In Romans 1:16-17 Paul has shown that the power of God unto salvation and a righteousness from God from faith unto faith to all who believe (both Jew and Gentile) is revealed in the gospel.
In the balance of this chapter and extending through chapters 2-3, the apostle will establish there was a desperate need for the gospel for mankind. In the balance of chapter 1 he directed his attention toward the Gentile to show that they needed the power for salvation and to receive the righteousness God revealed in the gospel.
First, he declared that the “wrath of God is revealed from haven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hinder the truth in unrighteousness” (1:18). These Romans, as well as the rest of the Gentile world, needed the gospel. He began by addressing their ungodliness. These people hindered the truth in unrighteousness because what is known of God was manifested unto them, thus any excuse they might offer that they “did not know”would be false (1:19).
He wrote, “The invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity” (1:20). The verse is paradoxical: something which seems to be contradictory but really isn’t. The invisible things (that which cannot be seen) are clearly seen (not only seen, but clearly so), being perceived (seen) through the things that are made. Those invisible things are identified as His everlasting power and divinity. Psalm 19:1-3 shows this truth. The passage reads, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language; their verse is not heard.” The message is clear: God’s everlasting power and divinity is shown to all men, whatever nation they might be of, or whatever language they might speak. The glories of the heavens shouts to all men there is a Creator who exercised profound power when He brought such a creation into existence.
Yet, what do men did with that message? They sinned against that Creator because “knowing God, they glorified Him not as God neither gave thanks, but their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, of birds and four footed beasts and creeping things” (Romans 1:20b-23). To have done this was both an affront and sin against Him.
Their rejection of God led to other sins. They not only sinned against their Creator, they sinned against themselves. They “dishonored their bodies among themselves and exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather that the Creator.” They progressed from this to vile passions: they “changed the natural use of the woman to that which is contrary to nature and burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and received in themselves the recompense which was due” (Romans 1:24-27).
Sin is progressive. Disrespecting God and their own selves, it was but a small step to sin against others: “And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting’ being filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventor of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent them that practice them” (Romans 1:28-32).
The apostle accurately described the Gentile world of his day. These flagrant sins, sins against God, against themselves, and others cried in a loud voice: Gentiles needed the power of the gospel that they might be saved and made acceptable in God’s sight.
But, what about the Jew? Was he not different from the Gentile world? Did he also need the gospel?
Jim McDonald