II. DOCTRINAL (INPUTTED RIGHTEOUSNESS)--1:18-8:39
A. SIN--1:18-3:20
1. Revelation of' God's Wrath Against the Sin of
Man--1:18-2:16
a. The sin of' bad people--1:18-32
(I) The natural revelation
of God--vv. 18-20
(A)
God’s wrath revealed--v. 18
(1) Wrath against sin
(a) The "for" introduces the fourth reason why
gospel is needed.
(b) Ungodliness
((I)) the source of
evil
((II)) Word is asebeia
meaning "not to reverence".
(c) Unrighteousness
((I)) The result of
evil
((II)) Word is adikia
meaning "not right"
(2) Wrath against those who hold down the truth
(a) Those who "have checked the development of
this truth in their lives, in the love and practice of
sin." (Alford, Henry,
The Greek Testament. Chicago, IL, Moody Press, c1958; revised
by
Everett F. Harrison;
II:321.)
(b) Those who hold down the truth
((I)) Modernists
((II)) Isms of all
sorts
(3) From heaven
(a) Browning--"God's in his heaven--All's right
with the world."
(b) However, all is not right with the world.
(c) The place of God's abode
(4) Its beginning--vv. 24, 26, 28
(B)
God's Person and power revealed--vv. 19, 20
(1) Nature reveals a creator.
(a) A watch reveals a watchmaker.
(b) Even some scientists are beginning to find
a designer behind it.
(2) Cf. Psalm 19:1-6
(3) Hymn--"The spacious firmament on high, With all the blue, ethereal
sky, And spangled-heavens, a
shining frame, Their great Original proclaim:
The unwearied sun, from day to day, does his Creator's
power display; And publishes to every land the
work of an almighty hand." (Joseph Addison, 1672-
1719)
(4) Man inexcusable for not knowing God
(a) A Russian cosmonaut, Titov, concerning his
orbital flight around the earth said that he did not see
God. His trouble was twofold.
((I)) He wasn't looking in the
right place.
((II)) He wasn't high enough.
(b) Man has the evidence of nature; because
of this, he will not be able to offer any excuse before
God's judgment throne.
(II) The sub-natural
response of man--vv. 21-23
(A)
Reversion
(1) Know God, but refuse to honor and obey Him.
(2) Refused Him the worship and gratitude due Him
(B)
The seven steps downward
(1) Knew God
(2) Glorified not the Creator--shows the hideousness of
evolutionary hypothesis
(3) Unthankful
(4) Folly
(a) Resort to vain speculations and reasonings
(b) Senseless hearts--made so by godless
stubbornness
(5) Hearts darkened--lost the little light they had
(6) Became fools
(a) Cf. Proverbs 1:7; 9:10
(b) How true of many educators today
(7) Change God into an image
(a) Corruptible man
(b) Birds
(c) Quadrupeds--golden calf
(d) Reptiles
(e) Newell, 3--"The more you reflect upon the
infinite glory and majesty of the eternal God, the more
hideous will the unspeakable
insult to Him of any kind of idolatry appear to you!"
(III) God's Retributive
judgment of men--vv. 24-32
(A)
God gave them over
(1) Occurs 3 times
(a) V. 24
(b) V. 26
(c) V. 28
(2) Means
(a) God withdrew His restraining hand and abandon
them to the law of nature.
(b) If you persist in sin, it masters
you.
(B)
Idolatry leads immorality--vv. 24-27
(1) Lust of the heart is deeper than the lust of the
flesh.
(2) Immorality and bestiality are the sequel of
idolatry.--cf. any country where idolatry is prevalent.
(3) Bodies dishonored among themselves--immoral sins eventually
show up in the body.
(4) Newell, 32--"What an answer is here to all the boasting
of proud men of a 'principle of development
in man; to the lying claim that man is ever 'making
progress'. The 'Golden Age' of Grecian literature,
and, that of Roman letters--in both of
them we find remarkable minds; but their works must be
expurgated for decent readers! No printer
would dare to publish books with literal descriptions of the
orgies of 'classical days'"
(5) Traded the truth for the lie
(6) Worshipped the creature rather than the Creator
(a) Placed side by side man would prefer the
creature.
(b) Rather than--Greek., para, beyond,
"which would amount to the exclusion of the Creator."
(Alford, II:324)
(7) The doxology
(a) Expresses Paul's horror at the dishonoring
(b) Puts the sin into bold relief
(8) God gives them over to shameful passions.
(a) Not natural or normal bodily appetites
(b) Not the abuse of these bodily appetites
such as adultery
(c) An unnatural appetite "in which all normal
instincts are left behind." (Newell, 33)
(9) Newell, 34--"What a fearful account is here! A lost
race plunging ever deeper, by their own desire!
Left in shameful, horrid bondage, unashamed--not
only immoral, but amoral, hideous."
(10) Sodomy or homosexuality
(a) Homosexuality may be defined as the sexual
attraction (whether overt or not) of two or more
people for the same sex.
(b) Generally, the term is used of male
with male; the term lesbian is used for sexual attraction of
one
or more females for another
female.
(c) The term homosexual will be used to
refer to both.
(d) Any other term is not valid except the term
sodomy based on the Biblical town, Sodom.
(e) See web page on
homosexuality for more detailed study including
Scriptural passages (as well as a
more detailed analysis of
the verses here).
(C)
Unnatural retrogression of Man--vv. 28-32
(1) Perversion
(2) "To a mind disapproved of God, since they did not
approve knowing God" (Newell, 35)
(3) The catalogue of sin
(a) Unrighteousness
((I)) Same word--v. 18
((II)) All injustice--enthroned
against the rights of others
(b) Fornication
((I)) Omitted by many
manuscripts
((II)) Could be included;
it is not the same as adultery
(c) wickedness
((I)) Destructiveness--witness
some of the riots
((II)) Wickedness in hostile
activity
(d) Covetousness
((I)) Literally--the itch
for more
((II)) Claiming more than
one's due
((III)) Making gain from
other's losses
((IV)) The act of
defrauding
((V)) A form of idolatry--
cf. Colossians 3:5
(e) Malice
((I)) Desire to injure
((II)) The passive side of
evil
(f) Fu1l of envy
((I)) Hate in one’s
heart to one who is above us, or who is what we are not
((II)) Cf. Matthew 27:18
(g) Murder
((I)) Greek. Phonou,
whereas full of envy is Phthonou.
((II)) Murder often follows
envy
(h) Strife
((I)) Beating down in wrangling
and contention
(( II)) "How 'full of
strife,' indeed, in this human race!" (Newell, 36)
(i) Guile
((I)) Greek., dolou,
a bait for fish
((II)) Baited and lured
(j) Evil dispositions
((I)) Malignant subtlety
((II)) Newell, 37--"Taking
alI things in an evil sense."
(k) Whisperers
((I)) Secret slanderers
((II)) Related word is used
in LXX as translation of Hebrew lachash, magical murmuring of
snake
charmer.
((III)) Newell, 37--"Let
those privately peddling evil reports, remember that God views their tongue
as the slithering
of the adder!"
(l) Backbiters--open slanders
(m) Hateful to God
((I)) Because haters of
God
((II)) Show hatred as well
as feel it
(n) Insolent--taking pleasure in insulting
others
(o) Proud
((I)) Greek.,
huperphanou, to appear above others
((II)) Haughty pride towards
others
((III)) Stuck up
(p) Boasters
((I)) Empty pretenders
((II)) the great "I"
(q) Inventors of evil things
((I)) Inventors of new forms
of vice
((II)) A contriver
(r) Disobedient to parents
((I)) Literally, not able
to be persuaded by parents
((II)) Youth of
today
((III)) Proverbs 30:17
(s) Void of understanding
((I)) Greek.,
asunetous, a--"not" + sunetous--used in New Testament
only of moral and spiritual
understanding
((II)) Cf. v. 21 for same
word
((III)) Having no proper
moral discernment
(t) Covenant breakers
((I)) Without good faith
((II)) Not keeping one's
word
((III)) Newell, 38--"The
word denotes that wickedness that does not intend to carry out its pledged
word, except
for selfish ends."
(u) Without natural affection
((I)) No love for kindred
((II)) Natural ties are
neglected.
(v) Implacable
((I)) Without truce
((II)) Not willing to cease
hostilities
((III)) How true of people
today
(w) Unmerciful
((I)) Without mercy
((II)) Some people show more
mercy to animals than to human beings.
(4) The terrible results--v. 32
(a) Knowledge from God that their ways are to
be punished
((I)) Cf. v. 18--Wrath
((II)) death, both physical
and spiritual
(b) Their persistence in evil despite
conscience
((I)) Calvin, 83--"For it
is the summit of all evils, when the sinner is so void of shame,
that he is
pleased with
his own vices and will not bear them to be reproved, and also cherishes them
in
others by
his consent and approbation."
((II)) Proverbs 2:14
(c) Their delight in evil doers
((I)) Greek,
syneudokouso, to be pleased together with
((II)) Fellow-delight in
b. The sin of good people --2:1-16
(I) The upper crust
inexcusable--v .1
(A)
Consider themselves better because of
(1) Race
(2) Civilization
(3) Environment
(4) Education
(5) Culture
(B)
These are moral folk.
(C)
Just as guilty in God's sight
(D)
Judges others, the lower ones, yet they do the same sins
(E)
These are not Jews, as some say, but rather so-called reputable Gentiles.
(F)
Cf. Matthew 7:1-5
(II) The seven principles
of God's judgment--vv. 2-16
(A)
According to truth--vv. 2-4
(1) God knows all things.
(2) He has all the truth.
(3) He judges rightly.
(4) Three stages of God's goodness
(a) Daily provision and protection
(b) Forbearance even in the face of being
despised
(c) Long-suffering--even in view of all
His goodness and forbearance being despised.
(5) Failure to give God the credit for not being in the
gutter.
(B)
According to accumulated guilt--v. 5
(1) The hardening of the heart
(a) Cf. 1:24, 26, 28
(b) Cf. Pharoah--repeatedly he hardened his
heart
(2) Impenitant heart
(a) Greek., ametanonian--from
a--"not" and metanonian--"change of mind and attitude"
(b) In contrast to repentance in v. 4
(3) "Treasure up for thyself wrath"
(a) For thyself, not someone else
(b) David Brown (Newell, 57, footnote)--"What
an awful idea is here expressed,--that the sinner is
amassing, 1ike hoarded treasure,
an ever accumulating stock of Divine wrath, to burst upon him 'in
the day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God'! And this
is said not of the
reckless, but of those
who boasted of their purity!"
(c) Those who have not fled to Calvary , are
day by day accumulating wrath unto themselves.
(d) Cf. John 3:36
(C)
According to works--vv. 6-10
(1) Not save by work, but judged by them
(a) Context
(b) Rev. 20:11-15
(2) To well doers, eternal life
(a) Two errors to avoid
((I)) That works in any way
justifies before God
((II)) That well doing is
faith in Christ (although it may be evidence of such faith)
(b) "Well-doing is subjection to and obedience
to the light God has" given.
(c) Has to do with obeying God's truth--cf. 1
Peter 1:22
(d) Not the way of salvation, but rather
a genera1 description of the saved
(3) To the contentious and disobedient
(a) True of all humans
(b) True of the unsaved
(c) Their reward
((I)) Wrath--denotes "the
abiding settled mind of God towards them" (Alford, II:330; italics
are
his.)
((II)) Cf. John 3:36
((III)) Indignation, or hot
anger--denotes "the outbreak of that anger at the great day
of
retribution."
(Alford, II:330; italics are his.)
((IV)) Cf. Nahum 1:6
((V)) Tribulation
((A)) Affliction
or distress
((B)) "the
outward weight of objective infliction." (Alford, II:330)
((C)) Believers
also have tribulation, but John 16:33.
((VI)) Anguish
((A)) Want
of room or distress
((B)) "the
subjective feeling of the pressure" or affliction (Alford, II:330)
((C)) Luke
16:24--rich man in hell
(4) The reward of the good --v. 10
(a) May seem like needless repetition
(b) God through the Apostle must end on the positive
note, the note of love.
(c) This verse further shows that salvation is
not in view, but rather the principle of rewarding the good
and punishing the wicked.
(D)
Without respect of persons--vv. 11, 12
(1) Men are always showing respect of persons--cf. James
2:1ff.
(2) God is no respecter of person.
(3) Those who sin without law are judged without law.
(4) Those who sin by the law are judged thereby.
(5) Either way all would perish.
(a) Undercuts a poisonous idea that is prevalent
in Christendom--"that those whose do not have the
light of the Gospel will" somehow
"be saved." (Newell, 62, footnote)
(b) V. 12--"distinctly says as many as chose
sin, even though they be 'without law' ", i. e., "(without
externally declared divine
revelation), shall also perish." (Newell, 62, footnote)
(E)
According to deeds, not ideals--vv. 13, 14
(1) Not hearers, but doers
(a) Immediate reference is to the law Moses
(b) The broader reference is to the Word of
God--cf. James 1:22
(2) No one is able to do the law.
(3) Obedience, not knowledge--"But it is, in verse 13, the great
fact, (true of Jews or gentiles), that the
possession of Divine truth can avail nothing
with God apart from subjection and obedience thereto."
(Newell, 63)
(F)
According to conscience--vv.14, 15
(1) The Gentiles (ethne) do not have the law (or the
word).
(2) Yet some of them abstain from doing things condemned in
the Law of Moses.
(a) Murder
(b) Adultery
(c) Stealing
(3) They have the law written in their conscience.
(4) Their conscience does not save, but rather condemns.
(5) Their conscience either accuses them or tries to excuse
them when they do wrong.
(G)
According to my Gospel in Jesus Christ--v. 16
(1) There is coming a day when God will judge the secrets of
men.
(2) These secrets are the hidden thoughts and motives.
(3) This judgment will be on the basis the Gospel.
(a) Notice personal pronoun, "my"--points up
the importance of the rest of this epistle.
(b) By Jesus Christ--Jesus is either your Savior
now, or He will be your Judge in that day.
2. Revelation of the Sin of Israel Under
Law--2.17-3:8
a. Religious people inexcusable--2:17-29
(I) The advantage
of the Jew--vv. 17-20
(A)
In relation.to the Law--vv. 17, 18
(1) Rests in the Law--word used of a false trust
(2) Boasts of God
(a) Because of the Law
(b) God as peculiarly theirs
(3) Knows God's will
(a) Through the Law
(b) The Law told them how God expected them to
act.
(4) Proved things more excellent
(a) Because of the Law
(b) Proves--shifting things and coming to conclusions
on them
(c) Things which differ
(5) Instructed
(a) By the Law
(b) Not in youth only, but habitually
(c) Instructed--not merely catechistical but
didactical in the synagogues (i. e., not only by questions
and answers, but by
explanations)
(B)
In relation to others--vv. 19, 20a
(1) A leader of the religious blind
(2) A light to those in darkness
(3) An instructor of the foolish
(4) Teachers of babes
(C)
In relation to themselves--v.20b
(1) A form of knowledge
(2) A form of truth in the Law--i. e., a
real representation of the truth, for the Law foreshadowed the
Truth, Jesus Christ
(3) II Timothy 3:5a
(4) Cf. Newell's paraphrase of vv. 17-20, page 69
(II) The condemnation
of the Jew--vv. 21-24
(A)
Light creates responsibility--"Such advantages and such pretensions ought
undoubtedly to be follow
justified by a corresponding course of holy conduct" (Ewbank,
in Alford, II, 334). However, it wasn't.
(B)
A Christian living in sin is worse than all the drunks in this county or
elsewhere.
(C)
The reason is that he dishonors the Lord.
(D)
Through such the name of God is blasphemed.
(1) How often have you heard: "The church is full of
hypocrites; therefore, I will have nothing to do with
it." The folly of this is that
these self-righteous critics of the church will be spending eternity
with those
self-same hypocrites in hell.
(2) As it is written
(a) Isaiah 52:5
(b) Ezekiel 36:20, 23
(III) Possession (reality)
not profession counts--vv. 25-29
(A)
Jewish lawbreakers have become uncircumcised--the mere outward sign of the
covenant is of no avail
without the keeping of the Law.
(B)
Uncircumcised, if they keep the Law would be as circumcision.
(1) Paul is using a supposed case here.
(2) The sign of the covenant is subordinate to the keeping
of the Law.
(C)
No ceremony makes a man right with God.
(1) Jews--circumcision
(2) Christians--baptism
(D)
Cf. Newell's paraphrase of vv. 21-29--pages 70, 71
b. Objections answered--3:1-8
(I) The first
objection--vv. 1, 2
(A)
A twofold objection
(1) What is the Jews' advantage?
(2) Of what value is circumcision?
(B)
The answers--v. 2
(1) Chiefly answers the first question, but the second is
included.
(2) Much every way
(a) A dispensational answer is reserved to chapters
9-11.
(b) To them were committed God's Word.
(II) The second
objection--vv. 3, 4
(A)
The question--"Are God's promises made void by unbelief?"
(B)
The answer
(1) The amillennialist says "yes."
(2) Paul--Far be the thought
(3) God is true; man is false.
(a) "Rather let us believe all men on earth to
have broken their word and truth, than God his. Whatever
becomes of men and their truth, His
truth must stand fast." (Alford, II, 338)
(b) Psalm 51:4
(III) The third
objection--vv. 5-8
(A)
A twofold question--v. 5
(1) Shall we sin that God's righteousness may be manifested?
(2) Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?
(B)
The answer--vv. 6-8
(1) Far be the thought.
(2) How then can God judge the world?
(a) Recalling Genesis 18:25
(b) "What Paul is attacking is the false hopes
of men to evade that judgment" (Newell, 76)
(c) Verse 7 further answers the question by showing
that all of God's judgment would be overthrown if
the supposition in the question were assumed.
(3) Paraphrase: For if the faithfulness of God
was more clearly established by means of my
unfaithfulness so that the result
has been the setting forth of His glory, why any longer am I to
be
involved in a judgment from which I ought to
be exempted?
(4) The end does not justify the means.--v. 8
(a) Christians are accused of this in
connection with justification by faith alone.
(b) This accusation is unjust and unfair.
(c) People who try to justify actions by the
ends they produce will be condemned according to God's
justice.
(d) Newell, 77--"'Slander' against the gospel
of grace is still going on, and will go on until the Lord
comes in righteousness.
Moule well says, 'The mighty paradox of justification (without
works) lent
itself easily to the distortions
as well as to the contradictions, of sinners. "Let us do evil
that good
may come" no doubt represented
the report which prejudice and bigotry would regularly carry
away and spread after every discourse
and every argument about free forgiveness. It is so still; "If
this is true, we may live as we
like"; If this is true, then the vilest sinner makes the best
saint."'"
(e) Actually those who slander the gospel thus
are guilty of this very fault of justifying the means by the
end.
(5) Newell's warning at this point is important (page 78)--"But if
we professing Christians, consign this
whole passage to the Jew, [and it does primarily
refer to them] we fall into the same terrible trap. Whole
multitudes in Christendom, sheltered in their imagination
by the fact that they have 'joined' some church,
resent the very doctrines that Paul insists on. Thousands of
so-called 'church-members' not only have
never been brought under real conviction of sin
and guilt and personal danger, but rise in anger like the
Jews of Paul's day when one preaches their
danger directly to them!"
3. Revelation of the universality of
sin--3:9-20
a. The Judge's charge--v. 9
(I) The key verse
(II) The question
(A)
Are the Jews better than the Gentiles?
(B)
The question arises out of Paul's statements in 2:17-3:8.
(III) The answer
(A)
Not at all
(B)
All mankind, Jews and Gentiles, are charged as being under sin.
(1) That has been Paul's entire argument for 1:18-3:8.
(2) Other Scripture proves this.
(a) Isaiah 53:6a
(b) Isaiah 64:6
(c) Romans 3:23
(d) 1 John 1:8
(3) Under sin--under sin's power
b. The.Judge's proof (A 14 count
indictment)--vv. 10-18
(I) The universality
of guilt--vv. 10-12
(A)
None righteous--v. 10
(1) As it is written
(a) The usual formula for indicating and Old
Testament quotation
(b) Cf. Psalm 14:1
(c) Cf. Ecclesiastes 7:20
(2) Notice the triple negative.
(B)
None understand--v. 11a
(1) none comprehend or grasp
(2) 1 Corinthians 1:21
(3) 1 Corinthians 2.14
(4) Psalm 14:2
(C)
None seek God--v. 11b
(1) Religion is man's fig leaves --note: God sought Adam
not vice versa.
(2) Psalm 14.2
(3) Romans 1:30b
(4) Psalm 10:4
(5) Hymn--"I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew He moved
my soul to seek Him, seeking me; It was
not I that found, O Savior true; No, I was found
of Thee." (Anonymous)
(a) In keeping with the parable of the
lost sheep
(b) Cf. John 6:44a
(D)
All out of the Way--v. 12a
(1) The human race is off the King's Highway; is completely
detoured.
(2) Psalm 14:3
(3) Isaiah 53:6
(4) Malachi 2:8
(E)
All are unprofitable--v. 12b
(1) A barrel of rotten apples
(2) The Hebrew word from which the Greek word is derived means
"to go bad, become sour like milk"
(Robertson, IV:345)
(3) Psalm 14:3
(4) Isaiah 55:2a
(F)
None does good--v. 12c
(1) Notice again the triple negative. (not, not so much as
one)
(2) Psalm 14:3
(3) Isaiah 1:6
(4) Ecclesiastes 7:20
(II) Total depravity
(or The Great Physician's diagnosis of mankind)--vv. 13-18
(A)
The throat--v 13a
(1) An open tomb
(2) Spiritual halitosis
(3) Psalm 5: 9
(B)
The tongue--v. 13b
(1) Full of deceit
(2) The tongue enlarges everything (tongue against cavity).
(3) Psalm 5:9 and James 3
(C)
The lips--v. 13c
(1) The poison of asps--a very poisonous snake ( the sack
of poison is right under the lips)
(2) Newell, 83--"And how people do claim the right to strike
others with their venom-words; to use their
snake-fangs!"
(3) Psalm 140:3
(D)
The mouth-- v. 14
(1) Full of cursing
(a) Hit a man in the mouth and see what comes
out it.
(b) James 3:9
(2) Full of bitterness
(a) Ephesians 4:31
(b) James 3:14
(3) Psalm 10:7
(E)
The feet--v. 15
(1) Swift to murder
(a) Read your newspaper
(b) Cf. game (?) of cops and robbers
(2) Isaiah 59:7
(F)
Their path--vv. 16, 17
(1) Ruin and misery
(a) Cf. Isaiah 59:7
(b) James 5:1
(c) Word ruin is a rare word meaning "to
rub together, or to crush."
(2) Way of peace unknown
(a) The United Nations motto
(b) Isaiah 59:8
(c) Newell, 84--"The unregenerated man does not
know, follow, or really desire to know the way of
wisdom, all whose paths are
peace."
(3) Certainly an indictment of those who say the world
is getting better in every way, every day.
(G)
The eyes--v. 18
(1) No fear of God
(a) Psalm 36:1
(b) Psalm 53:1
(2) The lust of the eyes
(a) We can't see God; therefore, He doesn't
exist.
(b) Genesis 3:6
(3) A case of spiritual eye disease
c. The purpose of the Law--vv. 19,
20
(I) To condemn--v.
19
(A)
Men's mouth are shut before the Judge.
(1) A purpose clause
(2) The verb means to fence in or to block up.
(3) Psalm 63:11c
(4) 1 Peter 2.15
(B)
Whole world guilty before God
(1) Includes both Jews and Gentiles
(2) Romans 3:23
(3} John 3:19
(4) Robertson, IV:346--"Every one is 'liable to God', in God's
court."
(II) To show the
insufficiency of works--v. 20
(A)
The Law is a yardstick.
(1) The Law reveals sin, not salvation.
(2) The Law insufficient--Hebrews 7:19c
(3) The knowledge of sin is by the Law
(a) Robertson, IV:346--"The effect of law
universally is rebellion to it."
(b) The Law is a schoolmaster--Galatians 3:24.
(B)
Works are not possible.
(1) Galatians 2:16
(2) Ephesians 2:9
(C)
The last word is "Sin."
N .B. The Bible is very clear that no good dwells in anyone including ourselves
(cf. Jeremiah 17:9). Thus we have no boast at all
before God. All are sinners, and thus all are guilty before Him.