Sunday School Lesson

1. Romans 1:18-32
Guilty
March 8, 2020
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?
The Glory of God!
1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever
you do, do all to the glory of God.

3. References
• Bruce, FF, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries,
Revised Edition: Romans, William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1985.
• Ellicott, Charles John, The “Layman’s Handy
Commentary” Series: The Epistle to the Romans,
Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan,
1903.
• Hendriksen, William, New Testament Commentary:
Exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, Baker Book
House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981.

4. References
• Hodge, Charles, Commentary on the Epistle to the
Romans, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand
Rapids, Michigan, 1886.
• Lenski, R. C. H., The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistle
to the Romans, Augsburg Publishing House,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1936.
• Stott, John, Romans: God’s Good News for the World,
InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1994.
• New American Standard Bible, (A. J. Holman Company,
Philadelphia, 1976) Study Edition - Outline and Survey
by Gordon H. Clark, Ph.D.

5. Setting and Date
• This book was written from Corinth during Paul’s
Third Missionary Journey.
• At the time of its writing, Paul had not been to
Rome.
• Most scholars place the time of writing in early
Spring 58 AD.
‒ Ellicott goes as far as saying late February.
‒ Lenski says March.
• It was probably carried by Phoebe, Deaconess of
the Church at Cenchrea, the port serving Corinth.

6. Paul to the churches
When Paul is writing to churches he knows well, we see him
dealing with situations and personalities that have been
brought to his attention. The ideas seem to jump from issue
to issue as Paul attempts to heal, encourage, scold, or praise
a church in a particular matter. It may be because Paul has
never visited the church at Rome that he is teaching without
these personal distractions. Whatever the cause, Romans is
his longest and most systematic epistle, and is perhaps the
most important book in the Bible.
-- Gordon H. Clark

7. Outline of Romans
• Introduction and Theme 1:1-17.
• The Need of the Gospel 1:18-3:20.
• Brief Statement of the Plan of Salvation: Justification
by Faith 3:21-31.
• Abraham, a Confirmation of Justification 4:1-25
• Results of Justification 5:1-21.
• Reply to First Objection to Justification 6:1-8:39.
• Reply to Second Objection 9:1-11:36.
• Practical Exhortations 12:1-16:27.

8. Last lesson we were provided with an outstanding
introduction. The introduction included what may be the
most transforming phrase to come from Romans. This
phrase revolutionized the thinking of generations of
Christians including Martin Luther and John Calvin.
Last Lesson

9. Romans 1:16-17 NASB
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power
of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the
Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the
righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it
is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
The Phrase

10. “the power of God for salvation to everyone who
believes”
How might the world hear this phrase?
• Power of God -- What god?
• For salvation -- Salvation from what?
• For everyone who believes -- Why so exclusive?
But how should you and I hear it?

11. “The gospel is God’s power of love and grace toward
sinners. It has been well said that love is the strongest
power in the world, and God’s love in Christ Jesus is the
greatest love of all. All this power of love and grace is
found in the gospel. God himself and all his love and his
grace are ever in the gospel. God and his saving Word
cannot possibly be separated from each other. Even
omnipotence cannot save sinners, but God’s power of
grace in the gospel can and does.”
“the power of God for salvation to everyone who
believes”

12. “We must think of the gospel in terms of power. The
Gospel is no less than the power by which God saves
every believer. It is thus the very opposite of the
impotency of all the means to which men resort in
seeking salvation by their own efforts.”
-- R. C. H. Lenski
“the power of God for salvation to everyone who
believes”

13. When the Lord spoke these words to Habakkuk, the
prophet was really having to trust wholly in the Lord.
Habakkuk had asked the Lord to explain why He was
permitting the leaders in Judah to oppress the poor, and
asking an even larger question; “Why would God allow
the wicked to prosper?”
Habakkuk 2:4c
4c But the righteous will live by his faith.

14. Habakkuk 2:4c
4c But the righteous will live by his faith.
God’s answer to Habakkuk left him even more confused.
God had seen the injustice and was going to bring
judgement on Judah by unleashing the armies of the
Babylonians and Chaldeans, a people of unspeakable
wickedness and violence. The Lord’s response was that
He would bring His righteous judgement in His timing.
All would be judged, even if it took until the end of time.
In the meantime, “the righteous will live by his faith.”

15. Does this refer to simply survival during the coming raids,
does it refer to remaining steadfast until Babylon is judged, or
does it refer to the means of gaining eternal life?
The context in Habakkuk does not readily provide an answer.
Paul, however, draws on this promise from God and makes it
his theme for presenting the gospel to the Roman church and
to the entire Church of our Lord, Jesus the Christ.
Habakkuk 2:4c
4c But the righteous will live by his faith.

16. The Unrighteousness of Men
Romans 1:18-19 NASB
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that
which is known about God is evident within them; for
God made it evident to them.

17. Romans 1:20-21 NASB
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible
attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have
been clearly seen, being understood through what has
been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 for even
though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God,
or give thanks; but they became futile in their
speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
The Unrighteousness of Men

18. Romans 1:21-23 NASB
21 for even though they knew God, they did not honor
Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in
their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and
exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an
image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and
four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
The Unrighteousness of Men

19. Paul has detailed the gravity of their sin.
And do not be confused, all their sin flows back to
suppressing the truth that God has revealed about
Himself.
Now, he will give examples of the wrath or judgement
that has fallen on men as a result.
The Unrighteousness of Men

20. Romans 1:24-25 NASB
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their
hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored
among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for
a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than
the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
The Unrighteousness of Men

21. Romans 1:26-27 NASB
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading
passions; for their women exchanged the natural
function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same
way also the men abandoned the natural function of the
woman and burned in their desire toward one another,
men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in
their own persons the due penalty of their error.
The Unrighteousness of Men

22. Romans 1:28-30 NASB
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God
any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to
do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with
all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy,
murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful,
inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
The Unrighteousness of Men

23. Romans 1:31-32 NASB
31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving,
unmerciful; 32 and, although they know the ordinance of
God, that those who practice such things are worthy of
death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty
approval to those who practice them.
The Unrighteousness of Men

24. The title for the lesson that came from LifeWay is “Guilty”.
Paul has made his case, at least for the Gentiles.
Remember, Paul is presenting the power of the gospel that
must be received through faith.
He is laying the foundation of the lostness of mankind.
He has dealt with mankind in general, but he isn’t finished.
The Unrighteousness of Men

25. Why did Paul specifically denounce
homosexuality?
A speculation: I do not claim a word from God on this. This is
the opinion of one Baptist.
Paul has laid a foundation of sin beginning when men
suppress the truth of God and His nature which is clearly
revealed in creation. (This is not simply the original creation
but includes the daily renewing of the created universe.)

26. In the Genesis accounts of creation only one thing is said to
have been made in the image of God.
Genesis 1:26 NASB
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according
to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and
over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the
earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Why did Paul specifically denounce
homosexuality?

27. Genesis 1:27 NASB
27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of
God He created him; male and female He created them.
So, for Paul, the suppression of the image of God expressed
in God’s imprint on men and women in their sexuality is
perhaps the best example of man’s sin in this sense and the
judgement that is inherent in its perversion.
Why did Paul specifically denounce
homosexuality?

28. My speculation is that Paul recounted the sin of
homosexuality, not because it is the worst sin
imaginable, but because it expresses the suppression of
the truth that is revealed about God and the wrath that is
visited upon those who choose to engage in it better
than other examples he might have employed. In
addition, homosexuality was an inescapable feature of
Roman culture and power.
Why did Paul specifically denounce
homosexuality?

29. It should not be ignored that when Paul is listing the depths to
which man will go in his worship once he has rejected the
glory of the incorruptible God, he describes it in this fashion.
Romans 1:23
23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in
the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and
crawling creatures.
Why did Paul specifically denounce
homosexuality?

30. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NASB
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were
some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified,
but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and in the Spirit of our God.
But There Is Hope.

31. One sin is not a worse sin than another sin.
All sins are equally wrong in God’s eyes.
Regardless of the sins we have committed, if we will repent
(turn in the opposite direction) from our sin and accept Jesus
as our Savior, we will be washed, sanctified and justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
But There Is Hope.

32. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16-17 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send
His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through Him might be saved.”
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

33. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
○ Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
○ Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died
in this life to pay the penalty for our sin.
○ The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second
death” explained in Revelation 21:8.

34. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
● Anyone who’s lifestyle is one or more of the sins listed in Revelation
21:8, will experience the “second death,” if they do not repent.
■ To Repent means to turn around, to go in the opposite direction, to
turn away from sin and believe in Jesus.
Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.

35. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and
I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
● Romans 10:9-10 explain to us how to be
overcomers.

36. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the
dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be
saved.”

37. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Do you have questions?
Would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-
1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/