Romans: Led Astray

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions.  For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.  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 fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them (Romans 1: 26-32).

Paul continues talking about man’s sinfulness.  The Israelites had full knowledge of God’s law, which God revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai.  They disobeyed anyway and were deserving of death.  The Gentiles, while not having specific knowledge of God’s law, still had a knowledge of God through creation but chose not to worship Him as God.  They were all led astray by their lusts, knowing in their hearts that it was sinful, but choosing to satisfy the flesh rather than worship God.  For this reason God gave them up to vile passions.

I will not go over all the sins listed in this section as they speak for themselves.  I will skip ahead to the end of Chapter 1.

Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Looking objectively at the world around us, there is nothing more natural than death.  Something is born and then it dies.  Why do human beings then have such a hard time with the concept?  I am 28 years old and in the physical prime of my life.  Honestly, I don’t think about my death too much because I feel like I will live forever.  How does that make sense with so much evidence to the contrary?  Eternal life is wired into my soul because that is what God designed me for.  However, I am deserving of death.  I fall far short of God’s law.  I have lied, so I am a liar.  I have looked at a woman lustfully, so I am an adulterer at heart.  I have coveted.  I have acted out of selfish ambition and approved of those who have done the same.  In short, I have fallen short of God’s law.  God is just and I deserve a penalty.  However, the beauty of this story is that He came down and paid it.  But I can not receive it until I know my own guilt and that I need to be saved.  Would a loving judge pardon a known murderer who believes he did not do anything wrong?  However, if the murderer confesses his crime, breaks down in the court room and acknowledges and believes in his heart that he does not deserve to live, and then the judge pardons him by having his only sinless son whom he loves pay the penalty for the murderer, would not that man be forever thankful?  Would not that man do anything for the judge or his son?  That is a tamed down version to what God has done for us.  That is why it is Good News. 

Anyways, we are getting way ahead of ourselves.