Bible Reading
Romans 1:16-32 “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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.' For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”
[43:15]Daniel 5:1-4 “King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.”
[59:04]Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
[01:08:43]Observation questions
- In Romans 1:16–20, what does the gospel reveal about God, and what does creation make known about him? [44:20]
- According to Romans 1:21–25, what changes in people’s thinking and worship follow their refusal to honor God or give thanks? [44:52]
- In Daniel 5:1–4, how does Belshazzar use the temple vessels, and how does that illustrate treating holy things with contempt? [59:31]
- In Romans 1:28–32, what sins appear alongside sexual sin, and how do they affect people’s relationships with one another? [01:11:35]
Interpretation questions
- Why is it important for Christians to keep the gospel’s promise of salvation and God’s judgment against sin together? What goes wrong when either is left out? [56:09]
- What is the difference between knowing a biblical truth and allowing that truth to govern a person’s choices? How does that distinction help explain Romans 1:18? [01:00:42]
- How does the treasured baseball illustration help explain the danger of reshaping biblical truth for convenience or acceptance? What might that misuse look like in a church’s decisions? [01:02:30]
- In Romans 1:24–28, why is God allowing people to pursue their chosen desires a form of judgment rather than a sign of approval? [01:11:07]
Application questions
- When you have an opportunity to speak about Christ, what makes you hesitate? What could help you share the hope of salvation without avoiding the seriousness of sin? [44:06]
- Romans 1 connects turning away from God with a failure to give thanks. Where have you become more quick to complain than to thank God? What might a more thankful response look like this week? [44:52]
- Religious freedom allows others to practice beliefs you do not share. How could you show respect to a neighbor of another faith while remaining clear about your faith in Christ? [53:12]
- How steady is your prayer life when you are busy, tired, or inconvenienced? What small change could help you give prayer a more faithful place in your day? [52:58]
- Where do convenience, money, political loyalty, or the desire for approval make it tempting for you to explain away something Scripture says? How could you examine that pressure honestly rather than simply defend your preference? [01:05:27]
- Before focusing on the sins of the surrounding culture, which warning in Romans 1:29–32 needs your own attention—perhaps envy, greed, gossip, or pride? What might repentance look like in one relationship or habit this week? [01:11:35]
