Oct. 6, 2002 Northwest Bible Church
Rom. 1:24-27
The Consequences of Idolatry
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INTRO
Idolatry is the natural religious inclination of mankind. Apart from God’s grace, all would be idolaters. But idolatry is not the end of the road as far as depravity goes. It leads to more pollution. Why is this so? And what role does God play in this? These are important questions and they need biblical answers.
OUTLINE:
1:18-23 The inexcusable idolatry of the heathen.
1:24-32 The consequences of idolatry.
1) Idolatry receives God’s wrath (vv. 24, 26, 28)
2) Idolatry produces immorality (vv. 24-27)
I. IDOLATRY RECEIVES GOD’S WRATH (vv. 24, 26, 28).
"Therefore" –
"God gave them over" – 3x’s (vv. 24, 26, 28). This is a terrifying refrain.
A. Not God’s permissive will.
B. Not God’s passive will.
C. This is God’s active will. It is the active and deliberate decision by God to withdraw His common grace from these idolaters and to abandon them to the unrestrained corruptions of their own sinful hearts. God is not merely permitting them to go their own sinful ways, He is actively consigning them to go their own sinful ways. Cf. Isa. 64:7; Ps. 81:12; 2 Chron. 15:2; 24:20.
This Greek word paradidomi ("God gave them over") has the idea of a judge that hands a guilty criminal over for punishment. God’s wrath is manifested by punishing sin with more sin.
1) More support. Cf. Rom. 9:18
2) A difficult text harmonized. James 1:13?
3) Human responsibility upheld. Eph. 4:19.
II. IDOLATRY PRODUCES IMMORALITY (vv. 24-27).
Idolatry + divine wrath = sexual immorality
A. Impurity (v. 24-25).
Effect (v. 24): "so that (gives the result of the impurity) their bodies would be dishonored among them."
Cause (v. 25): "For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worship the creature rather than the Creator." Principle: sexual immorality is the result of idolatry.
B. Homosexuality (vv. 26-27). Lesbians in v. 26, homosexuals in v. 27.
1) Homosexual lifestyle.
a) Degrading (v. 26) – shameful or dishonorable.
b) Unnatural (v. 26-27) -
c) Burning passions (v. 27).
d) Shameless (v. 27).
e) Error (v. 27). What is wrong, perverted, contrary to what is right.
2) Homosexual punishment (v. 27). Diseases, abusive relationships, etc.
III. THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL.
Share the gospel with them for some will be saved (1 Cor. 6:11). The only solution for such wretched sinners of whom it is said, "God gave them over," is "God gave Him over" (Rom. 4:25; 8:32). The only hope for those who have been abandoned to sin is the fact that He was abandoned for our sin, "My God, My God why have you forsaken Me."
CONCLUSION
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