ROMANS 4


     We will begin this lesson in Romans 1:22 "Professing themselves
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."

     The children of Israel, on the way to the promised land, tired
waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain of God. They talked
Aaron into making them a golden calf that they could worship. God is
the Creator not the created. Those that worship things they can see
with their physical eyes are worshipping idols. God is a Spirit. We
can not see Him with our physical eye. Notice in the verse above that
they professed that they were wise. They were not wise. Wisdom is a
gift of God. God renounced all of the false gods with the ten plagues
that came upon Egypt. Man has always picked out things to worship
that he could see. This is in error. We must worship God only.

     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:"

     Our heart condition determines what we are. Luke 6:45 "A good
man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which
is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart
bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart
his mouth speaketh." An evil heart desires evil. Our body (if we are
Christians) is the temple of the Holy Spirit of God. If we involve
our bodies in sin, we have involved the Holy Spirit's dwelling place.
That is why I personally believe sex sin of every kind to be very
evil.  Homosexuality, lesbianism, and adultery are 3 of the worst
type sins a person can commit, because they are all 3 sins that
involve the body.  The first 2 are even worse than adultery, because
they are unnatural.  We will read of all this in the next few verses.

     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."

     There has been recently on television, a commercial that speaks
of the worship of cats. Many different animals have been the object
of worship throughout history. In India even today the cow is thought
to be an object of worship. Which is greater, the thing created or
the Intelligence who created it? You know the answer, The Creator. In
our society things like cars and homes are worshipped, too. We must
first realize who God is and then worship Him alone. Just the fact
that He is eternal sets Him aside from all of His creation. Amen
means (so be it).

     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:" 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 recompence of their error which was meet."

     God turned His back to these lesbians and homosexuals.  Sodom
and Gomorrah were destroyed by God for this very sin.  It is natural
for Paul to write of this particular sin to the Romans, because this
very sin was rampant in their society.  God calls this sin an
abomination. It is also called against nature, which God created. Sex
is for the procreation of life and these unnatural uses do not create
life, they create death. Notice the last sentence of verse 27 (the
recompense of their error which was meet). God's wrath will fall on
this person for this type of sin if they do not repent. Fire and
brimstone at Sodom and AIDS in our society today is actually the
wrath of God on a sinful generation.

     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;"

     Reprobate, in the sense it is used here, means (worthless,
castaway, or rejected). You see, God has turned away from this
person, because they have rejected God and all His teachings.  I
believe it is possible for a homosexual or lesbian to be saved, but
only if they walk away from their old life. I do not believe a person
practising homosexuality or lesbianism is saved. Remember reprobate
means rejected. Things which are not convenient means against nature.
Verse 28 is saying that the Holy Spirit stops pursuing them for
salvation.

     Romans 1:29 "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers," Romans 1:30 "Backbiters,
haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents," Romans 1:31 "Without understanding,
covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:"

     In verse 29 we see where the reprobate mind leads to all
unrighteousness. Fornication has to do with sex sin (adultery is one
example) and also spiritual adultery (idolatry).  Covetousness
includes greediness, wanting what others have, and fraud or
extortion. Maliciousness means all sorts of evil and meanness.
Malignity means bad character. We know that covenant breakers are
those who do not honor agreements they have made. Implacable means a
truce breaker. II Timothy 3:1 "This know also, that in the last days
perilous times shall come." II Timothy 3:2 "For men shall be lovers
of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy," II Timothy 3:3 "Without
natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good," II Timothy 3:4 "Traitors,
heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;" II
Timothy 3:5 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away."

     Can't you see our day here? This describes our day perfectly.
This in 2 Timothy and in the Scriptures in Romans that we have been
reading describe a people who are out of fellowship with God. We must
repent and change now before God has turned our whole nation over to
a reprobate mind. It is time to repent and turn to God. Drug and
alcohol problems will go away when we give our life to God. The
answer for all of us is to heed the Scripture in II Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves,
and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal
their land."

     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."

     We know that God is displeased. Just look around you.  The
weather pattern is messed up. Inflation is great.  Earthquakes have
increased and in fact all storms have worsened. AIDS and a lot of
other incurable diseases have many people frightened. The threat of
nuclear war is ever present. The normal life we used to have is now
out of control. It seems we cannot depend on anything. Luke 21:26
"Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those
things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall
be shaken."

     WE HAVE NO CHOICE - WE MUST REPENT AND TURN TO GOD NOW.



                                Notes

























                             QUESTIONS 4


1.  Professing themselves to be wise they became ____.
2.  They changed the glory of the uncorruptable God to what?
3.  When the Israelites were waiting for Moses to come down from the
    mountain, what terrible thing did they do?
4.  When you worship things you can see with your eyes, you are
    worshipping what?
5.  In verse 24 God gave them up to what?
6.  They dishonored their own____ between themselves.
7.  Luke chapter 6 verse 45 tells us what about the beast?
8.  Why is sex sin so bad?
9.  What are 3 terrible sins God calls abominations?
10. Verse 25 says, they changed the Truth of God into what?
11. They worshipped what?
12. Which is greater, the Creator or the thing He created?
13. What are some things falsely worshipped in our society today?
14. What does Amen mean?
15. In verse 26, why did God turn them over to vile affections?
16. What does (recompense of their error which was meet) mean?
17. What 2 Old Testament cities were destroyed, because their people
    were homosexuals?
18. What is sex really intended for?
19. What in our society today does the author believe is punishment
    for homosexuality?
20. What kind of mind did God turn them over to, because they did not
    retain God in their knowledge?
21. What is meant by not convenient?
22. Verse 29 says, that they who are away from God are filled with
    what?
23. What is fornication?
24. What is covetousness?
25. What does implacable mean?
26. What day is 2 Timothy speaking of?
27. What type of society is this speaking of?
28. In 2 Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14, what is the solution to our
    problems?
29. People who commit the sins mentioned are worthy of what?
30. They not only do the sin, but have pleasure in what?
31. In Luke chapter 21 verse 26, we see a society full of what?
32. What are they afraid of?