Notes on Gentile Sinners

Romans 1:18 - 32

Paul developed the idea that all are sinners and deserve God's wrath but we hope for the righteousness of God. In this chapter he examines the sinfulness of the Gentiles.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

• For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and in the unrighteousness of men, who do not respect the truth;

Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.

• Because what is known of God is only known because God has showed it to them.
  • (Man cannot know God without the gift of Grace and the gift of Faith. We think we can but we can only see the truth of God when he opens our eyes.)

Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

• For now the mysteries of God, invisible from the beginning of time are clearly seen. Now obvious, so men are without excuse.

Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

• They knew God but they did not glorify him as God. They were not grateful and vain in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

• Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

Romans 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

• They reshaped the glory of the incorruptible God into the images of corruptible things such as man, birds, animals, and creeping things.

Romans 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

• Therefore God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts and to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

Romans 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

• Who made the truth of God a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the eternally blessed Creator. Amen.
  • (Man had God but he worshiped false Gods.)

Romans 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

• Because of this, God gave them over to shameful intense desire. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
  • ("Gave them over" was a Greek idiom for sending a person to their punishment after judgement. This was used particularly in legal cases. Unnatural relations between women are of course what we call lesbianism.)

Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

• In the same way the men also abandoned normal intercourse with women and were inflamed with intense desire for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
  • (Paul makes it clear that homosexuality is perversion and is sin.)

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

• Furthermore, since they did not desire to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what is not proper.
  • (See the note on verse 26.)

Romans 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

• Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, mischievousness, slanderer,
  • (Paul lays out the evil actions of evil people.)

Romans 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

• Gossips, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
  • (see last verse.)

Romans 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

• Without understanding, oath breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
  • (see verse 29.)

Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

• Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, death, not only to do the same, but to have pleasure in them that do them.
  • (Evil people not only do evil but the revile in it.)

1 Corinthians Chapter 8 - Full Text

Romans 1:18 - 32