By The Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

Read: Romans 1:18-32

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

The Rev. Ron Purkey

If a Bible student wishes to master any one book of the Bible, let it be Romans. An understanding of this book is a key to unlocking the entire word of God.

First, The people knew God (Romans 1:18-20). God had given them a twofold revelation of himself “in them” (conscience) and “unto them” (creation), verse 19. People did not begin with ignorance and gradually work Their way up to intelligence; they began with a blazing revelation of the power and wisdom of God and turned their backs on it.

God had revealed himself from the very time of creation, so that people who have never heard the Gospel are still without excuse. (How God judges such people is taken up in Romans chapter 2.)

Second, The people glorified Him not as God (Romans 1:21-23). Vain thinking and foolish reasoning turned people from the truth to lies. We see indifference leading to ingratitude, resulting in ignorance.

People today bow before the Greek and Roman philosophers and honor their words above the word of God; but Paul calls all of these philosophies “empty imaginations” and “times of ignorance” (Acts 17:30)! The next step was idolatry, honoring the creature (including mankind) rather than the creator.

Third, The people changed the truth of God (Romans 1:24-25). This word “changed” should really read “exchanged.” People replaced God’s truth with Satan’s lie.

What is Satan’s lie? Worshiping the creature and not the creator; worshiping mankind instead of God; worshiping things instead of Christ.

Satan tempted Christ to do this (Matthew 4:8-11). Notice that in Romans 1:18, the Gentiles “held down the truth,” and now they “exchange the truth” for a lie! The truth believed and obeyed sets us free (John 8:31-32); the truth rejected and disobeyed makes us slaves.

Fourth, The people rejected the knowledge of God (Romans 1:26-32). These people had begun with a clear knowledge of God (verses 19, 21) and God’s judgment against sin (verse 32); but now they reached the lowest level of their downward fall: they did not even want to have knowledge of God. “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’ ” (Psalm 14:1).

It is sad to see the tragic results of this decline. Evolutionists want us to believe that humans have “evolved” from primitive, ignorant, beast-like forms into the marvelous creature they are today. Paul says just the opposite: mankind began the highest of God’s creatures, but turned into beasts!

Notice the three judgments of God:

1. God gave them up to uncleanness and idolatry, verses 24-25.

2. God gave them over to vile passions, verses 26-27.

3. God gave them over to a reprobate mind, verses 28-32. God gave them up (verse 24). The sins listed here are too vile to define or discuss, yet they are practiced today by many with the approval of society.

Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines free at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.