The One Who Possesses, Enjoys, and Relays the Answer to the Problems of the World (Rom. 1:18-32)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” May the great spiritual blessing of God be upon all of the regional churches that are worshiping with us, including Yakima, Seattle, Burlington Hospital, Mongolia, and Alabama. If you receive God’s grace to understand the content of today’s message well, then your eyes will open to see America. But no matter how long you live in America, if you don’t receive God’s grace to see America with spiritual eyes, you will not be able to see it correctly. For example, why does America continue to face problems, what is the answer to that? Then, how must I live? May you receive God’s grace to receive these answers through today’s worship.
The scripture we read today was a letter that God sent to the Roman church 2000 years ago through the Apostle Paul. During that time, the Roman Empire was a superpower nation that had controlled the world with their military, legal, and economic power. God has given the answer to why there are so many people who are suffering and dying in such a renowned and developed country, through the Bible. I hope you will also find through today’s Word the reason why in America today, there are so many shootings, mental illnesses, and addictions on the rise. You must be able to see through the Word of God in order to accurately diagnose. May you receive God’s grace today.
Romans 1:1-17 is the introduction of the letter sent to the Roman church. Then, Romans 1:18 onward explains the reason why there are disasters in Rome. Around 70 A.D., during the eruption of Pompeii, there was an entire region that was completely wiped out. So, even though Paul could not go to the Roman church personally, he sent them this letter to proclaim the gospel through them.
1. Wrath of God (Rom. 1:18)
1) People who suppress the truth (Rom. 1:18)
In Romans 1:18, Paul writes, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven,” and the “Wrath of God” means God is angry. “Does God get angry? Isn’t it ungodly to get angry? God is angry against one thing only, what is that?” He does not forgive sin. When it comes to sin, God will absolutely lay down the punishment for that. Is that God? You need to understand that in order to be able to interpret all the disasters in the world today, but on whom is this revealed?
(1) Godlessness (Original sin) (Rom. 1:18)
Upon all the godlessness and wickedness of people. The godless or wicked people who suppress the Truth with their wickedness. These people who suppress the Truth with their wickedness.
(2) Wickedness – Images of sin revealed (Rom. 1:18)
These people who suppress the truth with their wickedness are godless and wicked. The fact that they are godless means that they do not want to place God in their hearts—it says here, “godlessness,” that is the state of Original Sin, it is the sin from the state of our heart. “I don’t want to place God in my heart”—that is Original Sin. As a result of that Original Sin and the state of my heart, there comes the wickedness and actions that we can see.
Romans 5:12 says that sin entered into the world through one man, and as a result of that sin, we have death. There is the physical death on earth, and there is the eternal, spiritual death. Because of that sin, the sin is found in all humans, now. In that sin, death has come to all people. When you’re already dead, you cannot do anything to save yourself. We were in a state of spiritual death because we were separated from God, and that results in physical death, too. Then that means today, you have to eat just to die. Today, you have to go to college just so you can die. You have to work so hard to maintain your health, just to die in the end. Then that is your predetermined life plan, and it turns out it’s all useless.
(3) Revealed from heaven (Rom. 1:18)
That wrath was revealed from heaven. It is not given to you by humans. The kingdoms of the world that are made by humans can take multiple forms, but the wrath against sin comes from heaven.
2) God has made it plain to them (Rom. 1:19)
(1) Godlessness and wickedness of people (Rom. 1:19)
Romans 1:19, “Since what may be known about God is plain to them,” so even though these people are rejecting and opposing God, God has placed inside each of them, a conscience or a longing for eternity. So, as people live their lives, sometimes they ask, “Why was I born?” and, “What’s going to happen when I die?”
(2) What may be known about God (Rom. 1:19)
God placed these thoughts into us. Because we were created as the image of God, even if that image has been broken because of sin, it still remains inside of us. So, in order to find the answer to these questions God has placed in us, we study religions and philosophy.
(3) Since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen (Rom. 1:20)
Romans 1:20, “Since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen in what He has created.” What’s important here is that God has placed His essence inside of His creation so that people may know Him, that God has created all of creation, all of the universe so that people can know Him. When you go to the hospital and study the human body, you realize that this was not created coincidentally, it was made by someone. As people look out at nature and they look at the changing of the seasons, they naturally come to the conclusion that there is a Creator. As people look at the sun and the moon and the stars and the orbits of the celestial universe, they come to the conclusion that there is a Creator, so that we cannot make excuses. Nobody can say, “I didn’t know, I never heard this.”
3) Became fools (Rom. 1:22)
(1) Neither glorified him nor gave thanks to him (Rom. 1:21)
Rom. 1:21 says, “Although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him.” Already, if you do not know God, you are foolish. They thought they were wise, but they became fools.
(2) Thinking – Became futile (Rom. 1:21)
Their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. One day, you will have this thought, “What am I living for?” If you just come to your senses a little bit, you’ll think like that.
(3) Foolish hearts – Darkened (Rom. 1:21)
Right now, you might not think like that because you’re so bound by your obsession that you’re being dragged through life with no time to think, but if you just stop for a moment and think, “What am I living for?” you’ll realize, we’re all just racing towards death. Because we don’t want to place God in our hearts, our thoughts become futile and our thinking becomes dark.
2 Cor. 4:3 says the gospel has been hidden from those who are perishing; the Gospel is veiled to those who are perishing, why? Because their thoughts and their hearts become futile and dark. 2 Cor. 4:4 says the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God. We are born with a state of our heart and mind like this, and we think that we can live life well if we just work hard and succeed. Even if you do succeed, and you do live your life diligently, you cannot change the futility of your mind. Your heart gets darker and darker, so no matter how much you try to smile on the outside, you can’t.
2. Images that are revealed
1) Claimed to be wise (Rom. 1:22, Gen. 3:6)
Then, Romans also says, “They claimed to be wise.” It says here that nobody else called them wise; they called themselves wise.
(1) Became own god (Gen. 3:5)
In Gen. 3, when Adam and Eve had a desire to no longer live with God but live on their own as their own god, when they looked at the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, it looked desirable for gaining wisdom. So, wisdom comes from God, but because we have sin and we do not want to place God in our hearts, we think we are wise and claim to be wise. So, all of the people who claim to be the wisest people on earth are foolish in God’s eyes. In 1 Cor., God says He will shame the wise of the world. Wisdom comes only from Christ. Even King Solomon received wisdom from Christ.
(2) Exchanged the glory of God for idols (Rom. 1:23)
Because they become wise, what they do is worship idols. What is an idol? Human beings are created to glorify God, but now because we try to reject God, we try to glorify ourselves. So, to fill our own greed, we worship images or physical things we desire.
(3) Exchanged the truth about God for a lie (Rom. 1:25)
Rom. 1:25 says, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie.” This is not just about Rome; this is everywhere in the world today. No matter where you go in the world, because their thoughts and hearts are foolish and darkened, people worship idols. If you go to a less affluent nation, they have visible images they bow down to and ask to get food. But if you go to a very wealthy nation like America, people have placed and worship their own selves as their idol. The result of that is this ideology of individualism that is inside of us. The standard of everything I live my life with is “me.” The postmodern age, that becomes an idol, so whatever I feel is the “truth.” So, everyone becomes centered on how they feel, as their own god, centered on themselves. To summarize idolatry, we are not God, but we are trying to live like God, so of course, we have a greed that cannot be filled. What we try to fill our greed with is our idol.
It says God left them to the shame of their greed. The most severe punishment is God leaving us alone apathetically. At least, when He is interfering with our lives, it’s because He loves us. However, nonbelievers think, “I’m living my life however I want, and if God exists, let Him try to stop me.” Do you know what happened in Colorado over this weekend? If you’re curious, you can check it out next year. Throughout the long weekend, there were many young adults and adolescents who gathered in Colorado to have drug and sex parties, enjoying that in the nude. These are the things I’ve learned as I went to Arizona for ministry. Before, they used to go to Mexico to participate in that activity, and God just lets them do it, and the way they think is, “Well, if God exists, He’s just letting me do whatever I want,” and they say, “Nothing bad is happening to me.”
But if God is alive, He will interfere with those who believe in Him. If there are any of you who believe, “I am a child of God, but if I live my life without worship and without God’s Word, nothing bad will happen,” trust me, one day, God will intercede in your life. Because you are a child of God, He will discipline you. But the way that person feels is suffering. But for nonbelievers, God lets them stay like that. When do they face disasters? When they have filled God’s patience level, then they will face disasters. The Israelites had to go into the land of Canaan to conquer it, but God said, “It is not time yet.” It says in the Bible that “God is waiting because the wickedness of the Canaanites has not reached its full measure.” Then, in God’s time schedule, when the full extent of that wickedness is met, then disasters come.
2) God gave them over
(1) Sinful desires of their hearts – Degrading of their bodies with one another (Rom. 1:24)
During this biblical time in the Roman empire, the Roman emperors would practice homosexuality. In 70 A.D., the entire region of Pompeii was wiped out because of the explosion.
(2) Men and women abandoned natural relations (Rom. 1:26-27)
Let us summarize, as a result of the sin of not wanting to place God inside of our hearts, our thoughts and our hearts become foolish and darkened, and as a result, we have a greed that brings about disasters. Then, God gave them over to their shameful lusts, even women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, and men also abandoned natural relations with women and were filled with lust for one another.
(3) Received in themselves the due penalty for their error (Rom. 1:27)
They committed shameless acts with men and received the due penalty for their perversion. Homsexuality existed more than 2000 years ago, and it even existed 6000 years ago with Sodom and Gomorrah in the age of Abraham. Why do you think these things have no choice but to happen as humans unite? It’s a result of not wanting to place God inside of my heart, because of that insatiable greed, it takes me all the way to homosexuality. California says that’s legal, but that’s just the laws of the world. God says that’s a sin, why? Because you’ve cast God out of your heart. If God were holding onto you, you wouldn’t have strayed that far, but God lets you. They’ve already received the punishment for their perversion in their bodies.
People will pull all their authority, all of their money, all of their resources to do whatever they want to do, and there are even people who indulge in pedophilia. Those things of sexual immorality existed even in the Roman Empire. When people reach these positions of power, because they don’t have God inside of them, they still have this unsatisfied greed, they will use all of their money and power to do these things to other people. This isn’t something we should laugh about. We can become like that, too. You just can’t because you don’t have enough power and money right now. If God is inside of your heart, then God will control your thoughts and your actions so you’re not like that, but if you don’t want to put God in your heart, then you will go down the same path, too.
3) God gave them over
(1) Depraved mind – Not worthwhile to retain God (Rom. 1:28)
They did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over a depraved mind and they did what ought not to be done, meaning, they shouldn’t have done that. What was the result?
(2) They do what ought not to be done (Rom. 1:28-31)
It’s all the things of the verses from Rom. 1:29-31. It says, “They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” Why did these problems happen in society? We cannot change this with education, we think we can change this with American education? That’s a lie, we cannot. But when we place God into our hearts, then God begins to move. We keep trying to change people with education, but it’s not working because our thoughts are already foolish and our hearts are already darkened. The result is these continuous betrayals and bad things. Even if people don’t want to be boastful, it just naturally happens already because their thoughts and their heart are diseased.
(3) Approve of those who practice them (Rom. 1:32)
“Although they know God’s righteous decree, that those who do such things deserve death,” they not only continue to do them, but approve of those who practice them. Why do you think God told these words to the Roman Church? God is telling them that you can be like this, too, if you don’t know Christ, that where you’re living right now, in Rome, the Gentiles are living in this state. That’s why Paul is saying, “There is nothing that can change this other than the gospel alone.” You must diagnose the problem correctly to reach the correct answer. Through God’s Word, you must be able to diagnose yourself, accurately. That answer is only the gospel alone; there is no other answer. But if we don’t know this, then we keep mixing it up; we first hold onto the gospel and then religion and then, “What I want.” For humans who are created in God’s image, God must be with us. Where is God with us? He must be with our thoughts and our emotions, then our thoughts and emotions will become normal. Then, the things that are not good, all your bad habits, change. This was the Word the Apostle Paul delivered to the church in Rome because God revealed the field to Him.
3. Only Gospel (Rom. 1:16)
1) Message of the cross
(1) Those who are perishing – Foolishness (1 Cor. 1:18)
1 Cor. 1:18 says that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. They say, “I don’t need that,” but they are perishing. However, for us who are being saved, it is the power of God. Then the wisdom of God is to save those who are perishing by the foolishness of evangelism because there is no other way, other than evangelism, to teach people God’s Word. But foolish evangelism is God’s wisdom. The wisdom that the wise people of the world are talking about is not wisdom in God’s eyes. And so the members of the Roman church must hold onto the wisdom of God and save the Gentiles of Rome. And inside of this is contained all wisdom and mysteries. Without this, what can you do? If I’m a child of God who is saved, what must I live for? I need to save Rome, I need to tell all the people around me by evangelizing the gospel. But people are ashamed of this, why? It’s because they don’t know what happens when we do not place in our hearts.
(2) Those who are being saved – Power of God (1 Cor. 1:18)
We must live by God’s wisdom. The wisdom of God is proclaiming and evangelizing this gospel. Your job, your studies, all of the power and authority of your life comes from this wisdom of God. Everything else might be called wise by the world,” but it will bring you shame. “Oh, I lived so diligently by the methods of the world,” then, later on, you’ll have nothing. There are some people who hate the word, “Evangelism.” It’s not because they are a bad person, they are only thinking like that because they don’t know what happens when the gospel does not come into us.
(3) God’s wisdom – Through the foolishness of what was preached to save (1 Cor. 1:21)
When it says in Romans that these people suppress the truth, it means they are blocking the gospel, and what we will read next week is what will happen to the Jews. Paul is diagnosing why the Jewish people, who had the scriptures and worship, still failed. They did not know the value of this gospel. Because they didn’t know, they crucified Jesus. The 66 books of the Bible are.revealing Jesus, but we keep looking at something else. We look at the way to success, or the way to live a nice life. Or, we keep researching how I can hear what I want to hear, what I want to get. But if you realize what happens to humans when we don’t hold onto only the gospel, then you will hold onto only the gospel.
2) Jesus Christ
(1) New creation (2 Cor. 5:17)
There is no other answer for us, so 2 Cor. 5:17 says we are a new creation in Christ. The problem of our sin which causes our Original Sin and our actions of sin has been paid for by Christ on the cross. Now, I’m changed, I’m a new creation, I’m no longer someone who doesn’t want God in their heart, I’m someone who does want God. In other words, the old “me” died on the cross with Christ, and who is that “me”? The old “me” that did not want me to place God in my heart has died on the cross. Now, I’m changed to a new “me” that lives a life united with the life of Christ, in faith. But for us, this state goes back and forth. That is why every day you must confess, “I died on the cross,” like Paul. If you are changed into a new creation, where will you confirm that?
(2) With Christ – Death, Living life (Gal. 2:20)
You must confirm yourself through the cross. You must confirm every day that you must deny yourself and crucified yourself on the cross to confirm your new self. So, when I wake up in the morning and say, “Oh, I’m a pastor,” I will die. But if I say, “I am someone who died on the cross with Christ, and now Christ lives inside of me,” then, that becomes the new life with the cross. Then your thoughts and your heart will change. If your thoughts and your hearts are incorrect, you may work diligently, but it’s all useless. You waste your entire life, looking for something that has nothing to do with God. Then, later on, when you’re facing death, you’ll realize, “I wasted my entire life to live a physical, temporary life.” I’ve seen a lot of death, too.
(3) Face death every day (1 Cor. 15:31)
Do you know what the common words of nonbelievers are? I’ve heard a lot of nonbelievers say, “Life is meaningless.” They say, “Life is fleeting, it comes and goes, and there’s nothing left to show for it,” “I worked so hard all my life, from elementary school, getting a job, living a life, and I realize it was all to maintain my physical life, and now I’m dying anyways, it’s all useless.” That’s just how people have to live if they do not receive God’s grace. Are there any of you who have received God’s grace but are still living like that?
3) Only Holy Spirit
(1) Thoughts, Heart – Filling of the Holy Spirit
Every day, we keep going back to being without God, but if we go back to being without God, then our thoughts and hearts become futile. That is why I must die every day, that is how I can confirm coming to life correctly. I must live my life with the thoughts and heart of living with the Lord, then my spirit and mind come to life. No matter what problem you’re facing, it cannot overcome life, life will save your problem. That is why I hope you will pray every single day for the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ to fill your thoughts, heart, and mind. You need to study and work like this. Even people who are diseased do not focus on that, but instead, concentrate on the Spirit of God, controlling my thoughts and spirit. If your thoughts and your hearts are firmly controlled by the Spirit of God, your body will come to life. Then, you will become wise to how you must do your physical work.
(2) Filling of the word
That is how you will be filled with God’s Word, that is wisdom. That is being one with the gospel. That is the blessed one in Psalm 1, “Blessed is he who meditates on the Word of God, day and night.” For the people who love to have God’s Word in their hearts and their minds, they are blessed, and for those people, the more time passes, the more fruits they will bear. What is the first thing we must do? We place the Word of Jesus Christ into our thoughts and heart. That’s all we do, but as time passes, nothing is a problem for me anymore. Your family problems, addiction problems, mental problems—God is the Word. No matter how much you try to solve the problem in your life, you cannot solve them, because you already have that problem. No matter what you try to do, it will never change until your thoughts and heart change. Just like Heb. 4:12, the Word of God, sharper than a double-edged sword, must heal our thoughts and spirit. When you’re worshiping on the Lord’s day and you’re concentrating on God’s Word, the works of healing are already taking place. There are people in the church who have received healing of longtime physical illnesses and are doing ministry now. Even people who have anxiety or panic disorders are healed by God’s Word. People who are addicted to substances and drugs are also healed by God’s Word. That is the power of God’s Word.
So, blessed is the one who loves to place God’s Word in their hearts. In other words, blessed is the one who fears the Lord. Fear of God is the root of wisdom and knowledge. So, always make your decision standing in front of God. But if you stand before people and there’s no one around you, then you think, “Oh, I can get away with this,” then that is a failure, but the people who fear God will not fear anything in the world, but if somebody does not fear God, then without a doubt, they will have fears about the things of the world. That is the beginning of Adam and Eve’s mental problems, but if we want to place God in our hearts, then the fear will go away. So, in conclusion, the greatest and best way is to place the Word of God into our hearts to heal our thoughts and our minds and guide our paths with wisdom and life. Those are the people who, even if they stay still, God will attach people to them. God moves all people and all things. If our spiritual state is corrected and fixed, then we will go down the path that saves.
(3) World – Witness of the Gospel
Throughout the week, may you know the problems of the world correctly and because you all have the answer, may you enjoy and testify of it.
Let us pray together to God holding onto the Word we have received, and you must decide today that you will hold onto this world and go out into the rest of the week. If you have not been able to receive God’s Word, then listen to it again until you do.
Conclusion
1. With God
2. Walk with God
3. Power of God – Work of changing spiritual state
Message Prayer
Let us pray holding onto the Word we have received.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We give all our praise and glory to the God Who has shown us the real problems through the Word and given us the answer. We desire to believe in and walk with the accurate Jesus Christ Who is the answer to all problems. Allow us to walk down the path of missions and evangelism, receiving Your wisdom to testify the way of salvation. We pray that the materials You give us will be blessed to be used towards this purpose, and may it be used for this work to all nations and tribes to the ends of the earth. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Announcements
1. 7/9-11 Seattle, Yakima Ministry
2. 7/10-12 LA Regional Youth Retreat
3. 12:30pm Church meeting
4. Offering can be given to the church venmo: @Antiochmissionchurch
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, guidance, fellowship, and working of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the future generations who desire to place the Word of God into their hearts and live walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, be with them from now until forevermore always, amen.