FROM PAUL, A SERVANT OF CHRIST JESUS. The custom in the first century was for the writer to introduce himself at the beginning of a letter. CHOSEN AND CALLED BY GOD. Paul makes this strong statement of his "apostleship," because Jews of the "circumcision party" tried very hard to discredit him. Jesu... [ Continue Reading ]
FIRST, I THANK MY GOD. Paul made it a habit to thank God through Jesus Christ for each and every believer. Here he directs these words to the Christians at Rome to show his deep interest in their spiritual health. BECAUSE THE WHOLE WORLD. Rome was the center of civilization, and therefore the church... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN THE GOSPEL. Paul is making a positive declaration and the TEV words it sol The gospel is the Good News of God's act in Christ to set men free! IT IS GOD'S POWER TO SAVE ALL WHO BELIEVE. The gospel includes _facts_ to be believed, _commands_ to be obeyed, and _promises_... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD'S WRATH IS REVEALED. The balance of this chapter shows that God is justified in sending his wrath on the sin and evil of men. Salvation is not "make-believe!" The Law shows the reality of sin. Against the background of the Law, God's ACT in Christ to set men free is clearly seen as a beautiful a... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD PUNISHES THEM. God did not "cut off" the Gentiles and leave them with no knowledge at all of him. Melchizedek and Balaam were both priests of God _outside_ of the Law of Moses. There could have been others, although the scripture is silent. The point is that there was enough about God which _cou... [ Continue Reading ]
EVER SINCE GOD CREATED THE WORLD. "Have been clearly seen" is in the _continuous tense._ Ever since Creation, enough evidence has been present to prevent anyone from worshiping lifeless images. There is no excuse, then, since no one can claim ignorance.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY KNOW GOD. _MacKnight_ says: "The writings of Plato, Xenophon, Plutarch, Cicero, and other philosophers. prove that the learned heathens, though ignorant of the way of salvation, were acquainted with the unity and spirituality of God, and had just notions of his perfections, of the creation and... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY ARE FOOLS. Those who repudiate God, are fools. Intelligence does not keep anyone from making a fool of himself. The Greeks and Romans were proud of their wisdom, but their worship of images showed them to be fools.... [ Continue Reading ]
INSTEAD OF WORSHIPING THE IMMORTAL GOD. Nature clearly shows there is an immortal God who is the Creator. When they made themselves _blind_ to God, they began worshiping false gods and made images of them.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO DO THE FILTHY THINGS. God himself did not _cause_ their sin, but when they rejected him, he allowed them to bring trouble upon themselves. The false religions accelerated the moral decay of the Gentile world. Compare note on 1 Thessalonians 1:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY EXCHANGE THE TRUTH. Some think the images were originally intended to help focus the mind on God. In time, the image _became_ "god" for them, and God the Creator was forgotten.... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE MEN DO THIS. That is, because men make themselves and others blind to Truth. EVEN THE WOMEN. They committed unnatural acts (such as lesbianism) with _other women._ IN THE SAME WAY THE MEN. The Romans of the first century felt no guilt about homosexual activity. NATURAL SEXUAL RELATIONS. See... [ Continue Reading ]
TO CORRUPTED MINDS. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. Those whom God cannot _convince,_ he _confuses._ See note on Matthew 24:21 for an example of what people bring on themselves by rejecting God.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE FILLED. The language of the TEV shows us clearly the character of those who have _corrupted minds._... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE HATEFUL TO GOD. Sin is a hateful thing to God. See note on Matthew 27:46.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE IMMORAL. ASUNETOUS = without insight into moral and religious things. These are so _amoral_ that they have lost all sense of Good and evil. NO KINDNESS OR PITY. Compare Matthew 18:21-35 and notes.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY KNOW THAT GOD'S LAW. "They" means the evil men and women just described. God's "natural law of right and wrong" is written in the minds of every human being! Compare Romans 1:19. DESERVE DEATH. The Gentile philosophers showed they knew this, by the things they wrote. YET, NOT ONLY. This is a de... [ Continue Reading ]