After all that their greatest philosophers could do, this was the result, and it is clear that there was need of some better plan than this. The apostle places this terrible truth in the forefront of his argument on justification by faith, that upon the basis of universal condemnation he might rear the edifice of a free, world-wide salvation; nor can the Gospel be scripturally preached or embraced, save as the good news of salvation to those that are all equally "lost." Romans 1:32. 2. So public has abandoned wickedness become, and so openly does it flame up in the minds of all, that innocence is no longer seldom, but has wholly ceased to exist." Further authorities of this kind could be easily given, but these will show that the apostle Paul did not speak at random when he charged them with these enormous crimes. And it is not wisdom or benevolence to withhold it from them. But it does not mean here that these deserved capital punishment from the civil magistrate, but that they knew they were evil, and offensive to God, and deserving of punishment from his hand; see John 8:51; Romans 5:12-19. death; Salem Media Group. Intro – Paul begins his point by point exposition of the gospel with the sinfulness/depravity of man. 3. But (8) this knowledge can never be wholly extinguished in the breast of men. at least of corporeal death: not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that do Werner Bible Commentary "For freedom Christ has freed us" — Galatians 5:1 Home » Bible Commentaries » Comments on Romans Romans 1:1-32 Submitted by admin on Thu, 2009-02-12 18:20. As they were aware of this, it showed their guilt in still persevering in the face of his judgments, and his solemn purpose to inflict punishment.Were worthy of death - The word "death" in the Scriptures is often used to denote punishment. So long as reason remains to them, there is still a small voice in the worst of men, protesting, in the name of the Power that implanted it, "that they which do such things are worthy of death" (Ro 1:32). It disclosed another plan; and its effects were seen at once throughout the most abandoned states and cities of the ancient world.4. Proud member If there was danger that the pagan world then would perish without the gospel, there is equal danger that the pagan world will perish now.7. Let it send its influence into other lands, and the world, the now polluted world, would become pure before God. At this time, when the experiment had been made for four thousand years, and when the inefficacy of all human means, even under the most favorable circumstances, to reform mankind, had been tried, the gospel was preached to people. The account given here of ancient pagans would apply substantially still to the pagan world. 1. So Paul judged; and so we should judge still. In this passage, Paul describes the current generation—how men have rejected God's will and supplanted it with gross idolatry and how they have become lovers of themselves, exalting the creation and their desires above the Creator. All social sins are of this class; and most of those which the apostle mentioned were sins of this character.If this revolting and melancholy picture of the pagan world was a true representation, then it was clear that there was need of some other plan of religion. the judgment of God—the stern law of divine procedure. them; As they were aware of this, it showed their guilt in still persevering in the face of his judgments, and his solemn purpose to inflict punishment. now from this whole account we see the insufficiency of the light of nature to guide persons in the way of salvation; what need there was of a divine revelation; and how impossible it is that such men should ever be justified before God, by any works of seeming righteousness done by them; which the apostle had in view, in giving this account of the depraved nature and conduct of the Gentiles, and of those among them who professed to be, and were the wisest and most knowing of them. It's time for another commentary and it's focused on Romans 1:18-32 that would be tackling on God's wrath on mankind based on Romans 1:18-32. Benson CommentaryRomans 1:32. Who, knowing the judgment — Δικαιωμα, the righteousness, or righteous judgment, or appointment; of God — And because God’s law is founded in righteousness, and is the rule thereof to us, the word is often used in Scripture to denote an ordinance, statute, or particular law, Numbers 27:11; Numbers 31:21; and in the plural, the appointments, or institutions of God moral, or ceremonial, Luke 1:6; Romans 2:26; Hebrews 9:1; even those which were purely ceremonial, Hebrews 9:10. 8. The account in this chapter shows the propriety of missionary exertions. It disclosed another plan; and its effects were seen at once throughout the most abandoned states and cities of the ancient world. If this revolting and melancholy picture of the pagan world was a true representation, then it was clear that there was need of some other plan of religion. If this was the state of things, then it was clear that there was need of another plan of saving people. The lust of sin increases daily; and shame is daily more and more extinguished. (2) We must not magnify the supernatural revelation which God has been pleased to make of Himself, through Abraham's family to the human race, at the expense of that older, and, in itself, lustrous revelation which He has made to the whole family of man through the medium of their own nature and the creation around them. Preface to his History. (6) Moral corruption invariably follows religious debasement. Either of the law of God, the law and light of nature, by which And so strikingly is this to be seen in all its essential features in the East at this day, that (as Hodge says) the missionaries have frequently been accused by the natives of having forged the whole of the latter part of this chapter, as they could not believe that so accurate a description of themselves could have been written eighteen centuries ago. That this was the case with the pagan there can be no doubt. Δικαίωμα , [ judgment .—Eng. And may not a like distinction be observed between the two great divisions of Christendom, the Popish and the Protestant? Called to be an apostle— And made an apostle by that calling. More profound and laborious philosophers than had arisen, the pagan world could not hope to see; more refinement and civilization than then existed, the world could not expect to behold under paganism. This was a grievous aggravation of the offence. They are not in the bosom of the Christian church. We must put to death the body’s deeds. The account given here of ancient pagans would apply substantially still to the pagan world. Paul's letter to the Romans - A free Bible Version and Commentary on the New Testament Book of Romans in Easy English. The grossness of pagan idolatry is only equalled by the revolting character and frightful extent of the immoralities which it fostered and consecrated (Ro 1:24, 26, 27). 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ-To this introduction the conclusion answers, Romans 15:15, etc. This sinfulness and the wrath of God upon sinfulness is the reason why righteousness can only be This is the climax of our apostle's charges against the heathen; and certainly, if the things are in themselves as black as possible, this settled and unblushing satisfaction at the practice of them, apart from all the blinding effects of present passion, must be regarded as the darkest feature of human depravity.On this section, Note (1) "The wrath of God" against sin has all the dread reality of a "revelation from heaven" sounding in the consciences of men, in the self-inflicted miseries of the wicked, and in the vengeance which God's moral government, sooner or later, takes upon all who outrage it; so this "wrath of God" is not confined to high-handed crimes, or the grosser manifestations of human depravity, but is "revealed" against all violations of divine law of whatever nature—"against all ungodliness" as well as "unrighteousness of men," against all disregard of God in the conduct of life as well as against all deviations from moral rectitude; and therefore, since no child of Adam can plead guiltless either of "ungodliness" or of "unrighteousness," to a greater or less extent, it follows that every human being is involved in the awful sweep of "the wrath of God" (Ro 1:18). They are not practiced by Christians. Christendom itself furnishes a melancholy illustration of this truth; the constant use of material images in the Church of Rome and the materialistic and sensuous character of its entire service (to say nothing of the less offensive but more stupid service of the Greek Church,) debasing the religious ideas of millions of nominal Christians, and lowering the whole character and tone of Christianity as represented within their immense pale. This was a grievous aggravation of the offence. Believing as they do, Christians are bound to send the gospel to the pagan world. ], the royal, divine, principle of justice , that God approves of virtues, hates vices, visits the wicked with the punishment of death, and justly and deservedly so, in order that He may show that He is not unjust. But it does not mean here that these deserved capital punishment from the civil magistrate, but that they knew they were evil, and offensive to God, and deserving of punishment from his hand; see John 8:51; Romans 5:12-19.Have pleasure ... - They delight in those who commit sin; and hence, encourage them in it, and excite them to it. To test this, we must not look to Popery, surrounded with, and more or less influenced by, the presence and power of Protestantism; nor to Protestantism under every sort of disadvantage, internal and external. (o) By the judgment of God he means that which the philosophers called the law of nature, and the lawyers themselves termed the law of nations. The experiment whether man could save himself by his own works, had been fairly made. Believing as they do, Christians are bound to send the gospel to the pagan world. 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