This document is a sermon summary from Romans 1:18-32 discussing how all people are guilty of sin and suppressing the truth about God. It provides historical context about the book of Romans and outlines Paul's argument that God's wrath is revealed against the unrighteousness of men. It then summarizes Paul's examples of how God "gave them over" to various sins and depraved minds as judgment. The sermon speculates on why Paul specifically calls out homosexuality and argues it demonstrates the suppression of God's truth revealed in gender. It closes by emphasizing that all have sinned but can be saved through faith in Christ.

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

2. 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.
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
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.
Last Lesson
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.
The Phrase
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.”

3. “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?
“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.”
“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
Habakkuk 2:4c
4c But the righteous will live by his faith.
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?”
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.”
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.

4. The Unrighteousness of Men
Romans 1:18-23 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. 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. 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.
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.
Romans 1:24-32 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.
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.
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, 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.

5. The Unrighteousness of Men
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.
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.)
In the Genesis accounts of creation only one thing is said to have been made in
the image of God.
Genesis 1:26-27 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.” 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.
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.

6. Why did Paul specifically denounce homosexuality?
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 1:23b
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.
But There Is Hope.
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.
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.
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.”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

7. 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.
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.
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.
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.”
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/