Paul's Epistles Part 4 – Romans - Guilty of sin

Paul's Epistles

Part 4 – Romans - Guilty of sin

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We are going to look at the Epistles of Paul in this series of sermons.

The Epistles written by Paul are Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon and Hebrews.

We have already looked at who Paul was, our faith being reported around the world.

Last week we discussed I am not ashamed of the Gospel.

Today we will take a look at Romans 1:18-20. Guilty of sin.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Romans 1:18-20  

 ¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

God's wrath is His personal emotion in regards to sin. It is against ungodliness and unrighteousness. Both of which are alive and well in this world today.

In fact, the scriptures tell us;

Matthew 24:37 "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."

Luke 17:26 "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man."

1 Peter 3:18-21 "¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. ¹⁹ After being made alive,^[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— ²⁰ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God."

As in the days of Noah, God has been patient with us and our sins. But there comes a time when Judgment comes, and it will be, just like it was in the time of Noah when the Judgment is near.

What was it like in the day of Noah?

Genesis 5:5-6 "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and it grieved His heart and the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the Earth;"

Ask yourself; is the wickedness of man great upon the Earth? Yes, we are close to the Judgment.

I.                   WRATH OF GOD

a.      The wrath of God.

                                                             i.      This wrath is God's personal emotion with regard to sin.

                                                          ii.      God's wrath against sin is mentioned less than 200 times in scripture.

                                                       iii.      Repent, around 80 times.

                                                         iv.      Love, almost 700!

b.     Revealed from Heaven against unrighteousness and ungodliness.

                                                             i.      God's wrath, His personal emotion against sin, this anger, originates in heaven.

                                                          ii.      God is unilaterally opposed to sin, whether in the form of unrighteousness or ungodliness.

c.      They hold the truth in unrighteousness.

                                                             i.      Meaning, those who are acting in ungodliness or unrighteousness, are refusing to recognize Who God is, and What God is.

                                                          ii.      Not that they are incapable of understanding, rather, they refuse to.

II.               TRUTH IS PLAIN

a.      That which may be known of God is manifest in them.

                                                             i.      This speaks of the universal objective knowledge of God as the Creator.

                                                          ii.      This seed is in all men.

                                                       iii.      We see evidence of this, even in the most remote of places.

Illustration: Wood carver in remote jungle

b.     For God has shown it unto them.

                                                             i.      Meaning God's signature is in all Creation.

                                                          ii.      Many people search for this signature in DNA, under microscopes, searching through electrons for hidden messages.

1.      However, they did not have these devices in the days of Christ.

2.      Why would God hold someone accountable for something that could only be seen with future devices? He wouldn't.

c.      He is a righteous Judge!

                                                             i.      And would not tell us something if it were not true.

1.      The scripture is clear when it says, "For the invisible things of Him from the Creation of the world are clearly seen."

III.            THE INVISIBLE IS SEEN

a.      The invisible things of Him are seen clearly in creation.

                                                             i.      These invisible things of God (His signature in all creation), have been SEEN (with human eyes), clearly!

                                                          ii.      I don't believe God's signature in all creation is hidden in DNA, Gnomes, Chromosomes, or any other place where a device is needed to see.

                                                       iii.      I believe God's signature in all creation is the simple fact that no one else can create matter, which all things that exist are made of!

b.     And they are understood by the things that are made.

                                                             i.      Everyone knows, no matter the century you are from, that you cannot makes something from nothing.

                                                          ii.      Even mud takes dirt and water.

                                                       iii.      Creation is God's doing, for all things that are, are made of matter, which scientific laws of thermodynamics states, cannot be created, or destroyed.

                                                         iv.      Yet, we have it...therefore, God must be telling the truth when He says;

                                                            v.      Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

                                                         vi.      Genesis 1:3 "And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light."

                                                      vii.      Let there be waters, land, sky, vegetation, stars, creatures, and man.

c.      Even His eternal Power and Godhead;

                                                             i.      Is revealed to all mankind through the fact that everything is here!

                                                          ii.      Why do atheists and non-believers want to spend their lives telling us we come from monkeys, and there is no truth to the creation story?

1.      Because, if God didn't create everything, He is not the author of life, righteous, and rightful judge of the Creation He created.

2.      They want a "get out of hell free" card for life.

d.     However, they are without excuse.

                                                             i.      Because everything does exist.

                                                          ii.      And no one has ever made something from nothing.

                                                       iii.      And science actually supports the truth of the Creation, because of thermodynamic laws, which cannot be broken.

                                                         iv.      Matter cannot be created, and yet...it was, and is here.

                                                            v.      That is God's signature in all creation!

Of the two covenants, Law and Love (Christ), there is no escape from judgment.

Romans 2:12 ~ "All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law."

CONCLUSION

We need to understand that wrath is simply the personal emotion of God against ungodliness and unrighteousness.

We can see and understand what is righteous, and live accordingly if we allow God's Spirit to lead us.

God has made those things plain and easy for us to understand, so we really are without excuse.

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