Romans 1:28-32

PDF and Handouts are below.

​28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
 
Verse 28: Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
 
Furthermore… sin is not confined to sexual sin.
 
 
Did not think it worthwhile… misjudging God; devaluing God; unapproving (later would have an unproved mind… play on words in the Greek)
            to recognize as genuine after examination
After examining God, seeing all He has done, is doing, and will do, we say… NOPE.
 
retain the knowledge of God…: discern clearly or distinctly; “full knowledge”
Cutting themselves off from an accurate understanding of the world and our place in it.
            To put God out of our minds…

• How does knowledge of God keep you out of the downward spiral described in vv. 29-32?

 
 
 

• Do you consider yourself a theologian?

 
 
Pursuing the knowledge of God is a costly pursuit.[1]
 
God gave them over… another example of judicial abandonment
 




 
Depraved mind… Corrupt, debased, reprobate, morally reprehensible; disqualified
Unapproved mind; undiscerning; a worthless way of thinking that does not conform to God’s own purposes and values.

• How does this view of the mind differ from modern psychology?

 
 
 
 

• Why are we surprised when unbelievers cannot form right judgments?

 
 
 
 

• How can one renew their mind? [See Romans 12:2]

 
 
 
 
do what ought not to be done… sin of commission
            Also, sin of omission: not doing what you should
 
            **Confession Handout**
 
The next few verses outline the social problems that result from a debased mind. These are all in the context of relationships.
 
Psalm 81:12: “So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.”
 

• On your own this week, open a newspaper and see if you can find an example of each one of the following sins (vv. 29-32)… and then PRAY!

 
 
Verse 29: They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips
 
This is beyond temptation, this is an indulgence in sin…
Keep in mind 1 Corinthians 10:13-“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
 

 
filled with every kind… saturated, containing as much as possible.
            many different forms of sin.
            God’s X-ray of the human heart

• As you glance through the list, which ones of these are socially acceptable?

 
 
 

• After each one, ask “Lord, is it I? Have I been guilty of this?”

 
 
 
 
It is impossible to live in deep, meaningful community if any of these are present.
 

• wickedness: unrighteousness; failure to adhere to moral principles, commands, or laws; any kind of wrong thinking, speaking, acting or living.

 
[some manuscripts include fornication: It is a general word for any kind of illicit sex (anything contrary to what Godestablished in Genesis 2)]
 

• evil: perverting virtue and moral principles; those who delight in doing what is wrong

 

• greed: covetousness; excessive and immoderate desire of acquiring more and more wealth. Literally-an itch for more; found in every sphere of life; the craving to have more and more and more. The opposite of covetousness is contentment and satisfaction. Thus it refers to people who are not satisfied with what they have (greedy people).

 

• depravity: malice, pervert virtue

 

• envy: spite and resentment toward success or possessions of another.

            Envy is no small sin…
Matthew 27:18-“For he [Pilate] knew it was out of self-interest [envy] that they had handed Jesus over to him.”
 

• murder: unlawful killing

Jesus widened the meaning of this word to include the spirit of anger and hatred [Matthew 5]
 

• strife: bitter disagreements; contention; wrangling; a quarrelsome disposition

 

• deceit: skilled in deception; a person who tricks and deceives and uses cunning

 

• malice: feel the need to see others suffer; evil disposition, bad manner or character, someone who makes the worst out of the best

 

• gossips: whisperers; secret detractors; clandestine tittle-tattle

 
 
Verse 30: slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents
 

• slanderers: backbiters; attack reputation of another with lies; to say mean or evil things about someone who is not there (if he were there you would never say it), open slander, false charges, false accusations

 

• God-haters: intense dislike
  • What are ways we express our hatred of God in our speech? In thought? In action?

 
 
 

• insolent: offensive, disrespectful acts; one who brings harm or injury to someone; violent

 

• arrogant: proud; unwarranted importance, overbearing pride; continually exalting self and depressing others; delighting in making others feel small.

 

• boastful: self-exalting, self-absorbed, conceit of one’s own superiority

 

• invent ways of doing evil: they devise and contrive and plan what evil thing they can do next.

 

• disobey their parents:
  • Is anybody shocked to see this included in the list?!?

 
 
 
Verse 31: they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.
 

• no understanding: senseless, foolish, undiscerning; lack ability to understand; stupid because they are unwilling to listen to God; spiritually blind

 

• no fidelity: faithless, untrustworthy, covenant-breakers; double-dealing behavior

 

• no love: heartless, lack in affection for others

 

• no mercy: ruthless, unforgiving

 
For other lists of vice’s, see: Romans 13:13; Matthew 15:19; 1 Corinthians 5:10-11, 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 12:20-21; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:31, 5:3-5; Colossians 3:5, 8; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; 2 Timothy 3:2-5; 1 Peter 4:3
 
Verse 32: Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
 
Although they know…
 
 
God’s righteous decree… authoritative rule; 
            Verdict: Guilty
            Sentence: Death
 
that those who do such things… practice, carry on

• Which one of the vices in that list do you need prayer for?

 
 
 
deserve death…
worthy of being treated or recognized
penalty balance the crime
 
they not only continue to do these very things…
It is a lifestyle

• What sin have you normalized to the point that is an ingrained part of your life?

 
 
 
but also approve… give hearty approval; applaud; find pleasure
            applaud over regret…
            Acts 8:1a- “And Saul approved of their killing him…”
 
of those who practice them.

• Who do we secretly envy or give approval to?

 
 
 
This all happens when people abandon the true knowledge of God.
 
Look back at Romans 1:18… THE WRATH OF GOD! God has a very personal anger towards sin, a holy and just revulsion. Wrath is not a very popular topic… But it leads us to the GOSPEL and the deep love of God.
 
Restoration?
Galatians 6:1- “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
 
Discipline found in Matthew 18.
 
Repentance!
 
 
 
Recommended resources for home study of the Bible.
 
Web Pages-
http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.cfm
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://1828.mshaffer.com/
http://www.studylight.org/
 
 
Books on how to study the Bible-

1. “Introduction to Biblical Interpretation” by Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard, Jr. [Really good for learning how to interpret the different literary genres found in the Bible]
2. “Grasping God’s Word” by Duvall and Hays. [It goes through the “Interpretive Journey” and includes a brief history lesson (more detailed in Klein et al), as well as a guide on how to approach the OT and NT genres. This was the main text in my hermeneutics class in seminary.]
3. “Living by the Book” by Hendricks and Hendricks. [If I had only one book to buy from this list, this would be it. A simple and straightforward approach to studying the Bible. Great for the family!]

1. “How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth” by Fee and Stuart. [I did not misspell It’s… Read it closely.]

 
Bible Study Helps-

1. Strong’s Concordance
2. Vine’s Dictionary
3. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary (online above)

1. *******“Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible.” [Has been in print for 35+ years, awesome resource for seeing the big picture.]*********

 
General Commentaries-

1. Chuck Missler’s are good.
2. “Grace New Testament Commentary” by Grace Evangelical Society [2 Volumes]

1. Warren Wiersbe’s are good.

 
Study Bibles-

1. The Ryrie Study Bible
2. Scofiled Study System
3. Life Application Study Bible
4. NIV Study Bible

1. Stewardship Study Bible

 
If you can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend getting Logos Bible Software (logos.com).
 


[1] See list at end of study for recommended resources.

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