Sermons on Romans 1:18-25
The various sermons below on Romans 1:18-25 share a common focus on the consequences of humanity's rejection of God and the resulting moral and spiritual decay. They emphasize the idea that God's wrath is revealed when people are given over to their sinful desires, leading to chaos and disordered lives. A recurring theme is the contrast between the knowledge of God evident in creation and humanity's tendency to suppress this truth due to pride and idolatry. The sermons highlight the futility of worshiping created things instead of the Creator, underscoring the importance of gratitude and proper worship directed towards God. Additionally, they emphasize the role of the gospel in restoring order and reorienting desires towards God, suggesting that the gospel provides a solution to the chaos caused by disordered desires.
While the sermons share these common themes, they also present unique nuances in their interpretations. One sermon emphasizes the relational aspect of gratitude towards God, contrasting it with the futility of idolatry, while another focuses on the distinction between general and special revelation, highlighting the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. A different sermon uses the analogy of a raccoon trapped by its desires to illustrate how human desires can lead to the suppression of truth and eventual ruin. Another sermon underscores the idea that humanity's troubles stem from not starting with God, emphasizing the need to glorify Him. Lastly, one sermon explores the theme of humanity's pride leading to the rejection of God's revelation, discussing how philosophical and idolatrous practices attempt to reduce God to comprehensible terms, thus denying His true nature.
Romans 1:18-25 Interpretation:
Restoring Order: The Gospel's Solution to Chaos (Issaquah Christian Church) interprets Romans 1:18-25 by emphasizing the concept of disordered desires and how God's wrath is revealed when people are given over to their own sinful inclinations. The sermon draws a parallel between the disorder in Genesis and the disorder in human hearts, suggesting that the gospel of Jesus is the solution to this chaos. The sermon also highlights the relational aspect of gratitude towards God, contrasting it with the futility of worshiping created things.
Knowing God: Revelations and Our Relationship with Him (Asian Christian Church) interprets Romans 1:18-25 by focusing on the concept of general revelation. The sermon explains that God's invisible qualities and divine nature are evident in creation, making humanity without excuse for not knowing God. It emphasizes that while general revelation provides knowledge of God's existence and power, it is through special revelation, particularly through Jesus Christ, that one can attain saving knowledge.
Aligning Our Whole Being to Love God (Dallas Willard Ministries) interprets Romans 1:18-25 as a narrative about the consequences of rejecting the knowledge of God. The sermon emphasizes that the truth is not hidden but suppressed due to human desires. It uses the analogy of a raccoon trapped by its desire for a button to illustrate how desires can trap individuals, leading them away from God. The sermon highlights that the knowledge of God is evident in creation, and rejecting it leads to futile thinking and darkened hearts.
The Glorious Gospel: God's Revelation and Redemption (MLJTrust) interprets Romans 1:18-25 as a depiction of humanity's failure to glorify God, leading to moral and spiritual decay. The sermon emphasizes that the passage shows the consequences of turning away from God, resulting in a distorted view of self and morality. It highlights the idea that humanity's troubles stem from not starting with God and glorifying Him.
Suppressing Truth: The Consequences of Idolatry and Pride (MLJTrust) interprets Romans 1:18-25 by emphasizing the deliberate suppression of truth by humanity due to pride, wickedness, and a loss of spiritual sense. The sermon highlights the Greek term used for "testing" or "approving," suggesting that humanity has tested God and found Him wanting, thus rejecting Him. This interpretation underscores the arrogance of humanity in setting themselves as judges over God, akin to testing metals for purity. The sermon also uses the analogy of examining God like a scientist examines a material, ultimately deciding to discard Him as unworthy.
Romans 1:18-25 Theological Themes:
Restoring Order: The Gospel's Solution to Chaos (Issaquah Christian Church) presents the theme of spiritual warfare and the idea that disordered desires lead to chaos. The sermon suggests that the gospel reorders these desires and restores righteousness, emphasizing the importance of gratitude and worship directed towards God rather than created things.
Knowing God: Revelations and Our Relationship with Him (Asian Christian Church) introduces the theme of general versus special revelation. The sermon highlights that while general revelation makes God's existence known to all, special revelation through Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation. It underscores the importance of faith in accessing this special revelation.
Aligning Our Whole Being to Love God (Dallas Willard Ministries) presents the theme that human desires, when not aligned with God, lead to suppression of truth and eventual ruin. The sermon emphasizes the importance of reorienting desires towards God to avoid the path of destruction.
The Glorious Gospel: God's Revelation and Redemption (MLJTrust) introduces the theme that the gospel is distinct because it starts with God, not man. The sermon highlights that all human troubles arise from failing to start with God, and the gospel addresses this by emphasizing the need to glorify God.
Suppressing Truth: The Consequences of Idolatry and Pride (MLJTrust) presents the theme of humanity's pride leading to the rejection of God's revelation. The sermon explores how humanity's desire to be wise results in foolishness, as they replace the glory of the incorruptible God with corruptible images. This theme is expanded by discussing how humanity's philosophical and idolatrous practices are attempts to reduce God to comprehensible terms, thus denying His true nature.
Romans 1:18-25 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Restoring Order: The Gospel's Solution to Chaos (Issaquah Christian Church) provides historical context by discussing the Jewish understanding of the world's disorder, referencing Genesis 1-11. The sermon explains how first-century Jews would have viewed the world's problems as stemming from events like the fall of Adam and Eve, the sons of God, and the Tower of Babel. It also touches on the cultural understanding of divine beings and their influence on humanity.
Knowing God: Revelations and Our Relationship with Him (Asian Christian Church) offers insights into the concept of general revelation in biblical times, explaining how people across different cultures and languages have an inherent knowledge of God through creation. The sermon also references historical events recorded in scripture, such as the Exodus, to illustrate God's revelation to humanity.
The Glorious Gospel: God's Revelation and Redemption (MLJTrust) provides historical context by discussing the decline of the Roman Empire, attributing its fall to moral decay rather than military reasons. The sermon draws parallels between the Roman Empire and modern society, suggesting that moral failure leads to societal collapse.
Suppressing Truth: The Consequences of Idolatry and Pride (MLJTrust) provides historical context by discussing the cultural practices of idolatry during biblical times, where people created gods in the form of men, animals, and even creeping things. The sermon explains how these practices were prevalent in ancient cultures and how they reflect humanity's tendency to materialize and diminish the divine.
Romans 1:18-25 Cross-References in the Bible:
Restoring Order: The Gospel's Solution to Chaos (Issaquah Christian Church) references Genesis 1-11 to discuss the disorder introduced by human sin and divine beings. It also cites Psalm 82 to illustrate the judgment of corrupt divine beings and Deuteronomy to explain the concept of divine allotment of nations. The sermon uses these references to support the idea that the gospel restores order and righteousness.
Knowing God: Revelations and Our Relationship with Him (Asian Christian Church) references Psalm 19 to highlight how creation declares the glory of God. It also cites Romans 2 to discuss the law written on human hearts and 1 Corinthians 1 to emphasize the necessity of special revelation for salvation. These references are used to explain the distinction between general and special revelation.
Aligning Our Whole Being to Love God (Dallas Willard Ministries) references 1 Peter 1, which discusses the knowledge of God and deliverance from lust. The sermon uses this passage to emphasize that grace and peace are multiplied through the knowledge of God, contrasting it with the corruption in the world due to lust.
The Glorious Gospel: God's Revelation and Redemption (MLJTrust) references Genesis 3, highlighting the temptation and fall of man as the beginning of humanity's troubles. The sermon also references John 3:16 to emphasize God's love and the purpose of the gospel in reconciling humanity to God.
Suppressing Truth: The Consequences of Idolatry and Pride (MLJTrust) references Psalm 104 to illustrate how all of creation manifests the glory of God, except for humanity, which fails to do so. The sermon also mentions Romans 8, where Paul describes the natural mind as enmity against God, supporting the idea that humanity's rejection of God is a deliberate act of rebellion.
Romans 1:18-25 Christian References outside the Bible:
Restoring Order: The Gospel's Solution to Chaos (Issaquah Christian Church) references theologian Don Carson, who describes the desire for freedom from God as leading to sin's enslavement. This reference is used to support the sermon’s theme of disordered desires and the need for the gospel to restore order.
Aligning Our Whole Being to Love God (Dallas Willard Ministries) references Tennessee Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire" to illustrate how unchecked desires can lead to ruin. The sermon uses this secular analogy to emphasize the destructive nature of desires when not aligned with God.
Suppressing Truth: The Consequences of Idolatry and Pride (MLJTrust) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or sources when discussing Romans 1:18-25.
Romans 1:18-25 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Restoring Order: The Gospel's Solution to Chaos (Issaquah Christian Church) uses the analogy of a Christmas gift to illustrate the relational aspect of gratitude. The sermon explains that gratitude should be directed towards the giver (God) rather than the gift itself, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a connection with the creator rather than worshiping created things.
Aligning Our Whole Being to Love God (Dallas Willard Ministries) uses the analogy of a raccoon trapped by its desire for a button to illustrate how desires can trap individuals, leading them away from God. The sermon also references Tennessee Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire" to highlight the destructive nature of unchecked desires.
Suppressing Truth: The Consequences of Idolatry and Pride (MLJTrust) uses the example of people dismissing Beethoven's music in favor of jazz to illustrate how individuals reveal their own lack of understanding when they reject God. The sermon also references the phenomenon of leader worship, such as in Hitlerism and Stalinism, to demonstrate how people replace divine worship with the adoration of human figures, highlighting the folly of such practices.