The Gentiles – What About Them? (Romans 1:18-32)

Paul here begins a section of his letter that runs from 1:18 to 3:20. His purpose is to show how all humans are sinners and in need of God’s salvation. He is like an artist who paints a dark background so that the main characters in the painting will shine brighter than otherwise to those who look at it. We in a sense are the viewers who can watch him put together his masterpiece about the salvation of God. And we are led to do so by first considering the problem of sin.

At that time, from the point of view of those who accepted the Old Testament, humanity was divided into two groups – Jews and Gentiles. This distinction would have been part of the fledgling church’s worldview as well because they had accepted that their Saviour was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. They also knew that God had given particular blessings to the Jewish race in the past. Indeed the church at that time and for a while afterwards had difficulties in integrating Jews and Gentiles into its activities. So as Paul shapes his letter he bears in mind the reality of this division of humanity.

In explaining the spiritual situation of people Paul begins with the Gentiles and considers their relationship to God in 1:18-32. Obviously he is focussing on life in the first century but we will see as we think about his words that there are clear parallels with today. Perhaps those who lived during the period when evangelical Protestantism shaped out national life wondered how Paul’s description applied to them, although if they had known their own hearts they would not have wondered for long. Our society has changed and it is a lot easier for us to see how history repeats itself as far as human behaviour is concerned.

The situation from God’s point of view (1:18)

Paul begins with a categorical affirmation about what is happening throughout the world: ‘For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.’ As we look at this brief statement, what words stand out for us? I would suggest it should be the smallest words in the sentence.

We can begin with the word ‘is’. It tells us when God reveals his wrath. Normally we think of divine wrath as being revealed at the end of time at the judgement seat. Of course, it will be revealed then in the sense that God will inflict the sentence of condemnation pronounced on those who deserve to be punished by him. Another way in which God reveals his wrath is through the institution of human government (Rom. 13:4). Yet we are reminded here that God also responds with wrath to what people are doing in their lives if what they are doing is against his standards. The wrath of God is his settled opposition and antagonism towards those who offend him. Paul reminded the Ephesian Christians that they were children of wrath before their conversions took place (Eph. 2:3).

Then there is the word ‘all’ and it covers everything that humans are guilty of as far as God is concerned. It may be that ‘ungodliness’ describes their wrong responses to God and ‘unrighteousness’ describes their wrong behaviour towards humans, although I suspect they merely mean the same thing. If there is a distinction, ungodliness may describe their attitude and unrighteousness their behaviour. This means, of course, that we cannot grade our behaviour and assume that some of it, although defective, is acceptable by God.

The third little word is ‘by’ and Paul uses it to explain how humans suppress the truth. The suppression is not only an internal thought process by which some think that another way is preferable. In addition, the truth is suppressed by their behaviour, by what they do as well as by what they think.

The fourth small word is ‘the’ at the close of the statement where Paul mentions ‘the truth’. He will proceed to say what the truth is, but the definite article stresses that as far as the Gentiles are concerned there is only one truth, however much it might contain about God and his ways.

The truth that is suppressed – revelation (1:19-20)

So what is the truth that everyone suppressed back then and which they suppress today? Paul stated it in verses 19-20: ‘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.’ We have here what is called natural revelation or God speaks of himself in the creation. What does Paul say about this form of revelation?

First, it is plain. In other words, all can see it. One does not have to be a scientist and go and discover it. Instead it is there for everyone to see. Second, it is provided by God himself – he shows it to them and no other power can prevent him doing so. Third, it is permanent – it has been there since the time of creation and will always be there. Fourth, it is particular in that it reveals God is personal, pre-existent, powerful and divine. Fifth, it is punishable – if it was not sufficient to condemn them, they would have an excuse. But since it tells enough for them to seek him, it is enough for him to condemn them.

Of course, this form of divine revelation is limited in the sense that it does not say everything that the gospel says about God. But there is sufficient revealed to cause everyone to search for God and to worship him. And did people then and do people now respond in this way?

The response he abhors – idolatry (1:21-23)

Paul describes the woeful response of humans to divine natural revelation in verses 21-23: ‘For although they knew God, they did not honour 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.’ Clearly, idolatry is the wrong response to the very clear divine revelation given in creation. Instead of being regarded as worship it is an expression of rebellion against God and rejection of who he is.

Paul points out that something preceded their idol making and that was their failure to honour God, which they should have done by expressing their gratitude. In the context, the gratitude is for the natural benefits that God provides throughout the creation. There could have been songs of thanksgiving written and used by them, but instead they chose to do something demeaning of God and of themselves.

The consequence of ingratitude was increased spiritual blindness. We can see an example of this in the decline that followed the descendants of Cain, the son of Adam. Although he knew that God required a sacrifice, the author of Genesis informs us that it was the descendants of another son of Adam, Seth, who called upon the name of the Lord.

Spiritual blindness does not remove the innate desire for worship that exists in every person. Humans only know two realities – one is God and the other is the creation. If they reject God, their worship inevitably involves something or someone within the created order. Those generations about whom Paul is writing showed their rejection of God and their limited range of alternatives by making idols connected to what they saw in the created order. What else could they do? It is impossible to think of anything that is outside our system. Today, the projections and ideas that replace God are all taken from within the system that we know, whether it is in science or in art or whatever.

Those previous generations concluded that their idols were an expression of wisdom, of their ideas. Today’s generation think the same about their more refined idols. But what happens when idolatry is dominant in human behaviour? Paul tells us in the next set of verses.

The judgement they experience – given up (1:24-32)

Paul stresses the fact that God responds to their rejection of him and does so in a certain way. Because they rejected him, he gave them up to immorality. ‘Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves, 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.’ Paul links immoral behaviour to divine judgement connected to the rejection of God as revealed in creation.

The immorality to which they are abandoned is extreme: ‘For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 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.’ There are three details that we can observe briefly. First, those involved in such activities do so with great feelings – they are ‘consumed with passion for one another’. Second, those activities will be done without embarrassment – they are ‘shameless’. Third, the adopted lifestyle involves both genders.

While it is true that some people (philosophers and others) in the ancient world disapproved of such practices, it is the case that Paul mentions similar lifestyles as being common among Gentile Christians before they were converted. This is how he described the Corinthians prior to them believing the gospel: ‘Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God’ (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

But immorality is not all that God gives people up to doing and becoming: ‘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. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless’ (1:28-31). This is a horrible list of attitudes and activities. Sadly, it is not only a description of the ancient world, it is also a description of today’s society. The fact is that sin has a wide variety of expressions and practices.

And Paul then writes something that we might find startling. We might assume that people do all this wrong behaviour out of ignorance, but Paul says that it is otherwise: ‘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’ (v. 32). What decree is Paul referring to and how do the Gentiles know about it? He is referring to their sense of right and wrong and their awareness that wrong actions deserve to be punished. Nevertheless they persist in doing them. This attitude, of course, means that saying something is wrong to such people will have no effect whatsoever on them.

Some applications

Clearly, there are many comments that could be made by way of application from this passage. But we can focus on four. First, we should recognise the reality of ongoing divine revelation towards everyone we meet. God has spoken to each one of them today and every day. This passage tells us that God speaks to them in two ways. One is that they see his existence and power in the world around them and the other is that he speaks to their consciences. Usually they will suppress both realities, but they will speak again and again.

Second, we should see the connection between rejection of God and the range of sins that will be practised. The more he is rejected the greater will be the diversity and volume of sin. Rejection of the authority of God is the defining mark of our society, and if it continues to reject him then who knows what kinds of sins will be tolerated, even advocated?

Third, we should understand that we live in a society that is under the wrath of God. Sometimes we may imagine that the wrath of God, when it is displayed, will be like a ferocious gale sweeping away everything in its path. Of course, his wrath could be revealed in such a way. Yet today it is shown in the fact that God gives people up to their own choices. He takes away restraining grace and that is what is happening today.

Fourth, we should be thankful that the gospel of Christ is power of God unto salvation. Often we speak about revivals as being expressions of the power of God. Obviously they are, yet they may not be the most remarkable expressions of gospel power. Is it not amazing that in the middle of sin-saturated, rebellious societies the most sinful of people come to faith in Jesus? It is happening in many places throughout the world, including our country, one that has turned its back on its gospel heritage.

This means that evangelism can be engaged in with optimism. People know God exists and they know they are accountable to him for their disobedience. Through the gospel they discover who God is – the Father of Jesus – and what Jesus has done in order for sins to be forgiven.