1. The State of the world
Looking at Romans 1:18-32

2. The self-revelation of God
He reveals his glory (19,20)
He reveals his wrath (18)
He reveals his righteousness in the gospel (17)
He reveals his power in salvation (16)
Looking at Romans 1: 18-32

3. The wrath of God? Two views
C.H.Dodd: God’s wrath is “wholly impersonal [and is] the inevitable process of sin working itself out in history.”
John Stott: “God’s deeply personal abhorrence of evil.”
Looking at Romans 1: 18-32

4. Against what is God’s wrath directed?
Godlessness (asebeia…..against God)
Wickedness (adikia… against men)
Specifically, against those who suppress the truth (v18) of the knowledge of God (19,20).
GENERAL / Natural REVELATION.
Looking at Romans 1: 18-32

5. How is God’s wrath revealed?
Not Judgement Day (1 Thess) or civil punishment (Rom 14) but NOW
Not by God intervening but by God NOT intervening: “Gave them over.”
Despite their knowledge (21,25,28), they turned to idolatry…
Looking at Romans 1: 18-32

6. What is the consequence of their rejection?
Sexual impurity (24)
Shameful lusts (26)
Depraved minds (28)
Stage 1 vv21-24
Stage 2 vv25-27
Stage 3 vv28-32
Looking at Romans 1: 18-32

7. TASK
On your website, make a careful delineation of these three spiralling stages of depravity.
Looking at Romans 1: 18-32

8. Summary v32 1. They KNOW that these things deserve death
2.They disregard their knowledge and actively encourage others.
There is an antithesis between what people know and what they do.
Looking at Romans 1: 18-32