Romans 1:21

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. BECAUSE THAT, WHEN THEY KNEW GOD (in the sense of Romans 1:19) - even while still retaining some real knowledge of God, and before they sank down into the state next to be described, THEY GLORIFIED HIM NOT AS GOD, NEITHER WERE THANKFUL - neither yielding Him the adoration due to Himself, nor rendering the gratitude which His beneficence demanded, BUT BECAME VAIN IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS, [ en (G1722) tois (G3588) dialogismois ...

21._For when they knew God_, _etc. _He plainly testifies here, that God has presented to the minds of all the means of knowing him, having so manifested himself by his works, that they must necessarily see what of themselves they seek not to know — that there is some God; for the world does not by chance exist, nor could it have proceeded from itself. But we must ever bear in mind the degree of knowledge in which they continued; and this appears from what follows. _They glorified him not as God_. No idea can be formed of God without including his eternity, power, wisdom, goodness, truth, righteousness, and mercy. His eternity appears evident, because he is the maker of all things — his power, because he holds all things in his hand and continues their existence — his wisdom, because he has arranged things in such an exquisite order — his goodness, for there is no other cause than himself...

18-25 The apostle begins to show that all mankind need the salvation of the gospel, because none could obtain the favour of God, or escape his wrath by their own works. For no man can plead that he has fulfilled all his obligations to God and to his neighbour; nor can any truly say that he has fully acted up to the light afforded him. The sinfulness of man is described as ungodliness against the laws of the first table, and unrighteousness against those of the second. The cause of that sinfulness is holding the truth in unrighteousness. All, more or less, do what they know to be wrong, and omit what they know to be right, so that the plea of ignorance cannot be allowed from any. Our Creator's invisible power and Godhead are so clearly shown in the works he has made, that even idolaters and wicked Gentiles are left without excuse. They foolishly followed idolatry; and rational creatures...

Verse 21. _BECAUSE THAT WHEN THEY KNEW GOD_] When they thus acquired a general knowledge of the unity and perfections of the Divine nature, _they glorified him not as God_ - they did not _proclaim_ him to the people, but shut up his _glory_ (as Bishop Warburton expresses it) in their _mysteries_, and gave the people, in exchange for an _incorruptible God, an image made like to corruptible man_. Wherefore God, in punishment for their sins, thus _turning his_ _truth into a lie_, suffered even their _mysteries_, which they had erected for a school of virtue, to degenerate into an odious sink of vice and immorality; giving them up unto all uncleanness and vile affections. _THEY GLORIFIED HIM NOT_] They did not give him that _worship_ which his perfections required. _NEITHER WERE THANKFUL_] They manifested no _gratitude_ for the blessings they received from his pro

BECAUSE THAT - The apostle here is showing that it was right to condemn people for their sins. To do this it was needful to show them that they had the knowledge of God, and the means of knowing what was right; and that the true source of their sins and idolatries was a corrupt and evil heart. WHEN THEY KNEW GOD - Greek, “knowing God.” That is, they had an acquaintance with the existence and many of the perfections of one God. That many of the philosophers of Greece and Rome had a knowledge of one God, there can be no doubt. This was undoubtedly the case with Pythagoras, who had traveled extensively in Egypt, and even in Palestine; and also with Plato and his disciples. This point is clearly shown by Cudworth in his Intellectual System, and by Dr. Warburton in the _Divine Legation of Moses_. Yet the knowledge of this great truth was not communicated to the people. It was confined to the...

EXPOSITION ROMANS 1:1 I. INTRODUCTORY. ROMANS 1:1 A. _Salutation_ with long interposed parenthesis, suggested by "gospel of God." The parenthesis, expressing thoughts of which the writer's mind is full, intimates the purport of the coming treatise. It also intimates his claim, afterwards more fully asserted (Romans 15:15, seq.), to demand a hearing from the Roman Church. It is St. Paul's way, when full of an idea, thus to interrupt his sentences at the suggestion of a word. Somewhat similar interpositions are found in the opening salutations of Galatians and Titus, especially in the latter; but this is peculiar for its l

BECAUSE THAT WHEN THEY KNEW GOD,.... Though they had such a knowledge of the being and perfections of God, yet THEY GLORIFIED HIM NOT AS GOD. They neither thought nor spoke honourably of him; nor did they ascribe those perfections to him, which belonged to him; they did not adhere to him as the one and only God, nor honour him as the Creator of all things out of nothing, and as the sole Governor of the universe; they did not glorify him by the internal exercise of fear of him, love to him, or trust in him, nor by any external worship suitable to his nature, and their own notions of him, Seneca is an instance of this, of whom Austin f says, "that he worshipped what he found fault with, did what he reproved, and adored that which he blamed.'' NEITHER WERE THANKFUL; neither for the knowledge of things they had, which they ascribed to themselves; nor for their mercies, which they imputed...

Romans 1:1. _Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures.)_ Paul had not seen the Romans when he wrote this epistle. They were strangers to him, and therefore he begins by asserting his apostleship. «called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.» That expression should be true of every Christian minister. We are not apostles; but we are «separated unto the gospel of God.» I do not think that we are called to have anything to do with party politics, or social problems, or any such questions; we are set apart for this purpose. «separated unto the gospel of God.» There are plenty of people who can attend to those things better than we can/ If we mind our own business, or rather, if we mind our Master's business, we who are ministers will have quite enough to do

2. THE NEED OF SALVATION DEMONSTRATED. The Whole World Guilty and Lost. Chapter 1:18-3:20. CHAPTER 1:18-32. _ 1. Wrath Revealed from Heaven. 18._ 2. Gentile Knowledge of God. 19-20. 3. Turning from God to Idolatry. 21-23. 4. God Gave Them Up to Corruption. 24-32. Romans 1:18 God now demonstrates that the whole world is destitute of righteousness and needs salvation. Romans 1:18; Romans 2:1; Romans 3:1 is parenthetical, showing the moral condition of the whole race, away from God and lost and therefore under wrath. In this verse we read that wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodli

Mankind is in a ruinous plight: GOD'S ANGER, which is His righteousness reacting against wrong, rests upon the race. ROMANS 1:18_ A_. The Divine wrath is being revealed from heaven in action against all impiety and unrighteousness of men. The revelation is apparent in the moral outcome of irreligion described in Romans 1:21 an apocalypse more appalling than earthquake or famine. Romans 1:18 _b_ - Romans 1:20. Man is responsible for his perdition: in committing unrighteousness men hold down the truth; they ignore the knowledge of God lodged in conscience (cf....