Lawrence Taylor Ministry

Guest (Male): Hello and welcome to Teaching the Word with Dr. Lawrence Taylor. Each and every week, Dr. Taylor will be sharing a relevant message from the Scriptures designed to inform and instruct us in the ways of our God. Dr. Taylor has been the pastor of Kenilworth Baptist Church in the Midwood section of Brooklyn for the past 22 years. He brings a wealth of experience to each broadcast, having been a New York City public school teacher and a theology professor. Stay tuned to the end of the broadcast to find out how to stream today's message. And now, here's Dr.

Taylor.

Lawrence Taylor: Last time when we were together, we examined the first 17 verses of Romans chapter 1. There we had the salutation, the introduction, and the theme of the letter. Let us remind you again, the theme of this letter is verses 16 and 17. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, then to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. So, the apostle Paul mentions the gospel, but he doesn't go into detail of what the gospel is about.

Actually, he doesn't do that until you get to chapter 3 beginning at verse 21. At this portion from verses 8 from verse 18 of chapter 1 all the way to chapter 3 verse 20, what Paul demonstrates is the need for the gospel. Before he tells you what the gospel is, he tells you why you need it. And it's as if he draws a picture of a tribunal. The whole human race is at this tribunal, and God is the judge. The first group to stand before the tribunal are the Gentiles. And that's who he's dealing with in this portion chapter 1 verses 18 to 32.

Let us note what he says. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold down the truth in unrighteousness. By the way, to note uh my translation may be a little different than yours because I'm translating directly from the Greek text. So, I'm not using an English translation. But the way I understand this uh is that Paul says that the wrath of God is a revelation. Well, he already used the word revelation or revealed in verse 17. Notice in verse 17 he says for in it, that is the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed.

Now, he says the wrath of God is revealed. Isn't it interesting? The wrath of God, that wrath that belongs to God, that wrath that is peculiar only to God. He says that that is being revealed right now. And note the source. It is from heaven. Note its object against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. What does Paul mean by the wrath of God? Well, the wrath of God is not a new concept. You see it often in the Old Testament Scriptures. Not only do you have references to the wrath of God, but you have manifestations or evidence of that wrath.

If you note when God destroyed the world by a flood, that was the evidence of the wrath of God. When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, that was the wrath of God. When God knocked down the Tower of Babel, that was an example of the wrath of God. When God had Achan stoned, that was an example of the wrath of God. These are all examples of the wrath of God. You see it over and over again. In the book of Revelation chapter 6, it says the people cried out in verse 16 telling the mountains and the rocks to fall on them and to save them from the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.

It's the same word. You have a reference to that wrath in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10, the coming wrath. Also in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 9. The interesting thing about those references is that the wrath is something that is to come. It is future. But here in our text in verse 18, this is not referring to a future wrath. It is talking about something that is a present reality because the verb revealed is in the present tense. Literally, what it says is that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven. So, it's sources from heaven and it's being revealed at this time.

What conditions incur the wrath of God? Sin. That it's what it takes. Sin incurs the wrath of God. And so this picture of a tribunal tells us that God's wrath is against the sinner. Note, it says that they suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. So, the notion is this, that they hold it down. Now, Paul divides this argument up in chapter 1 verses 18 to 32. From from verses 18 to 23 he talks about the fact that human beings have no excuse. And then from 24 to 32 he talks about the particular sins of the Gentile world.

Now, there are two aspects of his argument here that I find fascinating. And that is that that in verse 19, which may be known of God, has been manifested in them, for God has manifested it in them. So, this argument that Paul uses is the argument of intuition. Intuitively, people know that there is a God. No matter how much they may try to rationalize, no matter how may how they may try to explain this away and defend their unbelief, they know that there is a God because God has put that knowledge in them. That's what Paul says.

They know it intuitively. But not only do they know it intuitively, but he says in verse 20 for the invisible things from the creation of the world that have been made are clearly seen. And therefore, he says you can also see the evidence of the existence of God. This is what's known as the cosmological argument. You could look at nature. You can look at the cosmos. You can look at the universe. And there is evidence that there is a God. Now, this is what theologians refer to as natural revelation. People know it intuitively. People can look at the universe and witness the existence of God.

That's natural evidence. What does that kind of evidence give you? That kind of knowledge? Well, it tells you that God exists. It doesn't tell you how to get right with God. For that kind of information, for that you need special revelation, not just a general or natural revelation. And that comes through the gospel. But as a result of their own hardness, they rejected what God put inside them so that they can know who he is. And they their their their minds would were corrupted. Literally, it says in verse 21 because knowing God, they did not glorify him as God or were thankful, but became morons.

That's literally what the Greek word says. They became morons in their reasoning and their understanding of their hearts were darkened. So, they became corrupt in their own thinking because they didn't want to know God. Let's face it. Having a knowledge of God cramps people's style. It's an encroachment on their lifestyle. They don't want to know God because if they know God, that means that they will have to change their ways because God demands certain things of us. And you should always keep this in mind. You don't come to God on your terms. You come to God on his terms.

Well, people don't want that. So, as a result, they professed to be wise, but they were foolish. Or again, the Greek word there is that they became morons. And they exchanged the glory of God into the likeness of corruptible man and four-footed beasts and creeping things and birds. That's what we're told. They would They'd rather worship roaches and bugs than to worship the true God of the universe. You know uh in if you take any course on religion, they will tell you that human beings were once polytheistic. That is that they believed in many gods.

And then they became uh monotheistic. And then they became monotheistic. Well, this is uh the other way around if you think about it. Paul says, no, that's not true. What he says is that they believed in one God at one time and then they changed it so they could believe in many gods, gods that look like them, gods that acted like them, gods that were corrupted like them because they felt comfortable with those kinds of gods. And then as a result, we have this expression in verse 24. God gave them up. You see it in verse 24.

You see the same expression again uh in verse 26. And you see it in verse 28. God gave them up. What does that mean? Well, what it means is that this is how the wrath of God is manifested at this present time. People persisted and insisted on following their own corrupt practices. So, God allowed them to do it. He just let them go so that they could pursue their corrupt ways and that they would experience the full consequences of their rebellion and disobedience. That's the picture that Paul gives us here. Now, he also talks about the fact that uh they gave themselves over to sexual immorality.

What he means by that is that many of the practices that were adopted, sexual practices, he said were an example of just God's judgment. They wanted to pursue this. So, homosexual practices he describes as God giving them over to those passions. But that is is his judgment. And I want to say something about that. God condemns the practice of homosexuality. But we have to be very careful about particular rising sin because there are those who look at the practice of homosexuality and say that's worse than other kinds of sinful practices. God does not particularize sin.

I remember when I was a student in the mid-70s uh at Brooklyn College many years ago. And there was a homosexual club on campus. And a number of the students along with the faculty advisor wanted to go out and boycott and demonstrate against that club. And I said, I'm not going to engage in that. And the reason that I gave is because God does not particularize sin. Sin is sin. But then I told the faculty advisor and the students, I'll make a deal with you. If you want to go out and protest and demonstrate against the homosexuals, let's do that on Monday.

But on Tuesday, let's go out and protest against the fornicators. And Wednesday, let's go out and protest against the adulterers. And and and maybe Thursday we can go out and protest against people who cheat on their taxes. Because God does not particularize sin. There's a whole litany of sins that the apostle Paul listed here. And I want you to note something. When Paul talks about these sinful practices of the Gentiles, he's not talking about civilizations that people would consider unsophisticated. He's writing to Rome, what was believed to be the capital of the Western world, the height of Western civilization.

And he delineates the sinful practices of the Western world and said, you're so developed, but in the sight of God, you're not. And so he says that they are full of sin. And by the way, I want you to also note uh that not only does he give us a list of the practices of these uh Gentiles, but he also tells us that their sins were also applauded and practiced by those who like to watch watch them. You see that in the very last verse of this passage. Uh in verse 32 he says, those who know the righteous requirements of God practice know that people who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but they give their approval to those who practice them.

Well, you know what that means, people. It means that you don't just practice, but you like to watch and applaud and encourage those kinds of practices also. Well, now, here's a question. If the apostle Paul is giving giving us a description of the Gentile world in chapter 1 verses 18 to 32, who was he addressing in chapter 2 verse 1 when he says, but you, oh man, are without excuse. The one who judges, for in that you judge another, you judge yourself. For you practice the same thing it's also. So, who is he referring to when he addresses that person, when he says, oh man, that that vocative, that direct address?

Well, uh there are those who say that he's addressing the philosopher. Then there are those who say that, no, he's addressing Jews. And then there are those who say he's addressing the moralists. I don't think there's any need to speculate about this. While he doesn't use the word Jew in verse 1 of chapter 2, he does use it in verse 17. In verse 17, if you note, he says, but if you call yourself a Jew, well, note that. And you take pride in boast in the law in in God. Well, I want you to note that that is a direct address also, but he names the person that he's referring to.

So, isn't it interesting that he starts off in chapter 1 verse 18 talking about the need for the gospel and the first group that he addresses are Gentiles. But then in chapter 2, he now addresses Jewish people. The picture is, I think, quite clear that Paul is putting all humanity uh at this trial under condemnation. He's saying that God has declared that every person, whether that person be a Jew or a Gentile, is condemned by God. And so in chapter 2, he begins addressing Jewish people because after all the interlocutor, the person who Paul often interacts with in this letter, the person who raises objections may say, wait a minute.

Those practices that you just described in chapter 1 verses 18 to 32, well, yeah, of course, those are Gentiles. What would you expect from Gentiles? After all, that's what Gentiles do. But we are Jews. Well, Paul now turns his attention to the Jew. And he says, ah, well, let me describe also your condition before God. And let us remember that that is a theme that's resonant throughout this gospel that everyone is under condemnation, whether Jew or whether Gentile. The reason why everyone is under condemnation is because everyone is in need of the gospel. There is not a person who walks this earth doesn't need Jesus.

Every person needs Jesus. And so that's why Paul addresses it the way he does. And let me tell you, he gives a summation to his argument in chapter 3 verse 10 by saying they are none righteous. No, not one. What an approach to the gospel. The first thing he does is show why you need the gospel. And he concludes everyone is in need of the gospel. There is not a person, as I said, who walks this earth who doesn't need Jesus. We all need the gospel. And you really can't get right with God. You really can't have good right standing with God until you first recognize your need.

The way this is presented is different from a lot of the stuff that we hear preached today. Kind of stuff we hear preached today is, well, you know, like listen, you need Jesus because you need a friend. You need Jesus because you're lonely. You need Jesus because you need your bills paid. You need Jesus for a whole variety of reasons. And it's just great because once you have Jesus, you'll be on top. Uh you'll be triumphant. Uh you'll get all your bills paid. Uh and and and and and just goes on and on and on and on.

But I would liken it to a situation where a man who or a woman falls into the ocean and they're drowning. They can't swim. And somebody comes by on a boat and sees that person drowning. And he looks at that person and he says, do you need a friend? Are you lonely? Do you need your bills paid? No, that person needs a savior. He needs someone to pull him out of the water and put him on the boat. And that's the gospel.

Guest (Male): Thank you for listening to today's program. This broadcast is an extension of the ministry of Dr. Lawrence Taylor and the Kenilworth Baptist Church. To stream today's message, please go to lawrencetaylorministry.com and click on lawrencetaylorministry/message. Please join us again next week at the same time for Teaching the Word with Dr. Lawrence Taylor.