Sermons on Romans 1:23
The various sermons below converge on the interpretation of Romans 1:23 as depicting sin fundamentally as an active, willful exchange—trading the incomparable glory of God for created things, images, or idols. They consistently emphasize that this exchange is not a passive drift but a deliberate act of treason or theft against God’s glory, highlighting humanity’s deep-rooted misdirection of worship and affection. Several sermons employ vivid metaphors such as theft from a museum, beasts drinking poison, or digging in the dirt to illustrate the futility and degradation inherent in this exchange. Theologically, they underscore that sin is more than idolatry; it is a universal heart condition marked by inordinate self-love and preference for lesser things over God. This condition results in moral inability to delight in God, existential confusion, and a profound debt that only grace can repay. The sermons also explore how this exchange corrupts the law’s function, turning it from a sweet aroma into a stench unless the heart is transformed by Christ. The theme of worship’s inevitability recurs, with the insight that humans cannot help but worship, but tragically choose to worship the wrong objects, leading to both personal and communal consequences.
Despite these shared emphases, the sermons diverge in their nuances and theological framing. Some focus more on the transactional nature of sin as a debt or theft that demands restitution, framing grace as the sole means of paying this debt rather than creating it. Others highlight the psychological and existential fallout of idolatry, drawing on historical and contemporary examples to show how the exchange leads to confusion, restlessness, and moral suicide. A few sermons delve deeply into the doctrine of moral inability, portraying the exchange as a bondage of the will that corrupts human desire itself, rather than merely a legal guilt. While some sermons stress the communal and cosmic implications of stolen glory, others concentrate on the individual’s internal collapse of self-love and joy, drawing heavily on Jonathan Edwards’ imagery. The treatment of the law also varies, with some sermons emphasizing its distortion by sin and others its potential sweetness when oriented toward God. These differences shape how each sermon presents the problem of sin and the necessity of Christ’s transformative power—
Romans 1:23 Interpretation:
Living as Debtors of Grace: Sharing God's Gift (Desiring God) offers a unique interpretation of Romans 1:23 by framing sin as a kind of theft—specifically, the stealing of God's glory. The sermon uses the metaphor of a museum theft, describing humanity as having "stolen [God's glory] off the wall of the museum, sold it for a bag of lust and have been feeding off of our preferences not his glory ever since." This vivid analogy reframes the exchange in Romans 1:23 not merely as idolatry but as a criminal act against God, emphasizing the willful and transactional nature of humanity's rejection of divine glory. The preacher paraphrases Romans 1:23 as "they exchanged the glory of God for the glory of the creature," and further connects it to Romans 3:23, highlighting the essence of sin as the bartering away of God's glory for human pleasure. This interpretation stands out for its focus on the personal and communal debt incurred by this "theft," which only grace can repay.
The Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) provides a detailed and metaphor-rich interpretation of Romans 1:23, emphasizing the inevitability of worship in human nature. The sermon notes that people do not cease to worship when they reject God; instead, they simply change the object of their worship, trading the "glory of the immortal God" for "cheap figurines" or modern equivalents. Begg uses both ancient and contemporary examples, such as Etruscan and Roman idols, and modern materialism, to illustrate how idolatry persists in new forms. He also references the Greek term for "exchange" (allass?), suggesting a deliberate and tragic trade rather than a passive drift. The sermon further employs the metaphor of "trivializing themselves into silliness and confusion," drawing from Eugene Peterson's paraphrase, to describe the futility and degradation that results from this exchange. This interpretation is distinguished by its historical sweep, its use of both ancient and modern analogies, and its focus on the psychological and existential consequences of idolatry.
Joy: The Heart of God's Nature and Redemption (Desiring God) provides a notable and nuanced interpretation of Romans 1:23 by framing the exchange of God's glory for images as the root of humanity's misdirected affections and moral inability. Drawing on Jonathan Edwards, the sermon describes the fall as a collapse of the soul's God-given self-love, which once found all good in God but now "shrunk into a little point"—a vivid metaphor for self-absorption. The preacher likens fallen humans to "beasts who drink poison," exchanging the glory of God for fleeting, ultimately destructive pleasures. The analogy of "digging in the dirt and sucking on the ground" is used to illustrate the futility and degradation of seeking satisfaction apart from God. The sermon also emphasizes that the essence of evil is preferring anything to God, and that this exchange is not just a mistake but a daily, willful insult to God's infinite value.
Joy: The Essence of God and Humanity's Purpose (SermonIndex.net) closely parallels the previous sermon, also drawing from Jonathan Edwards to interpret Romans 1:23 as the central act of the fall: the exchange of God's glory for images is described as the essence of sin, rooted in "inordinate love to other things besides God." The preacher uses the same metaphors of self-absorption ("man shrunk into a little point") and animal-like behavior ("like beasts who drink poison") to illustrate the tragic misdirection of human affections. The analogy of "digging in the dirt and sucking on the ground" is again employed to show the desperate, self-defeating search for satisfaction apart from God. The sermon frames this exchange as a moral inability to delight in God, emphasizing that all humans are in bondage to this condition until redeemed.
Romans 1:23 Theological Themes:
Living as Debtors of Grace: Sharing God's Gift (Desiring God) introduces the theological theme that sin is fundamentally the theft and misappropriation of God's glory, rather than merely a failure to worship. This sermon adds the facet that humanity's debt to God is not created by receiving grace, but by having stolen and bartered away God's glory for lesser pleasures. The only remedy for this debt is grace itself, which "pays debts" rather than creating new ones. This theme reframes the human predicament as one of owing restitution for stolen glory, and positions grace as the only possible means of restoration, rather than as a transactional repayment to God.
The Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) presents the theme that idolatry is not the cessation of worship but its misdirection, and that all humans are inherently worshippers. The sermon adds a new angle by connecting this to the universal human search for meaning and the restlessness described by Augustine, suggesting that the suppression of God's truth and the exchange of his glory for idols is the root cause of existential anxiety and societal confusion. Begg also highlights the theological folly of idolatry, describing it as "intellectual and moral suicide," and connects it to the broader biblical narrative of humanity's persistent refusal to honor God despite overwhelming evidence of his existence and power.
Understanding the Law, Sin, and Freedom in Christ (Desiring God) introduces a distinct theological theme by defining the essence of sin as the active preference for anything over the glory of God, which is directly tied to Romans 1:23. The sermon goes beyond the typical understanding of idolatry as merely worshiping images, instead presenting it as a universal heart condition that underlies all sin, including self-exaltation and moral performance. This theme is further developed by explaining how the law, though holy and good, becomes an instrument of sin when the heart is not oriented toward God's glory, thus making the law itself either a "stinking aroma" or a "sweet aroma" depending on one's relationship to Christ.
Joy: The Heart of God's Nature and Redemption (Desiring God) adds a fresh facet by connecting Romans 1:23 to the doctrine of moral inability: the sermon argues that after the fall, humans are not merely guilty but are constitutionally unable to enjoy God as supremely satisfying. This inability is not external (like being chained to a chair) but internal—a will so corrupt it cannot desire what it ought. The exchange of God's glory for images is thus not just a choice but a bondage, and redemption is described as the supernatural restoration of the soul's capacity to delight in God.
Joy: The Essence of God and Humanity's Purpose (SermonIndex.net) echoes the previous theme but adds the explicit idea that the exchange of God's glory for images is the root of all dissatisfaction and damnation. The sermon emphasizes that this exchange is not only dishonoring to God but also leaves humans perpetually dissatisfied, highlighting the existential consequences of idolatry as described in Romans 1:23.
Romans 1:23 Historical and Contextual Insights:
The Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) provides substantial historical and cultural context for Romans 1:23 by referencing the religious practices of first-century Rome, including the worship of Zeus and the offering of statues and body parts to deities for health and favor. Begg draws on recent archaeological discoveries in Tuscany to illustrate the persistence of such practices, noting that the people of Rome would have been intimately familiar with these forms of idolatry. He also situates Paul's message within the broader Greco-Roman context, where idolatry was not only common but deeply embedded in social and familial life. This context helps explain the radical nature of Paul's critique and the enduring relevance of his warning against exchanging God's glory for created things.
Romans 1:23 Cross-References in the Bible:
The Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) references several biblical passages to expand on Romans 1:23. Genesis 1–3 is used to illustrate the original human calling to trust, love, and obey God, and the subsequent fall as a result of believing a lie and seeking fulfillment apart from God. Acts 14 and Acts 17 are cited to show how Paul confronted idolatry in Lystra and Athens, emphasizing the universality of the human impulse to worship and the futility of idols. Psalm 14:1 is referenced to underscore the folly of denying God, and 2 Timothy is mentioned to highlight the insufficiency of general revelation for salvation. The sermon also draws on Romans 3:23 ("all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") and Romans 16–17 to connect the themes of sin, accountability, and the necessity of Christ for salvation. These cross-references serve to situate Romans 1:23 within the broader biblical narrative of creation, fall, and redemption.
Living as Debtors of Grace: Sharing God's Gift (Desiring God) explicitly connects Romans 1:23 to Romans 3:23, interpreting both as statements about humanity's loss and lack of God's glory. The sermon also references Matthew 6:12 ("forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors") to reinforce the idea of sin as a debt incurred by stealing glory, and uses this to frame the need for grace as the only means of repayment.
Understanding the Law, Sin, and Freedom in Christ (Desiring God) references several passages to expand on Romans 1:23: Romans 3:23 ("all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") is linked linguistically to Romans 1:23, with the Greek word for "fall short" explained as "to lack." The sermon also references Romans 7:5, 7:8-9, 4:15, and 5:20 to discuss how the law increases sin and accountability, and Galatians 3:17, 3:23-24 to show the law's role as a guardian until Christ. These references are used to support the argument that the heart of sin is the exchange of God's glory for lesser things, and that only Christ can restore the right orientation to God's glory.
Joy: The Heart of God's Nature and Redemption (Desiring God) and "Joy: The Essence of God and Humanity's Purpose" (SermonIndex.net) both reference Romans 1:23 in conjunction with Psalm 73:22 ("I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you"), Hebrews 11:25 (Moses choosing to suffer with God's people rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin), Jeremiah 2:13 ("my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns..."), and 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 (the blinding of unbelievers and the shining of God's light in the heart). These passages are used to illustrate the blindness and bondage resulting from the exchange of God's glory for images, and the supernatural work required to restore true delight in God.
Romans 1:23 Christian References outside the Bible:
The Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) explicitly references Augustine, quoting his famous line about the restlessness of the human heart: "our restlessness is due to our suppressing the truth about God, and we can’t find rest anywhere... until we find our rest in thee—because we were made by you; we were made for you, to trust you, to love you, to obey you; and we don’t want to." Begg also cites John Murray, quoting his statement, "Phenomena disclose the noumena of God’s transcendent perfection and specific divinity," to explain how creation reveals God's invisible attributes. Additionally, he references Calvin's Institutes, noting Calvin's description of natural phenomena (thunder, lightning, storms) as evidence of God's power and majesty, and paraphrases Eugene Peterson and J.B. Phillips to illustrate the consequences of idolatry and the exchange of God's glory for lesser things.
Joy: The Heart of God's Nature and Redemption (Desiring God) and "Joy: The Essence of God and Humanity's Purpose" (SermonIndex.net) both explicitly reference Jonathan Edwards as the primary lens through which Romans 1:23 is interpreted. Edwards is quoted extensively on the nature of the fall, the collapse of self-love, and the moral inability to delight in God. The sermons cite Edwards' description of the soul "shrunk into a little point" and his analysis of affections as "inordinate love to other things besides God." Edwards' concept of moral inability (as opposed to natural inability) is used to explain why humans cannot simply will themselves to love God after the fall. The sermons also reference Edwards' "divine and supernatural light" as the means by which God restores the soul's capacity to see and savor His glory, directly connecting this to the reversal of the exchange described in Romans 1:23.
Romans 1:23 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
The Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) uses several secular illustrations to illuminate Romans 1:23. He recounts a recent news article from The Times about the discovery of ancient bronze statues in Tuscany, including offerings to Greek and Roman deities for health, to show the enduring nature of idolatry. Begg also references the one-woman play "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" by Lily Tomlin as a metaphor for humanity's search for meaning apart from God, and quotes a Wall Street Journal piece by Henry Allen describing the confusion and lack of direction in contemporary society. These examples are used to draw parallels between ancient and modern forms of idolatry, highlighting the persistent human tendency to seek fulfillment and security in created things rather than in God.