Sept. 13, 2002 Northwest Bible Church
Rom. 1:28-32
Idolatry and a Depraved Mind
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INTRO
Man’s rejection of God results in God’s rejection of man. When men who are sinful by nature refuse to worship the true God of the Bible, then God turns them over to greater depravity.
I. A DEPRAVED ("REPROBATE") MIND (1:28-32).
A. The reasons behind the depraved mind (v. 28).
1) "Not see fit to acknowledge God" (v. 28a) – Literally, "they did not think it worthy to have God in their knowledge". The word knowledge here emphasizes that they did not want any intimate or experiential knowledge of the true God.
2) "God gave them over" (v. 28b) – He actively consigned them to greater degree of their own sin.
B. The depravity of the mind (vv. 28c-32).
1) Character of the "depraved mind". Literally "depraved" (adokimos ) = that which is unworthy, worthless, useless, which flunks every test. This mind can only produce an advanced degree of sin. We see this greater degree of depravity in v. 29, "being filled with all . . . full of . . ."
a) See illustrations in the worthless ground of Heb. 6:8, and the rejected silver full of dross in Pr. 25:4 (LXX).
b) This depraved mind is not the same as the doctrine of total depravity.
The biblical progression is –
ADAM’S SIN > TOTAL DEPRAVITY > IDOLATRY > DEPRAVED MIND.
2) Concealed Irony (v. 28) - The expression "did not see fit (unworthy)" has the same basic Greek word as "depraved." There is an intentional play on words here. The irony is that since they thought knowing God was worthless, God gave them over to a worthless mind.
3) Conduct of the depraved mind (vv. 28-31).
a) The general actions of a depraved mind (v. 28). "to do those things which are not proper," that is, not lawful.
b) The specific actions of a depraved mind (vv. 29-32). There are 21 items listed here.
2 sinful actions in general – unrighteousness, wickedness
3 toward things – greed, evil, full of envy
4 toward others – murder, strife, deceit, malice
2 sins of the tongue – gossips, slanderers,
1 toward God – haters of God
3 sins of pride – insolent, arrogant, boastful
1 sin of the imagination - inventors of evil
1 sin against parents – disobedient to parents
4 missing virtues – without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful.
4) Commendation from a depraved mind (v. 32). The bottom of the barrel.
They know the righteous rules of God (cf. Rom. 2:14-15), and that those who do these sins are worthy of death, yet they continue to do them anyway and even praise others who do them too.
II. GLEANINGS
1) All men are guilty before God.
2) We see God’s wrath now in our country.
3) Beware of idolatry in our hearts.
1Cor. 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
1John 5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
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