They Knew God But Did Not Honor God: Romans 1:18-23 (Sermon)
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WELCOME
Good morning, church! It is great to see you. One of the blessings of having multiple pastors and laypeople who can preach is that I can take a week or two of vacation. Even if two of our pastors are on a mission trip, like this week, the church can still function. As I mentioned in the announcements [SHC], we have 43 people participating in the Senior High Summer Mission Trip to Philadelphia, including Pastors Joe and Mike. While they are away, we are back here praising God and studying the book of Romans in our Bibles. This is our fourth week in the book. I am loving it, are you?
CONTEXT
Let’s set the stage and provide context for the verses we will be studying. Romans is a letter from the apostle Paul to the church in the city of Rome. Rome was one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with a population of about one million people. Paul wrote this letter around AD 57. The church was small and a mixture of Jewish and non-Jewish people. Nero was the Emperor, and his stepfather, Claudius, was the previous. Claudius had banished the Jewish population from Rome in AD 49. We read about it in Acts Chapter 18. That expulsion propelled a dynamic husband-and-wife ministry team, Priscilla and Aquila, to providentially meet Paul. We read in chapter 16 that Paul, though never traveling to Rome, knew other people there. The Jewish-Christian population returned. We can deduce from the letter that one of their major struggles as a church was the cultural divide between Jewish people and non-Jewish people. Paul responded to this issue with eleven chapters of theology and five chapters of instruction. We will proceed slowly to get the most out of this excellent book.
RECAP
Last week, we honed in on verses 16 and 17, which state,
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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17, ESV)
These verses capture the central theme of the letter, inviting us to “Live together in the power of the gospel, for it saves everyone who believes.” As we unpack the book, we will discover that God invites us all to walk out our days in the strength of the great news about Jesus for our benefit and his renown.
TEXT
I am going to have R.S. / T.J. read for us the next few verses. Would you please stand with me in honor of God’s Word? We are reading Romans, Chapter 1, verses 18 through 23. The words will be projected on the screen behind me.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 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. 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. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:18–23, ESV)
PRAYER
Thank you. Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word. It is light and life. We are prone to wander. I feel it. God, we can switch you out for an alternate with the flick of a switch. Don’t let us take substitution so lightly or blindly. Don’t let us be arrogant enough to think there is no room for you to speak to us. Speak by the power of the Spirit, in Jesus’s name we pray, amen. You may be seated.
STRUCTURE
When we examine a text closely, we must keep in mind the surrounding verses. They are connected and not randomly placed. Paul was introducing himself and the reason for writing. He is telling them good news. Our verses serve as a counterweight and explanation for why the good news is indeed good. Look at verse 18:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18, ESV).
Now look back at verse 17:
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17, ESV).
Please leave that slide up. The “in it” of verse 17 refers to the gospel, so it reads, “For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed. The gospel means good news. The good news concerns Jesus making us right with God by faith in God. Verse 18 tells us that more is revealed about God and his wrath. God’s wrath is revealed. In our day and age, God’s wrath is off-putting to say the least. Paul went on to explain the anger of God:
First, who God is, is plain to all people, and they suppress it. That is why God is wrathful.
Second, the general population doesn’t acknowledge or appreciate God, and foolishly exchange him for poor substitutes. Further explaining God’s wrath.
How does God’s wrath sit with you? Viscerally, God’s wrath can be hard to process.
ANGRY AT ME
However, for some, it makes sense because they hate themselves, struggle to be around people, feel condemned, and not a day goes by when they don’t see their failure. Shame is their middle name. They might be able to watch a church service, but going to church is like wading in quicksand. They put on a mask and pretend everything is okay when it is not. Yet, they know God’s wrath. They sense it. It’s personal. If that is you, that is not what Paul is getting at. Keep listening. Don’t forget last week’s message. The gospel is the power of God to save EVERYONE who believes.
ANGRY AT OTHERS
For others, an angry God makes sense in another way. They see evil in the world and know God hates it. They are happy for his fury and look forward to judgment. That can be fine. However, some go so far as to look down on all those who are ungodly and unrighteous. And don’t have an ounce of compassion or sympathy. If that is you, beware. The ire of God is closer than you think. Don’t be conceited. We are more alike than not. In the coming weeks, we will read that every one of us is sinful and deserving of God’s wrath. God is our only hope of deliverance, not our moral gumption, white knuckling, Boy Scout, goody-two-shoes, Mr. Rogers track record, doing a good deed a day to keep God at bay.
NOT ANGRY AT ANY
For others, this passage is where they think Paul or the Bible is wrong. It seems insensible. They deny such a reality. God’s rage seems uncharacteristic. If that is you, be patient. Let the text speak. God’s wrath can make sense.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN
Paul wrote that God revealed himself and his work in two ways. First, in offering us the good news that we can be right with him through trusting in his power given to us by his one and only Son, Jesus. And second, but not second in order, God was (and is) angry at the sin of people rejecting him and his ways.
So, in a way, God is happy and mad simultaneously.
He is tender and just
He is compassionate and exact.
He is powerful and good.
He is kind and perfect.
He is transcendent and immanent.
He is wise and personal.
He holds his character in perfect balance. How? How can God be all these things and more at the same time? More specifically, how can God be wrathful? We need to understand the direction and reason for wrath.
DOG
Picture a parent walking a nine-year-old on the sidewalk when a fierce dog starts barking and comes toward them. At first, the parent looks for a collar and leash on the dog. Seeing none, is the owner around? Is there a fence? They see neither. The dog bares his teeth, growls, and races toward them. What does the mom or dad do? Instinctively, they stand to block the attack, holding the child behind them. With a quick word, the parent whispers, “It is okay.” With the other side of the mouth, they yell, “Go! Get OUT OF HERE!” They look for a weapon, such as a stick or a rock. They prepare to kick or fight and keep yelling. There is wrath directed at this vicious enemy, and simultaneously, there is love and affection towards the child. The parent has both qualities simultaneously. In the same way, God is wrathful at the danger that faces his children. In love, he hates all forms of evil. Even the evil that his children play with. Evil brought death and all forms of sickness and disease into the world. They were not part of God’s original design. The Bible teaches us that in the beginning, Satan tempted Eve, the first woman, to rebel. She fell for his ploy. In turn, she tempted the first man, Adam. He gave in and chose to reject God’s way and follow his own. The result was that God punished them all. We see the ramifications of their unrighteousness and ungodliness all around. Sin hurts. Who has not been hurt by sin? Anyone? For God to be good, he must bring retribution. Just as it would be wrong for a dad or mom to let an angry dog attack a child, so it would be bad for God to overlook this first sin, which would multiply like a contagion.
WHY
Paul will give us more explanation. What exactly prompted God to be so upset? Keep reading:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18, ESV).
People suppressed the truth. I am fascinated by people finding truth in the news. And honestly, after a while, I distrust everything people claim in the news. There appears to be a significant amount of disinformation, manipulation, and cover-ups. However, what is worse is that people suppress the truth that Paul is talking about. That begs the question, “What truth is he talking about?”
THE TRUTH IS OBVIOUS
Paul told us—verse 19:
“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them” (Romans 1:19, ESV).
People suppress the fundamental reality of God. They deny him. They concoct alternatives. Like you sitting with your kids on the couch to look at a baby book and talking about their childhood, and they say, “No. These aren’t real. You aren’t my parents. I don’t belong here.” But you have evidence; there is an obvious resemblance. They can’t survive without you. But they are stubbornly bent on walking out of the house and trying to make it in the woods. It won’t turn out well for that nine-year-old.
WHAT DO THEY DENY?
Go to verse 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” (Romans 1:20, ESV).
God made himself crystal clear.
GOD’S POWER
Where do we see his power? Here is where you can respond. Where do you see God’s eternal power? [Lake Michigan. A bolt of lightning, a volcanic eruption, a tornado, the bite of a shark, the force of a steer pushing or pulling something, the destruction of a forest fire, the icy blast of a cold wind.] Yes, in his creation, we see his power in numerous ways.
GOD’S WISDOM
Where do you see his wisdom? Look at the human body. Talk to a doctor about the intricacies of our nervous system. There is a reason it takes four years of college, four years of medical school, and then a few more years of training to be a doctor. It’s not simple. We cannot reverse-engineer a healthy human embryo that will develop into a fully grown adult twenty years later. Doctors are still uncovering the mysteries of the human body. Talk to a chemist about the molecular interactions that are happening all around us. Scientists are still trying to understand the smallest particles of matter. Talk to an astronomer. Psalm 19 says the sky communicates God’s majesty.
BIOSPHERE
When I was a kid, I read about the biosphere project. Do any of you remember it? I thought, “How cool.” People attempted to recreate a closed-circuit environment, believing they could achieve a similar outcome on another planet or in the event of an apocalyptic catastrophe. How did the project end? In failure, twice. The people could not survive on their own. Our lives hang in a tight balance that God designed. It is not some random happenstance. No human or AI computer could replicate what God has done. Even the evolutionists can’t explain what happened before the Big Bang or what started everything.
LOVE AND GOODNESS
These may be more subtle, but in creation we can see God’s love and goodness. We can see this in the beauty of babies. We can see God’s goodness in the light rain after a long, hot spell, or a cool breeze on a warm day.
MORAL
I believe we can also see in the world that God built order and morality into life. He has hardwired into all of us a conscience. We innately know that stealing and murder are bad. We feel guilt and have compassion for the weak. We live in a universe of right and wrong. God wrote this script into our DNA. He built us for something more than just eating, working, and multiplying.
WHEN
When did he do this? In the beginning, leaving us no excuse. And so, Psalm 14, verse 1 states that the fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Look at verse 21.
FOOLS
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. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:21–23, ESV)
HONOR
These verses say these fools didn’t do two things. What? [Honor God or give him thanks]. Let’s talk about honoring. What are other words for honor? [Praise, worship, and glory.] First Corinthians 10:31 states,
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).
Do we? Do we do everything for God’s credit? Do we eat and drink for his renown? Did you do that this breakfast or when you sipped some coffee this morning? I suppose another question is how we are supposed to do that. What does that even look like? Perhaps it is a prayer before we eat. But I think this is even more a posture of appreciation and gratitude to God. It is a humble acknowledgement that is so pervasive, you take it everywhere you go.
RACE
Our most significant work is contingent on others, who are dependent on others, who ultimately rely on God’s help. He is in power and deserves recognition, not lip service or rejection. Unfortunately, since our ancestors first fell, we are bent toward stealing accolades that should be his. We tend to downplay personal failures and overemphasize achievements with pride. I do. This verse places us in the crosshairs of judgment. Doesn’t it?
THANKS
What else do these unrighteous, ungodly, truth suppressors and God deniers not do? [They don’t give God thanks]. Why? I don’t know. Why were they too busy? God wants us to be humble. Pride is the opposite. Pride is silly. It accepts the applause that is God’s. It is like walking up the red carpet to give an Academy Awards acceptance speech when your name wasn't read, and you are only the person seating people.
Pride led to Satan thinking he could take God’s spot.
Pride led to Adam and Eve disobeying God.
Pride led Miriam to challenge Moses’s leadership.
Pride led Moses to add to God’s command.
Pride led King Saul to make a sacrifice, which God didn’t allow.
Pride led to King David committing adultery and planning the death of his lover’s husband to cover up his sin.
Pride is destructive, twisted, and dangerous.
Satan was kicked out of heaven and will burn in a lake of fire forever after being imprisoned for a thousand years.
Pride banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, introduced death into the world, pain in childbirth, weeds in yards, bad bosses, demanding clients, and computers crashing.
Pride led to Miriam becoming leprous.
Pride led Moses not to enter the Promised Land.
The pride of Saul cost him his kingship.
And the pride of David meant God took his son from him.
Pride is much more deadly than we think—the opposite of humility. A humble person is a thankful person who honors God. God calls us to be grateful. His Word says,
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17, ESV).
Do you? The reality is that I don’t have this perfectly figured out. Neither did the readers. God wants us to trust in his power and follow his ways; if not, we join these fools.
FOOLS
How are they foolish again? They exchanged God for cheap knock-offs: mortal for immortal and temporal for the eternal. They created other gods that resembled people and animals. Think of the Egyptian gods with dog heads on human bodies, or bird heads on human bodies, or consider the Indian god Ganesha, who has an elephant head and many arms. They are gross frauds. Many people around the world still engage in this exchange. Why? Why would they do that?
Perhaps what if they grew up that way? They revert to what they did growing up, instead of reading the obvious signs in God’s creation.
Perhaps they believe there must be lesser gods?
Maybe they don’t want to bother God.
Or, they are trying to hedge their bets. Maybe they are diversifying their god portfolio.
Maybe they are just going with the flow.
We don’t know precisely why people worship other gods, but they did and do. Do we?
IDOL FACTORY
15th-century theologian and pastor John Calvin wrote that our hearts are idol factories, and he was right. An idol is something that controls, explains, provides, or protects. It is something that one worships, lives for, and seeks. It is what we adore, crave, and desire. We have an infinitesimal amount of idols. We can worship sex, food, vacation, and money. What do you worship? Maybe that is a tricky question.
LOVE
An easier one is, “What do you love?” Loving isn’t wrong. However, there may be a way that we love what we love inordinately. For example, I enjoy eating. But if I love to overeat, then my stomach hurts, and I turn my focus inward, feeling guilty. My love of eating has become an idol at that point.
FEAR
What do you fear? Again, fear can be reasonable. However, what if my fears inhibit me from speaking to my neighbor? Instead of obeying God’s little nudge, I say nothing. That fear controls me. The fear of speaking becomes an idol.
SEEK
What do I seek? We are seekers. That is normal. However, if I am at work and seeking a thrill or buzz, and I constantly turn to my phone's distractions, neglecting my job, I do my job poorly. I might fail at my job. I might be stealing company time. That seeking can be a functional god.
MORE
We can delve deeper to uncover more about our inspirational deities, asking, “Why do we love, why do we fear, and why do we seek?” Perhaps the inner answer is that we crave pleasure. We want that thrill. We love the high. Maybe we are longing for recognition, a pat on the back, some acknowledgment. Perhaps we are lonely and yearn for friendship, companionship, or someone to share our lives with. Maybe we long for peace and security. Those can all be good, but when they are out of proportion, they can be just as evil as a statue of Vishnu or Thor. God’s wrath is against those who, in foolishness, think they are wisely turning from the true God to false ones.
APPLICATION: WHAT ARE YOUR IDOLS
As we conclude, what idols tempt you? Let’s pause and ask God to reveal that to us now.
CHANGE
We don’t have to be an object of God’s wrath. We don’t have to keep pursuing these idols. We can change through God’s grace. God has enough grace for us through our faith in his power by the Spirit because Jesus died to forgive us all our sins for those who believe. We can confess to God in our hearts right now and tell him that we want to follow him, not these fakes. Let’s do that now. []
COUNSEL
You may need help. Some of the idols of the heart run so deep. I had several people ask me to counsel them in the last month. I think there is a way for godly people to help provide that listening, biblical ear. There is a place for a trained ear. Don’t be afraid to seek outside help. We are not good by ourselves. We need each other. Please speak with me or another pastor or ministry leader if you need recommendations on whom to talk to.
PRAISE
What did those who were pursuing idols not do that they should have done? [They didn’t honor God or give him thanks]. We don’t want to be like that. We can counteract such idolatry by giving thanks to God. What are you thankful for? Just shout out some things you are grateful for.
PRACTICE
Now, there is a way of prayer in other cultures and churches where we can all pray out loud at the same time. God is so incredible that he can make sense of it all. At the count of three, I want us to tell God thanks for some of those things, and we will keep telling him thanks for a minute. I will do it as well and stop us. Alright? Are you ready? One, two, three. Great. Let us not be fools but instead keep pursuing righteousness and God.
SUMMARY PRAYER
Let us be thankful people who, by faith, live in God, the strength God supplies. Please pray with me. Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word. It is light and life for us. Please help us be an encouragement to others this week. We are. Open our eyes to what you are doing. Give us a burden to bless others. And encourage us. We need strength to press on. May Jesus get honor in our lives and words by your Spirit, in Jesus’s name, amen. Let us stand and sing.
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