriksen, Haldane]
What is being suppressed?
‘I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith”[Habakkuk 2:4]. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man…’ [Romans 1:16-23]
What is the plain meaning of this passage? We expect the men of this world to pervert its meaning and suppress its message, but what about the churches? When is the last time you heard a message from the pulpit on the wrath of God from Romans 1?
Why is the message of truth suppression and wrath being suppressed in the church in general? If the church is supposed to be the pillar and ground of truth, then why is it suppressing truth that should be thundering out from American churches? What is so important to take the church away from its role as salt and light?
Consider that the meaning of Romans 1 is so plain and its message is so offensive to the men of this world that the churches are ashamed of it. Many in the churches fear men rather than God, including some pastors. The church rolls are full of the unregenerate, and the pastors know it. Some doctrines are not preached for fear of offending men.
Since God is jealous of His glory, He holds men accountable and takes an active role in their punishment when they suppress the knowledge of His glory revealed in what He has made. Some churches have accommodated the apostate doctrines of progressive creation over long ages which is really Darwinism infecting the Genesis account of creation along with the denial of NT testimony regarding the trustworthiness of Genesis as written and understood by the church many centuries before the age of radical naturalism and neo-science.
Who can stand against the suppression of truth when the churches fail to uphold the word of truth? Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. The apostate church is selling the truth for a lie and joins the world in the suppression of God’s truth for the revelation of His wrath. If the Bible is not eternal truth, then Christ is a liar, and we are fools playing at church. A sovereign Lord with all authority and a trustworthy revelation is the sure foundation of the Church that Christ is building that will stand forever; all others have a foundation corrupted by human wisdom that is unable to stand and will not stand.
What is the debased mind of Romans 1?
‘And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient…’ [Romans 1:28]
The Apostle then exposes the depths of human depravity in the sins of men given over to a debased mind. This is his conclusion which I take as characteristic of the debased mind…
‘Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them’ [Romans 1:32].
I give Calvin’s comments on this verse because he brings out an interesting perspective on what separates men of debased mind from other men…
[These men] left nothing undone for the purpose of giving unbridled liberty to their sinful propensities; for having taken away all distinction between good and evil, they approved in themselves and in others those things which they knew displeased God, and would be condemned by his righteous judgment. For it is the summit of all evils, when the sinner is so void of shame, that he is pleased with his own vices, and will not bear them to be reproved, and also cherishes them in others by his consent and approbation. This desperate wickedness is thus described in Scripture:
“They boast when they do evil,” [Proverbs 2:14]
And again,
“She has spread out her feet,
and gloried in her wickedness” [Ezekiel 16:25]
For he who is ashamed is as yet healable; but when such an impudence is contracted through a sinful habit, that vices, and not virtues, please us, and are approved, there is no more any hope of reformation. Such, then, is the interpretation I give; for I see that the Apostle meant here to condemn something more grievous and more wicked than the very doing of vices: what that is I know not, except we refer to that which is the summit of all wickedness, — that is, when wretched men, having cast away all shame, undertake the patronage of vices in opposition to the righteousness of God. [Calvin]