Sermons on Romans 1:18-21

Romans 1:18-21 Interpretation:

Aligning Truth: Overcoming Self-Deception and Doing Good (Crazy Love) interprets Romans 1:18-21 as a profound diagnosis of the human tendency toward self-deception, emphasizing that people do not lack knowledge of God or moral truth, but rather actively suppress and distort it due to their desires. The sermon uses the analogy of self-deception as a kind of internal “mind game,” where one can lie to oneself so effectively that the conscience is dulled and sin is justified. The preacher draws a sharp distinction between ignorance and willful suppression, arguing that the law is written on the heart and that the evidence of God is plain in creation, but people suppress this truth because of their evil desires. This is illustrated with a personal story about believing in one’s own martial arts prowess based on cultural narratives, paralleling how people convince themselves that sinful behaviors are acceptable by absorbing cultural messages. The sermon uniquely frames Romans 1:18-21 as a warning against the rationalizations and justifications that allow sin to flourish, urging listeners to seek God’s perspective rather than their own self-justifications.

Universal Call to Worship: Acknowledging God's Goodness (Alistair Begg) interprets Romans 1:18-21 as a foundational explanation for why people refuse to worship or give thanks to God, not because of intellectual deficiency but because of a moral propensity to suppress the truth. The sermon introduces the concept of “practical atheism,” where people may intellectually assent to God’s existence but live as if He does not exist, echoing Paul’s point that the failure to honor or thank God is not limited to atheists but is a universal human problem. The preacher uses the analogy of beauty existing independently of recognition (e.g., paintings in a museum or the sun shining for the blind), paralleling how God’s reality and attributes are evident regardless of human acknowledgment. This approach highlights the futility of suppressing the truth and the moral, rather than merely intellectual, roots of unbelief.

Active Obedience: Engaging with God's Kingdom (Dallas Willard Ministries) offers a unique philosophical and psychological interpretation of Romans 1:18-21, focusing on the distinction between knowledge and belief. The sermon argues that people can possess knowledge of God but choose not to believe or act on it, with belief involving the will and disposition to act. Romans 1:18-21 is cited as a classic example of how people “reject in belief what they know,” suppressing the truth not out of ignorance but out of a willful decision to act contrary to knowledge. The preacher uses the analogy of trusting a chair to illustrate the difference between professed and actual belief, and further analyzes the “conviction” that arises when one’s will is set against known truth, making Romans 1:18-21 a paradigm for understanding the dynamics of self-deception and moral resistance.

Understanding God's Wrath: Justice, Love, and the Cross (Ligonier Ministries) interprets Romans 1:18-21 as a central text for understanding the doctrine of God’s wrath, emphasizing that the passage reveals the just and moral nature of God’s anger against sin. The preacher highlights that the “wrath of God is revealed” not as arbitrary or capricious, but as a necessary response to the suppression of truth and the refusal to honor or thank God. The sermon frames Romans 1:18-21 as the foundation for understanding the gospel, arguing that the reality of God’s wrath makes the grace and love of God in Christ all the more meaningful. The preacher also stresses that the suppression of truth is not merely an intellectual failure but a moral and volitional act, and that God’s wrath is both personal and judicial, administered by God Himself in response to human rebellion.

Transforming Hearts: Embracing Truth Over Unrighteousness (Desiring God) provides a novel psychological and existential analysis, arguing that the suppression of truth in Romans 1:18-21 is fundamentally an issue of the heart rather than the intellect. The sermon asserts that our minds are "lackeys" to our passions, and that the real reason people suppress the truth about God is a deep-seated love for unrighteousness. This interpretation reframes the passage as a diagnosis of the human condition: our desires shape our beliefs, and until the heart is transformed (i.e., new birth), the truth will always be twisted to fit what we want.

Faith Over Pride: The Exclusion of Boasting (Desiring God) interprets Romans 1:18-21 through the lens of pride, arguing that the suppression of truth is an act of self-exaltation. The sermon uniquely frames the passage as a commentary on the human tendency to place oneself above the truth, refusing to submit to God's authority. It further explores how pride leads to the rejection of God's glory and gratitude, preferring self-sufficiency and self-worship. The preacher also notes the subtlety of pride, showing how even religious acts can become vehicles for boasting.

Confronting Truth: The Nature of Sin and Grace (Desiring God) interprets Romans 1:18-21 as a sweeping statement about universal human nature, using the metaphor of "spin doctors" to illustrate how all people are naturally inclined to distort, evade, or suppress the truth for self-serving reasons. The sermon emphasizes that this suppression is not limited to overtly sinful acts but is a pervasive condition affecting everyone, including children, and is rooted in self-centeredness.

True Freedom: Beyond Environment and Natural Influences (Desiring God) brings a fresh angle by connecting Romans 1:18-21 to debates about free will and naturalism. The sermon argues that, according to Paul, all humans have an innate knowledge of God and His moral law, which is not dependent on Scripture but is revealed in nature and conscience. The suppression of this truth is presented as evidence against the naturalistic view that humans are merely products of their environment, suggesting instead that there is a supernatural imprint on every soul.

Gratitude: The Foundation of Spiritual Growth (SermonIndex.net) offers a deeply introspective and unique interpretation of Romans 1:18-21, emphasizing that the "wrath of God" is not merely an abstract doctrine but the foundational reality for understanding the gospel and the human condition. The preacher highlights that the passage is the "kindergarten" of the gospel, the starting point for true repentance, and insists that unless a person recognizes that they deserve hell and that God's wrath is justly revealed against their own sin, their spiritual foundation is faulty and their Christian life will eventually "collapse." The sermon uses the analogy of a building with a faulty foundation to illustrate how a shallow understanding of sin and God's wrath leads to spiritual instability. The preacher also draws a vivid parallel between the suppression of truth in Romans 1 and the way people kill their own conscience from childhood, using the example of a child learning to lie and ignore guilt, which over time leads to a hardened heart. The sermon further interprets the "downward spiral" of Romans 1 as beginning not with gross immorality but with a lack of gratitude and failure to honor God, making ingratitude the first and most dangerous step away from God. The preacher's use of the analogy of a glass of milk with a few drops of poison to describe the corruption of the human heart is a notable metaphor, as is the illustration of searching for God with the same intensity as searching for a lost fortune, not a lost coin. The passage is also interpreted as a warning to Christians not to despise others, since all are equally deserving of wrath, and to cultivate a spirit of perpetual gratitude for God's mercy.

Aligning Our Lives with God's Perfect Plan (Driftwood Church at the Beach) provides a distinctive interpretation of Romans 1:18-21 by focusing on the psychological and existential dynamics of idolatry and truth suppression. The preacher uses the metaphor of "crying out for a rope" when drowning to illustrate the futility of trusting in false gods, contrasting the security of God's grace with the emptiness of imaginary gods. The sermon interprets "suppressing the truth" as an active, willful process by which people avoid accountability to God, preferring to invent their own standards and gods rather than submit to the obvious reality of the Creator. The preacher emphasizes that God's self-revelation in creation is so clear that atheism is not a genuine intellectual position but a moral refusal to acknowledge accountability. The analogy of taking a picture of a sunrise or rainbow is used to illustrate the universal awareness of God's power and presence, and the preacher humorously but pointedly notes that "God does not believe in atheists." The sermon also interprets the "foolish ideas" and "darkened hearts" of Romans 1 as the inevitable result of rejecting God's obvious revelation, leading to confusion and the creation of idols, including political figures, relationships, and even religious practices. The preacher's use of the "shirt" analogy—where the shirt is lifeless until filled with a person, just as believers are lifeless until filled with Christ—is a unique metaphor for spiritual transformation and dependence on God.

Romans 1:18-21 Theological Themes:

Aligning Truth: Overcoming Self-Deception and Doing Good (Crazy Love) introduces the theme of self-deception as a spiritual and psychological process, where the suppression of truth is not just a passive state but an active, willful distortion of reality. The sermon adds the facet that self-deception is often reinforced by cultural narratives and peer affirmation, making it a communal as well as individual phenomenon. The preacher also explores the idea that true repentance and grace are only possible when one ceases self-deception and faces the truth before God, emphasizing the necessity of honest self-examination in the presence of a holy God.

Universal Call to Worship: Acknowledging God's Goodness (Alistair Begg) presents the theme of “practical atheism,” expanding Romans 1:18-21 beyond the context of explicit unbelief to include those who profess faith but live as if God does not exist. The sermon uniquely applies the passage to Christians who fail to honor or thank God with their lives, not just their lips, and warns against compartmentalizing faith intellectually while denying it morally and practically.

Active Obedience: Engaging with God's Kingdom (Dallas Willard Ministries) develops the theme of the will’s role in belief, arguing that Romans 1:18-21 demonstrates how knowledge of God can be present without corresponding belief or action. The sermon adds the angle that conviction arises when the will is set against known truth, and that spiritual transformation requires aligning belief and action with knowledge, rather than merely professing faith.

Understanding God's Wrath: Justice, Love, and the Cross (Ligonier Ministries) introduces the theme that God’s wrath is not only just but also Christological, meaning it must be understood in relation to the person and work of Christ. The preacher argues that the cross is the ultimate demonstration of both God’s wrath and His grace, and that denying or minimizing the doctrine of wrath undermines the gospel itself. The sermon also emphasizes that God’s wrath is moral, personal, and judicial, and that it is visited upon people, not just abstract “sin,” making the reality of judgment both sobering and necessary for a proper understanding of grace.

God's Truth Revealed: The Call to Acknowledge Him (Desiring God) introduces the theme of creation as divine poetry ("poi?ma"), emphasizing the intentionality and artistry of God's self-revelation in nature. This theme reframes general revelation as not just evidence but as a personal, creative act of communication from God, making human suppression of this truth a rejection of a relational overture.

Transforming Hearts: Embracing Truth Over Unrighteousness (Desiring God) presents the distinct theme that the root of truth suppression is not intellectual ignorance but a heart-level love for unrighteousness. The sermon develops the idea that the heart's desires dictate what the mind will accept as truth, making spiritual transformation (new birth) essential for genuine acceptance of God's revelation.

Faith Over Pride: The Exclusion of Boasting (Desiring God) adds the unique theological angle that pride is the foundational sin underlying the suppression of truth, and that even religious observance can become a means of self-exaltation. The sermon also explores how the gospel is designed to eliminate boasting by making salvation entirely a work of God, not of human effort.

Confronting Truth: The Nature of Sin and Grace (Desiring God) highlights the universality of truth suppression, arguing that it is a fundamental aspect of fallen human nature, not just a problem for certain groups or individuals. The sermon also introduces the idea that blame-shifting and deflection are natural outworkings of this condition.

True Freedom: Beyond Environment and Natural Influences (Desiring God) brings in the theme that the knowledge of God and His moral law is universally accessible through nature and conscience, challenging both naturalistic determinism and the idea that special revelation is required for moral accountability.

Gratitude: The Foundation of Spiritual Growth (SermonIndex.net) introduces the unusual theological theme that the very first step away from God, and thus the root of all subsequent sin and idolatry, is ingratitude and a failure to honor God as God. This is presented as a radical re-centering of the doctrine of sin: rather than focusing on external acts, the sermon insists that the heart's posture of thankfulness and recognition of God's mercy is the true dividing line between spiritual life and death. The preacher also develops the theme that the suppression of truth is not merely an intellectual act but a lifelong moral process, beginning in childhood, that deadens the conscience and leads to spiritual blindness. Another distinct theme is the assertion that the only proper foundation for Christian life is the continual awareness that one deserves hell and has been spared solely by God's mercy, which produces humility and gratitude rather than pride or judgmentalism.

Aligning Our Lives with God's Perfect Plan (Driftwood Church at the Beach) presents the fresh theological theme that idolatry is fundamentally about self-accountability and the refusal to submit to God's authority, rather than mere ignorance. The preacher argues that all people know God through creation, but those who do not want to be accountable to Him actively suppress this truth and invent alternative gods, which are ultimately projections of their own desires. The sermon also explores the theme that even "good" things—such as relationships, religious practices, or political allegiances—can become idols when they replace God as the source of contentment and security. The preacher's assertion that "God does not believe in atheists" reframes the discussion of unbelief as a moral, not merely intellectual, issue, and the sermon repeatedly returns to the idea that the only real freedom and satisfaction is found in worshiping and giving thanks to the true God.

Romans 1:18-21 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Aligning Truth: Overcoming Self-Deception and Doing Good (Crazy Love) provides historical context by referencing Old Testament practices, such as the stoning of those caught in sexual immorality, to illustrate the seriousness with which God viewed certain sins in ancient Israel. The preacher contrasts this with contemporary attitudes that minimize sin, highlighting the cultural shift and the danger of mocking God’s unchanging standards. The sermon also references the communal nature of early Christian life, where believers shared all things and lived with an eternal perspective, contrasting it with modern individualism and procrastination.

Understanding God's Wrath: Justice, Love, and the Cross (Ligonier Ministries) offers detailed historical context by tracing the doctrine of God’s wrath through both the Old and New Testaments, noting that the concept is not unique to the Old Testament but is pervasive throughout the Bible. The preacher references the use of multiple Hebrew words for wrath and the frequency of the theme in the Old Testament, as well as its prominence in the teachings of Jesus and Paul. The sermon also discusses the historical development of liberal theology, which sought to eliminate the doctrine of wrath, and contrasts this with the biblical witness.

God's Truth Revealed: The Call to Acknowledge Him (Desiring God) provides historical context by discussing the cultural prevalence of naturalistic evolution and how Paul's argument in Romans 1:18-21 directly challenges the philosophical assumptions of naturalism. The sermon references the contemporary scientific debate over the adequacy of Darwinian explanations for cellular complexity, suggesting that Paul's claim about the clarity of God's revelation in creation is as relevant now as it was in the first century, when paganism and idolatry were dominant.

Faith Over Pride: The Exclusion of Boasting (Desiring God) situates Paul's argument within the context of Jewish and Gentile relations, noting that the "law" in Paul's time was often understood as a list of works to perform for justification. The sermon explains that Paul's insistence on justification by faith alone was a radical challenge to both Jewish legalism and Gentile moralism, both of which could become grounds for pride and boasting.

Gratitude: The Foundation of Spiritual Growth (SermonIndex.net) provides historical context by referencing the ancient practice of idolatry, specifically the making of images of God in the form of animals, birds, and snakes, as described in Romans 1. The preacher notes that this was a common feature of many religions in the ancient world, and that Paul's audience would have recognized the absurdity of attributing the creation of the universe to such images. The sermon also references the cultural context of conscience formation in children, drawing on the biblical proverb "Train up a child in the way he should go," and explains how the suppression of conscience from an early age was understood in both Jewish and Greco-Roman moral teaching. Additionally, the preacher situates the "wrath of God" within the broader biblical narrative, noting that Jesus Himself spoke more about hell than anyone else, and that the Pharisees—despite their doctrinal correctness and external morality—were condemned for their internal corruption, a theme that would have resonated with first-century Jewish listeners.

Aligning Our Lives with God's Perfect Plan (Driftwood Church at the Beach) offers contextual insight into the Greco-Roman world of Paul's audience, where the worship of multiple gods and the creation of idols in the likeness of humans and animals was widespread. The preacher explains that Paul's insistence on the exclusivity of the one true God would have been a radical and offensive claim in a polytheistic culture. The sermon also references the Jewish Shema ("The Lord our God, the Lord is one") as a daily mantra, highlighting the contrast between biblical monotheism and the surrounding paganism. The preacher's discussion of the Galatians' temptation to return to Jewish ceremonial law provides further context for understanding the polemical force of Paul's argument in Romans 1.

Romans 1:18-21 Cross-References in the Bible:

Aligning Truth: Overcoming Self-Deception and Doing Good (Crazy Love) references several biblical passages to expand on Romans 1:18-21. Psalm 139 is cited as a model for self-examination before God, emphasizing the need for divine searching to reveal hidden self-deception. 1 Corinthians 4:4 is used to illustrate that a clear conscience does not guarantee innocence, as only God judges truly. Galatians 6:7-10 is discussed in depth to reinforce the principle that “God cannot be mocked” and that one reaps what one sows, paralleling the idea in Romans 1 that God’s moral order is inescapable. Galatians 5:19-21 is referenced to define the “acts of the sinful nature,” and the story of the prodigal son is invoked to illustrate the possibility of repentance and grace.

Universal Call to Worship: Acknowledging God's Goodness (Alistair Begg) cross-references Psalm 19 to support the idea of general revelation, echoing Paul’s argument in Romans 1 that God’s attributes are evident in creation. The sermon also references Hebrews 11 to emphasize the necessity of believing in God’s existence, and various Psalms to contrast the living God with idols. The preacher alludes to the story of the Good Shepherd in John 10 and the parable of the lost sheep to illustrate God’s pursuit of His people, connecting these themes to the universal call to worship and the suppression of truth described in Romans 1.

Understanding God's Wrath: Justice, Love, and the Cross (Ligonier Ministries) provides an extensive array of cross-references to support and expand on Romans 1:18-21. The preacher cites Matthew 3:12 and Luke 3:17 to show that Jesus Himself is associated with the administration of God’s wrath. Romans 2:5, 3:5, 5:9, 9:22, and 12:19 are referenced to demonstrate the continuity of the theme throughout Paul’s letter. Ephesians 5:6 is used to show the practical implications of God’s wrath for Christian living. Hebrews 10:31 and 12:28-29 are cited to emphasize the fearsome reality of God’s judgment, and Revelation 14:10, 15:1, 15:7, 16:1, and 19:15 are referenced to illustrate the eschatological fulfillment of God’s wrath. The preacher also alludes to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and the warnings to the visible church in Hebrews 10, reinforcing the breadth and seriousness of the doctrine.

From Bondage to Freedom: Knowing God Through Christ (Desiring God) cross-references Romans 1:18-21 with Ephesians 4:17-18 (describing Gentile ignorance and hardness of heart), Romans 8:7-8 (the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God), 1 Corinthians 1:21 (the world did not know God through wisdom), and 2 Corinthians 4:6 (God shining light into hearts to give knowledge of His glory in Christ). These references are used to show the difference between general knowledge of God (which is suppressed) and saving knowledge (which comes through Christ and the Spirit).

Transforming Hearts: Embracing Truth Over Unrighteousness (Desiring God) references 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, which describes people perishing because they did not love the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness, and John 3:19-20, where Jesus says people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. These passages are used to reinforce the idea that love for unrighteousness leads to truth suppression.

Faith Over Pride: The Exclusion of Boasting (Desiring God) references Romans 3:27-31 (boasting excluded by the law of faith), Romans 4:2 (Abraham and boasting), and Romans 2:17 (boasting in God by Jews), as well as Genesis (Abraham's faith) and Psalms (David's testimony), to show that the principle of justification by faith is rooted in the Old Testament and is designed to eliminate boasting.

Confronting Truth: The Nature of Sin and Grace (Desiring God) references Genesis 3 (blame-shifting in the Fall), Romans 1:25 (exchanging the truth of God for a lie), and Romans 3:9-13 (universal sinfulness and deception), to illustrate the pervasiveness of truth suppression and its roots in the earliest human history.

True Freedom: Beyond Environment and Natural Influences (Desiring God) references Romans 1:32 (all people know God's righteous decree) and 1 Corinthians 2:14 (the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit), to argue that knowledge of God and His moral law is universal and that suppression of this knowledge is a spiritual, not merely intellectual, problem.

Gratitude: The Foundation of Spiritual Growth (SermonIndex.net) cross-references several passages to expand on Romans 1:18-21. The preacher cites John 3:16 to contrast the popular message of God's love with the less popular but foundational message of God's wrath in Romans 1. The sermon also references Matthew 23, where Jesus condemns the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and warns them of hell, illustrating that external morality without heart transformation is insufficient. Proverbs 22:5 is used to explain the formation of conscience in children, and Genesis 6 is cited to show that God's patience with human wickedness has limits, as in the days of Noah. The preacher also alludes to Revelation 3:20 to correct the misuse of the verse in evangelism, noting that it was addressed to a backslidden church, not unbelievers. These cross-references are used to reinforce the themes of judgment, repentance, and the necessity of a grateful heart.

Aligning Our Lives with God's Perfect Plan (Driftwood Church at the Beach) references several biblical passages in connection with Romans 1:18-21. The preacher cites John 14:6 ("I am the way, the truth, and the life...") to emphasize the exclusivity of Christ as the only way to God. The sermon also references the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4 to underscore the biblical doctrine of one God. The preacher alludes to Job (especially the latter chapters) to illustrate God's creative power and human accountability. The passage from Matthew 5 is mentioned to show that sin begins in the heart, not just in external actions. The preacher also references 1 John ("God is light and in him is no darkness at all") to contrast the darkness of idolatry with the light of God's truth. These cross-references are used to support the argument that all people are accountable to God and that idolatry is a willful rejection of His self-revelation.

Romans 1:18-21 Christian References outside the Bible:

Universal Call to Worship: Acknowledging God's Goodness (Alistair Begg) explicitly references John Calvin, quoting his assertion that true self-knowledge is impossible without first contemplating the divine character, which shapes the sermon’s approach to Romans 1:18-21. The preacher also cites the 19th-century commentator Plumer, who observed the prevalence of “practical atheism,” and references Augustine’s warning about presumption and despair in relation to the story of the two thieves on the cross. These references are used to deepen the analysis of the passage and to connect it to broader Christian thought.

Understanding God's Wrath: Justice, Love, and the Cross (Ligonier Ministries) explicitly references J.I. Packer’s book "Knowing God," quoting his definition of wrath and his critique of the modern church’s neglect of the doctrine. The preacher also cites Jonathan Edwards’ sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" to address misconceptions about cruelty in God’s wrath, and references John Knox’s warning about God’s judgment on nations. The sermon mentions the neo-orthodox theologian H. Richard Niebuhr’s critique of liberalism, summarizing it as “a God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without justice through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.” These references are used to defend the biblical doctrine of wrath and to situate it within the history of Christian theology.

God's Truth Revealed: The Call to Acknowledge Him (Desiring God) explicitly references Philip Johnson, author of "Darwin on Trial," and Michael Behe, biochemist and author of "Darwin's Black Box." Johnson is cited for his critique of naturalistic evolution and his argument that the complexity of life points to design, while Behe is quoted for his concept of "irreducible complexity" in cellular biology, which he argues cannot be explained by Darwinian mechanisms. These references are used to support the sermon's claim that scientific evidence increasingly points to intentional design, aligning with Paul's argument in Romans 1.

Romans 1:18-21 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Aligning Truth: Overcoming Self-Deception and Doing Good (Crazy Love) uses a detailed personal story as a secular analogy: the preacher recounts his experience entering a martial arts tournament with no training, convinced he would win because of cultural narratives from movies where “the Chinese guy always wins.” This story is used to illustrate how self-deception works—how one can believe something contrary to reality by absorbing cultural messages, paralleling how people justify sin by normalizing it through media and societal attitudes. The sermon also references the influence of Hollywood and media in glamorizing sin, leading people to root for immoral actions (such as adultery) in movies, which subtly shapes their moral reasoning and contributes to the suppression of truth described in Romans 1:18-21.

God's Truth Revealed: The Call to Acknowledge Him (Desiring God) uses detailed examples from contemporary science to illustrate Romans 1:18-21. The sermon discusses the flagellum of the bacterium, describing it as a "whip-like rotary motor" with multiple interdependent parts, and cites Michael Behe's argument that such "irreducible complexity" cannot be explained by naturalistic evolution. The sermon also references the cultural dominance of naturalistic evolution in education and media (e.g., National Geographic, Ranger Rick), using these as examples of how society suppresses the evidence of design in creation. These scientific illustrations serve as modern analogies for Paul's claim that God's handiwork is evident in creation but is willfully denied.

Confronting Truth: The Nature of Sin and Grace (Desiring God) uses the metaphor of "spin doctors" from the world of politics and media, describing individuals who manipulate language to fit public opinion regardless of truth. The sermon applies this analogy to all people, arguing that everyone is naturally a "spin doctor" when it comes to their own sin, constantly distorting or evading the truth for self-justification. This metaphor is used to make the biblical concept of truth suppression relatable to contemporary listeners.

Gratitude: The Foundation of Spiritual Growth (SermonIndex.net) uses several secular analogies to illustrate Romans 1:18-21. The preacher compares the process of building a spiritual life on a faulty foundation to the frequent news stories in India about buildings collapsing due to corrupt contractors using substandard materials, resulting in tragedy. This analogy is used to warn that a Christian life built on a shallow understanding of sin and God's wrath will eventually collapse under pressure. The sermon also uses the illustration of searching for a lost coin versus a lost fortune to depict the intensity with which one should seek God, arguing that many people seek God as casually as they would look for a ten-cent coin, rather than with the desperation appropriate to the stakes involved. Another vivid analogy is the comparison of the human heart to a glass of milk with a few drops of poison, suggesting that even a small amount of corruption renders the whole person guilty before God. The preacher also references the process by which children learn to lie and suppress their conscience, drawing on common experiences of childhood development and parental discipline to illustrate the moral decline described in Romans 1.

Aligning Our Lives with God's Perfect Plan (Driftwood Church at the Beach) employs a range of secular illustrations to bring Romans 1:18-21 to life. The preacher uses the metaphor of "crying out for a rope" when drowning at sea, only to be thrown an imaginary line, to illustrate the futility of trusting in false gods or idols. This analogy is extended with references to nautical terminology (the difference between a "line" and a "rope" on a boat) and the experience of being at "the end of your rope" in life, emphasizing the need for God's real intervention rather than self-reliance or imaginary solutions. The preacher also uses the example of taking pictures of sunrises, sunsets, and rainbows to highlight the universal human recognition of beauty and order in creation, which points to the Creator. The analogy of a shirt being lifeless until filled with a person is used to illustrate the transformation that occurs when a believer is filled with Christ, and the preacher humorously references the experience of trying to breathe with a stuffy nose to underscore the importance of gratitude for even the smallest blessings. The sermon also touches on political idolatry, marriage counseling, and the misplaced search for contentment in relationships or achievements, all as modern forms of the idolatry described in Romans 1.