The Whole Story continues...
That’s
not religious rhetoric. That’s a radical claim. Paul is declaring that the
gospel is not advice, it is not ideology, it is not mere tradition — it is
divine power. Power to save sinners. Power to raise the spiritually dead. Power
to restore what sin has shattered.
And yet,
beginning in verse 18, Paul doesn’t ease us into grace — he drags us through the
darkness of wrath. Why? Because until we grasp the severity of humanity’s fall,
we’ll never treasure the beauty of God’s mercy. Romans 1:18–32 is a sobering
revelation of what happens when a society suppresses the truth of God and
exchanges His glory for created things.
It is not
a hypothetical — it is a historical reality and a present danger. This passage
traces the downward spiral of a people who refuse to honor God, and in turn,
are given over to dishonorable passions, corrupted minds, and destructive behavior.
It diagnoses the disease beneath the surface: not just that people sin, but that
they love their sin more than they love the truth. It’s not merely bad behavior
— it’s rebellion at the core. And yet, in the midst of this heavy truth, the
gospel still shines.
Paul
doesn’t write these words in disgust, but with a burdened heart, setting the
stage for the miracle of justification by faith that will unfold in the
chapters to come.
Romans 1 isn’t here to make us comfortable — it’s here to make us desperate. Because only when we feel the weight of our need will we run to the cross for rescue. This is not a passage for finger-pointing — it is a mirror for all of us. And the good news is that the power of the gospel Paul refuses to be ashamed of is still mighty to save — even now, even here, even with us.
Romans 1:16-32
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
16 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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from
faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
God's Wrath on Unrighteousness
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their
unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain
to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 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. 21 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. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and
exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and
birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore, God gave them up in the
lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among
themselves, 25 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.
26 For this reason God gave them up to
dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those
that are contrary to nature; 27 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. 28 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. 29 They were filled with all
manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy,
murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters
of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 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.
The
Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Romans
1:16-32
Discussion Questions
The Exchange: What are some modern examples
of how people “exchange the glory of God for images” (Romans 1:23)? How do even
good things become idols?
Why does Paul begin with God’s wrath before
explaining His grace? How does this order help us understand the gospel more
fully?
The Consequences: How do you see evidence of
God “giving people over” in our culture today — and in our own hearts apart
from grace? (Romans 1:24–28)
The Solution: In what ways does the gospel
reverse the exchanges described in this passage? How did Jesus take on what we
deserved so we could receive what He deserved?
How should this passage shape the way we
share the gospel — with humility, urgency, and hope?
Closing Thoughts
Romans 1 reminds us that sin is not just
breaking rules — it’s breaking relationship with the Creator. Every time we
trust in idols of comfort, control, or approval, we repeat the same tragic
exchange. Yet God’s grace is greater. In Christ, He was “given up” so that we
would never be “given over.” The gospel restores what sin destroyed, renewing
our hearts to worship the true and living God. This week, take inventory of
what competes for your worship and intentionally replace those idols with
gratitude, obedience, and faith in Jesus — will you let Him reverse the exchange
in your life today?
END
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