The Heathen, the Hebrews, and the Whole World are condemned – only the Gospel can rescue us from wrath!

Our Desperate Need For The Gospel

Romans 1:18 – 3:20

Over the last 9 months I have surveyed hundreds and hundreds of people in Rancho Cordova as to their spiritual beliefs.  I would say that easily 95% of those that believed in heaven and hell  believed they were going to heaven.  And 90% of those who thought they were going to heaven believed they would get into heaven because they were good people. So, we know what the average man on the street thinks about himself. My question is,  “What does God see when He looks down upon the 7 billion people on this planet who are outside of Christ?” There are 2 types of lost people in this world – good lost people and bad lost people. The good lost people are the religious, moral people who try to live by the rules. They might be the devout Muslim who kneels on his prayer rug facing Mecca 5 times a day addressing Allah. Or he might be an Orthodox Jew who studies the Torah daily seeking salvation. Or perhaps he is a Roman Catholic who attends mass daily, goes to confession, and says a number of “Hail Mary’s” as penance for sin. They are the Elder Brothers of the world.

Then there are the bad lost people. These are the folks that have rebelled against the rules and are doing what they want. These are the people who indulge in immoral sexual pleasures, or drugs, or abuse alcohol. They include the savage cannibals in Papua, New Guinea, as well as the business executive in the United States. They may be wealthy and successful, or dirt poor and on skid row. They would include drunkards, homosexuals, adulterers, gamblers, drug addicts, thieves, and swindlers. They are the Prodigal Sons of the world. Both Good and Bad people outside of Christ are condemned and under the wrath of God.

Well, as God looks down upon the billions alive today, and sees both groups, what does He see? Well, of those who are not born again, He sees men and women, boys and girls who are all condemned by His holy Law, and must face His wrath.  You see, the message of the Book of Romans, as we saw last week, is the Gospel – the Good News. But before anyone can appreciate the Good News, they must clearly understand the Bad News. And so from Romans 1:18 to 3:20 Paul labors to teach us the true spiritual state of all lost people. They are lost, ruined, condemned and under the wrath of God. And, until we realize this, we will never truly love the Gospel! When a jeweler wants to show off an exquisite diamond ring, he places it on the backdrop of a piece of black velvet. The black velvet contrasts with and shows off the glory of the diamond ring. So it is with the Gospel. The Bad News of our sin, rebellion, and condemnation contrasts with and shows off the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This morning we are being summoned into God’s court room. God is the judge on the throne. Paul is the prosecuting attorney, and all people are the defendants. Paul begins the trial by putting the  Gentiles on the stand and proving their guilt. Then he will put the Jews on the stand and prove their guilt. Then he will sum up his prosecution by showing what the verdict of all men is from God’s holy Law.

1.  The Heathen Are Condemned:  1:18-32

Here in Romans 1 we see two things being revealed:  the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven. God is revealing both His righteousness and His wrath in this world simultaneously. Notice, that Paul is not saying that God’s wrath will be revealed. No it is being revealed right now. Also, notice the deliberate contrast between the righteousness of God in vs.17, and the unrighteousness of men in vs.18. It is exactly because we are unrighteous and God is righteous that we desperately need His Gospel!

Who Is Paul Addressing?

Verses 19-21 tell us that these are people that know there is a God by looking at creation. These folks are not Jews who possess the Scriptures. They are Gentiles with no Scripture. All they have is the general revelation in creation – what has been made. They don’t know God’s Word, and they don’t know the Gospel, but they do know there is a God. The fact that there is a God is evident within them. Why? Because God made it evident to them. We have never been able to discover anywhere on this earth a tribe of people, however small or depraved, which has not believed in some kind of god or had some system of worship. Man instinctively  knows there must be a God. He sees design in the world and knows there must be a Designer. Plutarch wrote, “You may find cities without walls, literature, kings, houses, wealth, money, gymnasiums, or theaters. But no one ever saw a city without temples and gods.”  Abraham Lincoln once quipped, “I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I can’t conceive how he could look up in the heavens and say there is no God.”

What Is True About These People?

They suppress the truth [about the existence of God] in unrighteousness (1:18). It’s like the town bully who those the little kid in the trash can and then puts the lid on top and sits down on top of it, while the little boy beats on the lid. These people know there is a God, but they hold down that truth, because if they don’t they will have to admit that they are His creatures and are accountable to Him. Further, they refused to honor Him as God or give Him thanks (1:21). Finally, their sin led them to the place where they exchanged the glory of God for idols (1:23).

What Did Their Rebellion Result In?

Futile speculations, darkened hearts, and becoming fools (1:21-22)! Their path away from God and into idolatry just led them further and further into the dark. As they worshiped the works of their own hands, they thought they were so wise, but all the while they were becoming fools!

How Did God Respond To Them?

God responded in wrath (1:18). Now God displays 2 kinds of wrath – active and passive. God’s active wrath will be displayed when he casts the lost into the lake of fire where they will be tormented forever and ever. That is not what this passage is talking about. The wrath mentioned here is God’s passive wrath. It is God giving them over to various sins. Notice vs.24,26, and 28. So, how is God giving people over to sin expressing his wrath? Well, it would be like if you were taking your dog for a walk on a leash in the country and he sees a skunk. He begins to tug and tug and bark and bark, yearning for you to let him go so he can chase the skunk. Of course, you are saying, “No Fido! Heel!” But he doesn’t pay any mind and just goes on tugging and barking. Finally, in exasperation and anger you unloose the leash, and say, “OK, go ahead!” You have just expressed your wrath at Fido, because he’s going to get drenched in skunk perfume!  Now, what exactly does God give people over to?

Impurity: (1:24). God let them pursue their lusts. What kind of lusts? Vs. 25 says that their bodies are dishonored among them as they worship idols rather the Creator who is blessed forever.  OK, so you want to worship what your hands have made – go ahead! I’m taking my restraining grace off your life.

Degrading Passions:  (1:26). What are these degrading passions? Lesbian and homosexual acts (1:26-27). The present resurgence of homosexuality and same-sex marriage today is an expression of God’s wrath. It’s not beautiful! Notice what the text says about homosexuality: 1) it is a degrading passion; 2) it is unnatural; 3) it is indecent; 4) it is error.

A Depraved Mind:  (1:28). What does this depraved mind result in? All manner of various sins. Paul lists 21 of them (1:29-31). God’s wrath allows man to go deeper and deeper into sin so that he becomes more and more enslaved by them.

What Is God’s Verdict On Them?

They are without excuse (1:20), and they are worthy of death (1:32). What an indictment!  They have no excuse for their actions and those actions make them odious to God and worthy of death. This is God’s verdict on the Heathen. Even though they have no Bible, they have the Bible of Nature in which they can read that there is a Creator. But rather than honor Him as their Creator and give Him thanks, they suppressed the truth about Him, so that they could worship idols. God responds in wrath by giving them over more and more to their lusts and sins.  Now, having seen the condition of the Heathen, let’s turn next to see the condition of the Hebrews.

Are The Heathen Really Lost?

Are people who don’t have a Bible and have never heard the Gospel really lost? Is it true, that they are headed for eternal damnation just like those who have heard the Gospel and rejected it? Well, what does our text say? It says they are without excuse, and worthy of death. I think that description can only be given of someone who is truly lost. We don’t like to think that God would condemn a person unless that person was given the Gospel and then rejected it. However, is an individual saved or lost before they hear the gospel? Of course they are lost! They are born into this world children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). Think about it for a minute. If the heathen are not lost, and are headed for heaven, it is the most unloving and foolish thing in the world for us to go and preach the gospel to them. If they die without ever hearing the gospel, according to this theory, they are all going to heaven. But if someone comes and preaches the gospel to them, they are not accountable for that light. If they reject it, they are headed for hell. According to this theory, Jesus should have told us not to tell anyone the gospel, because it increases their chances of damnation a hundredfold. No, the sober truth is that everyone in this world, no matter who they are is guilty before God and deserving of eternal judgment, and that’s why we must get the gospel out to them. That’s why we must send people to the mission field, and support them with our money and prayers. Nearly half of the world’s population has no Christian witness. We need to give ourselves to the work of world missions, not only here where we live, but everywhere throughout this world!

2.  The Hebrews Are Condemned:  2:1-29

Who Is Paul Addressing?

We find the answer in 2:17, “But if you bear the name ‘Jew’”. Having indicted the Heathen before the judgment bar of God, Paul now turns and takes up his role as prosecuting attorney against the Hebrews.

What Is True About Them?

They Relied On Their Knowledge of the Law:  Notice 2:17-21. They relied on the Law, knew God’s will, approved the things that are essential, were instructed out of the Law, were confident that they were a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, and were teachers of others. These Jews are a lot like children who grow up in Christian homes where they are taught the Scriptures. Though they have a good grasp of the truth, they are still unregenerate. Merely knowing the truth won’t save anyone!

They Relied on the Rite of Circumcision:  Notice 2:25-29. Unless this circumcised Jew keeps the law, he will be judged by uncircumcised people who keep the Law. Further, according to Paul he is not even a true Jew.  The Jew possessed the Law and had been circumcised. Based on these 2 things, he felt safe and secure as a child of God. These Jews remind me a lot of those people who are trusting in their baptism or taking the Lord’s Supper to get into heaven. Merely observing rituals won’t get a soul saved or into God’s kingdom!

What Was God’s Assessment of Them?

They Were Guilty of the Sins they Judged in Others:  2:1; 2:21-22. The Jews may not have been guilty of the gross outward sins of the Heathen, but they were guilty of judging others. And, if they looked closely at themselves, they would discover that they were guilty of the same sins they judged in others. Perhaps the Heathen stole a cow, and they stole a plum. Perhaps the Heathen were guilty of physical adultery, but they were guilty of lusting after another woman. The sins are the same, just in different form. I’ve discovered that if I look closely enough at myself I’ll discover that I’m usually guilty of the same sins I judge in others too!

Though They Knew God’s Law, They Didn’t Keep It:  2:23,27. It didn’t profit them at all to have the Law if they did not keep it! The mere possession of the Law did them no good. The Law was given to rule our lives, not to just inform the mind. How many professing Christians know God’s Word, but don’t apply it to their lives?

What Was God’s Verdict On Them?

They Are Without Excuse:  2:1. God’s verdict on them is the same as God’s verdict on the Heathen. Both are without excuse. Neither group will be able to make valid excuses on Judgment Day.

They Will Fall Under the Judgment of God:  2:2-3,12. God will judge them, and when He does, they will not stand!

They Will Face The Wrath of God:  2:5,8,9.  Notice, that these Jews are under the same divine verdict as the Gentiles. Both are without excuse. Both will fall under the judgment of God. And both will face the wrath of God.  Well, now that Paul has proved the guilt and condemnation of both the Heathen and the Hebrews, he turns to sum up the Whole World.

Are There Any Lost Hebrews Today?

In Chapter 1 we saw the lost bad people – those who plunge themselves into all manner of evil, wickedness, and immorality. Well, here in Chapter 2 we have a description of the lost good people. These are the religious, moral people of the world, who are still dead in their sins. We’ve got lots of people like that today. They know the Bible, and they’ve been baptized. Maybe they’ve even joined the church. You do know, don’t you, that merely knowing the Bible, or being able to define the Gospel won’t save anyone? There are millions of people throughout the world who have some Bible knowledge, and have been taught the Gospel by their Christian parents. They were baptized at some point, and have been raised in the Church. However, they were never born again! They are still lost in spite of their Bible knowledge and their baptism. God has no grandchildren! You are either one of His children, or you are lost. No one will be saved simply because their parents are saved. In fact, maybe there are some here today who fit this description. Do you know that you have been saved? I’m not asking you if you read your Bible, attend church, or have been baptized. I’m asking if the Holy Spirit has ever given you a new birth, so that you have been transformed by God’s grace. If not, repent and believe in Christ this morning.

3.  The Whole World Is Condemned:  3:9-18

Who Is Paul Addressing? 

Paul tells us in 3:9, “What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin.” In this final section, Paul is summing up everyone, Jews and Greeks, and giving his final conclusion concerning all people everywhere.

What Is True About Them?

They Are Universally Depraved:  3:10-12. There are none righteous, none who understand, none who seeks for God, none who does good, not even one, all have turned aside. That pretty well sums it up. The depravity of man is universal. There are no exceptions. The only exception to the universal depravity of man in the history of the world was Jesus Christ. He knew no sin. However, everyone else has been infected with that deadly virus.  Think about it. This means that I am guilty. You are guilty. Your husband or wife is guilty. Your children are guilty. Your neighbors are guilty. Your mailman, store clerk, and doctor are guilty. The President is guilty. Everyone in the United States and Argentina, and Uganda, and Germany and Egypt are all guilty.

They Are Totally Depraved:  3:13-18. Total depravity does not mean that people are as bad as they can be. It means that every faculty of man has been affected by sin. It’s not that their mind has been affected, but their will has been left intact. Their entire being has been poisoned and ruined by the Fall. Paul mentions 3 kinds of sins that are prevalent the world over:  we sin in what we say, in what we do, and in our irreverence toward God. He mentions sins of speech in 3:13-14 by speaking of the throats, tongues, lips, and mouths of sinners. Out of these mouths come deception, cursing, and bitterness.  He mentions sins of violence in 3:15-17 by speaking of their feet and their path. From these feet on this path comes violence, destruction, and misery. Finally, he mentions the sin of irreverence by saying that there is no fear of God before their eyes (3:18). The sinner’s mouth, feet, and eyes are all infected by sin. His mouth says wrong things, his feet take him along the wrong paths to the wrong places, and his eyes do not behold the right things. The truth is, that we are all broken by sin!

4.  The Verdict of God’s Law: 3:19-20

Who Is Paul Addressing?

Those Who Are Under The Law:  This verse takes us back to Romans 2:15. In actual fact, every person is under God’s Law. Some people have God’s Law written in stone tablets (the Jews), and the rest of mankind has God’s Law written on their hearts (the Gentiles). But all people are under God’s Law. All men know it is wrong to murder, steal, lie and commit adultery.

Every Mouth – All the World:  These words just confirm to us that no one is excepted. Every person in the world is being addressed at this point.

What Is The Purpose Of The Law?

To Close Every Mouth:  What this means is that no one is going to be able to open their mouth and come up with a legitimate objection against God’s judgment or justification as to why they are not really guilty and should not be condemned. When God opens the book of His Law, and compares it with the book of our Deeds, all of us will realize that He is absolutely right to bring His wrath upon us.

To Make Everyone Accountable To God:  God has put at least 3 Lesson Books in the world to show us that we are guilty. He has given the Lesson Book of Creation (1:20). He has given the Lesson Book of Conscience (2:15). And He has given the Lesson Book of the Law (3:19). With all these Lesson Books pointing their finger at us and revealing our guilt, we will all be accountable to God, and no one will be found guiltless on that day.

To Make Known Our Sin:  Many people have the mistaken idea that God gave His Law in order to make people righteous. That is the exact opposite of why God gave the Law. He gave His Law to show how unrighteous we are, so that we will look away from ourselves unto Christ to deliver us from our unrighteousness. The Law has no power to save us or sanctify us. Only Christ can do that. But the Law is very good at exposing our sin. James says the Law is like a mirror. When a man has a dirty face, and looks into the mirror, he sees where he needs to be cleansed. The Law shows us our dirt, so that we can run to Christ for cleansing.

Life Application: 

Those Outside of Christ – You Are Condemned and Under the Wrath of God!

If you are outside of Christ, if you died today you would end up in Hell forever. This is the clear testimony of the Word of God. You are not basically good. You are basically bad in the pure eyes of our Thrice Holy God. The sooner your understand and believe this the sooner you may receive your salvation.

There is Nothing You Can Do To Save Yourself!

If you have not been born again, you can do nothing to save yourself, and you can do nothing to excuse yourself on Judgment Day. Your case is humanly hopeless. When the disciples asked Jesus, “who then can be saved?” Jesus responded, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. With God all things are possible” (Mk.10:26-27).  Salvation must come from God or it will never come at all. If you are outside of Christ, stop trying to save yourself! You can’t do it. All of your efforts, and strivings, and deeds, are like filthy rags in God’s sight. He’s not impressed. All of the work needed to be done has already been done by Jesus Christ when He died and rose again. If you are not saved, the first thing you must do is understand and believe that you can’t save yourself. You need to be saved by Another. And that One is the Lord Jesus Christ. Look away from yourself to Him. Put your faith in Him. Trust Him to do what you cannot do for yourself.

You Need To Honestly Admit Your Guilt to God

King Frederick II, an 18^th century King of Prussia was visiting a prison in Berlin. While he was there, the inmates tried to prove to him how they had been unjustly imprisoned. All  except one. That one sat quietly in a corner, while all the rest protested their innocence. Seeing him sitting there oblivious to the commotion, the King asked him what he was there for.

“Armed robbery, Your Honor.”

The King asked, “Were you guilty?”

“Yes, Sir,” he answered. “I entirely deserve my punishment.”

The King then gave an order to the guard:  “Release this guilty man. I don’t want him corrupting all these innocent people.”

Likewise, the sooner you really believe you are guilty and condemned before God, and the sooner you confess this to Him and throw yourself on the mercy of the King of heaven, the sooner you will find His mercy. Go to Him today, with all your sin, admit your guilt in His sight, and ask Him for Christ’s sake to forgive you. He has promised that all who call upon His name will be saved!

Those Who Are In Christ – Worship God For Saving You!

You were in exactly the same position as everyone else in this world who is still lost in sin. You were condemned and rushing toward the jaws of hell, ready to be cast into outer darkness, and the lake of fire. But God interposed. He snatched you. He rescued you. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in your place, and absorb the atomic bomb of the wrath of God, so that His Law would be upheld, and justice would be satisfied, and you could go free! Worship Him!

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