The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the word made plain with senior pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, pastor Tony is teaching through the book of Romans. Please open your Bible to Romans chapter 1 verses 18 through 20.

Tony Clark: All right, let's dive into the word of God together. Turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 1. As we continue our verse by verse study of the book of Romans on Sunday mornings and as you know, we're in 1 Samuel on Wednesday nights going through the Old Testament verse by verse and chapter by chapter. And here we are in Romans 1. We're going to be looking at verses 18 to 20. And Father, thank you for this great opportunity we have to open up your word. We pray that you would open up our hearts to the truths of your word.

Lord, thank you that you didn't just leave us here to try to figure things out, but you've given us this book to lead us and guide us. You've given us your Holy Spirit to give us the understanding and so Lord, we pray that you will give that understanding to us this morning in Jesus name. Amen. All right, Romans chapter 1 looking at verses 18 to 20. The title of this message is when God gives up part 1. When God gives up part 1. I I don't know about you, but what a very terrifying statement. When God gives up.

I mean, I don't know about you, but you know, God who is the epitome of patience. God who in um Ephesians 2:4 who is rich in mercy that there can come a time by which God gives up. This is not a new statement because in Genesis 6:3 he said my spirit shall not always strive with man. So we see that there is times by which God will say enough is enough. What is it that we as mankind that we can do that we can push God to the limit who is the epitome of patience. We can push him to a limit where God says enough is enough.

What is it that we can do? What is it that we're doing that is showing that we're going to that point? We are about to hit that wall. We're about to move up to that part where God is going to say just enough is enough. What is it that we can do as a society? What can we do as a people that will make the most patient loving God say I've had enough. I've had enough. These verses is going they're going to introduce this idea to us, but the rest of the chapter is going to paint a very bleak picture of our world.

And when we finish up this chapter, you're going to shake your head and say I understand now why God said and is saying enough is enough. By way of background just to remind you this this chapter it it paints a very bleak and dismal picture of mankind's predicament before holy God. As we make our way through it, we will see how God is going to say enough is enough. Look at verses 18 to 20 and we're going to come back and dissect them piece by piece. Notice what it says there. It says for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because what may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them.

For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse. Now I want to bring you back up to verse 18 and we're going to dissect these verses like a skilled surgeon operating on someone. Notice the first part of verse 18. It says for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven. Now we just saw God's righteousness revealed through the gospel in verse 17 and now we will see his righteousness in his wrath against evil.

The Greek word for wrath is orgi and and it means a settled determined indignation, not an uncontrolled emotional anger that we display. That that's the Greek word thumos if he was describing that, but that's not the Greek word used here. God's attributes are balanced out by his perfection. The scary part is that it is called the wrath notice of God. It will be like nothing we can ever conjure up with or ever can imagine. There is a time of God's wrath. Paul tells us that it is revealed. The Greek word for revealed is apokalupto and it means an uncovering bringing something to light that describes making something known.

And this is why studying the entire Bible which is what we do is so important because in it we see throughout the history of mankind God's wrath being poured out on sinful people. All through the worldwide flood in Genesis chapter 7 we see his wrath being poured out through the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. And through the 10 plagues that came upon the Egyptians in Exodus chapters 7 through 10 that ended with the Egyptian army drowned when the Red Sea covered them just to name a few. In Romans chapter 15 verse 4 it tells us why these things are recorded for us.

It says for whatever things were written before were written for our learning. Why? That we through the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. In other words, the things were written in the Bible are for our learning. We're supposed to learn some lessons from them so we can avoid those things the people of old did that brought God's wrath upon them. See God will not allow mankind to go on infinitely in their own sin or anymore than a doctor would allow his patients to go on with cancer. So God's wrath is revealed. Notice the location from heaven.

Why is that emphasized? So you can understand where it comes from and you cannot be mistaken who's the one bringing down the wrath. And it's notice he says his wrath is against whom? Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men verse 18 says. Now in this statement we see that God's wrath is universal are being poured out against notice all who deserve it. No one is exempt who doesn't deserve it. No this is not the wrath of a mad man lashing out not caring who is injured or killed. We see this in mass shootings. No, God's wrath is not like that.

Nor is it the anger we display that is rooted in revenge for the wrong done to us. No, God's wrath is directed notice at sin. The sin is summed up in two categories. Number one, ungodliness and number two, unrighteousness of men. Ungodliness the Greek word is asebeia and it is sin against God. And unrighteousness adikia is the Greek word there. It is sin against our fellow man. Now these Greek words are also synonyms with the first word asebeia stressing something being off in our relationship with God. The second word adikia focuses on a sinning against each other.

However, notice ungodliness will lead to unrighteousness. See when our relationship with God is off, it will lead to our relationship with our fellow man being off. Oh just look at the world today. It shows that mankind is primed for God wrath to be revealed because of the ungodliness towards God which has led to our unrighteousness against each other. People know what they are doing is in right. Everyone knows right from wrong. Now how can I know this? Look at the third part of verse 18. Notice it says who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Now the Greek word for suppress is kaecho and it's a word that means to hold down.

It means to withhold. It means to suppress. And it's an amazing Greek word. This word speaks of those who suppress or hold down the truth so they can live like they want to live. And you have to know what the truth is in order for you to hold it down. They suppress the truth. How? Notice in unrighteousness. John 3 in verse 19 says and this is condemnation that light has come into the world referring to Jesus and notice this last phrase and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. When we love our darkness that we're living in, we will suppress or hold down the truth or what we know is right in order for us to continue in our sin.

The question is are you doing this today? Let me encourage you to repent and turn away from your sin because 1 Timothy 4:2 talks about having your conscience seared with a hot iron. Meaning that we can sin or suppress the truth hold it down so many times that that our conscience becomes seared like a piece of fabric under a hot iron. Oh we've all here. We sitting here. We've all have left a hot iron on a piece of fabric too long to where it it it's seared or burned it in that area. Or in other words, we can suppress the truth so much that we sear our conscience in that area.

To the point where we no longer sense God or his word convicting us in that area any longer. Which deceives us. Watch this. Which deceives us into thinking either God approves of what we're doing or or he doesn't care about what we're doing. No, it's not that he cares. He's been convicting you of it, but you've seared your conscience in that area where you no longer feel that prodding and that conviction any longer. Verse 19 takes takes us deeper on this subject. Look what it says there in verse 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them.

Now in this verse, Paul is telling the Roman believers why God's wrath is revealed. Notice that this verse starts off with because. Now the first word of this verse says because. Why? Well, what may be known of God is manifest. Notice the location in them through their conscience. Now conscience is a beautiful word. It comes from two Latin words con which means with and science which means knowledge. And Paul is saying that mankind is sinning with the knowledge that what they are doing is in direct violation of God. How is that? Well, in Romans chapter 2 in verse 15 it says that the law of God which is the 10 Commandments is written on every man's conscience accusing him or else excusing him.

The 10 Commandments are telling everyone that it is wrong to steal, to lie, to murder, to disobey your parents, to use God's name in vain and commit adultery just to name a few. But mankind takes this knowledge that their conscience is giving them and they suppress it or hold it down so that it no longer convicts them in that particular area so they can continue to do what they want to do. This is the first way God has revealed himself to mankind through number one, his conscience. The second way we see is in verse 20.

Notice what it says there. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse. The second way God has revealed himself to mankind is through number two, creation. Creation testifies that God exists. Creation shouts that there is a creator. A design shows that there is a designer. A building shows that there was a builder. In Psalm 19 verses 1 to 3 it says the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament or the sky shows his handywork.

Day and today they utter speech. Night unto night they reveal knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. David is saying who wrote this Psalm that creation is screaming shouting that there is a creator. Day and night creation is telling us that God exists and there is no language on the earth that creation is not speaking shouting testifying that there is a creator. However, I am amazed astonished marveled mesmerized that mankind can admire and acknowledge the artistic works of Picasso and Vincent van Gogh and Michelangelo but deny the artistic design of the creator God.

I'm amazed by this. Mankind looks at and marvels at the creation and says with a straight face there is no creator God. I remember talking to a group of uh atheists on social media and I said what I just said a design shows that there is a designer. I said a building shows that there is a builder. A painting shows that there was a painter. I said but you're going to look at creation and say that there is no creator. I said how can you do that with a straight face? How can you admire all the wonders of creation?

How a caterpillar can turn into a butterfly and and how all these things happen? And you can just look with a straight face and say that there is no creator. It's as if you look at the painting the the the the the majesty of Picasso. And you look at that and say hey this is the result of an explosion that took place at a color shop. And all of a sudden after the explosion this painting came about. You I will insult your intelligence if I tell you that. I said but you can look with a straight face at the marvels of how a sperm and the egg come together inside of a womb and then fingers and arms and legs and eyes and ears and all these things come about.

And you you can look at and say look this is the result of an explosion called the Big Bang theory. I said you cannot look with a straight face and tell me such hogwash such malarkey. You can't do that to me. You can insult my intelligence like that. But this is what they're doing. This is what they're saying. That there is a creation. They acknowledge but there is no creator. I don't know how you do that. How do you do that with a straight face? You know what? The Bible talks about in the book of Peter is talks about how there are some men who are willingly ignorant.

And so they willingly want to be that way. They can see the evidence and say something totally different. That's being willingly ignorant. And I'm amazed at that. Oh Paul says that God's notice his invisible attributes are clearly seen. This means that even though God's attributes are invisible because God is spirit John 4:24 says they can be clearly seen through his creation through the natural processes of cause and effect. So to the cause we're suppressing God's truth in unrighteousness. The effect is the wrath of God is coming upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. This verse also shows us how God will judge the world in places where the gospel has not been preached.

People love to ask questions. They love to ask questions and you know, well, how will God judge the pygmies in Africa and those on those deserted islands where they have not ever seen or had any contact with the outside world. How will God judge them? Well, very easy. He would judge them by the revelation they have been given. They have number one, they're conscious and they have number two, they have creation. This is why America or Americans will be judged harsher because of the revelation of God we have been given. We have churches on every corner, Christian radio, TV, Christian flyers, gospel tracts, Christians on social media with the sharing of sermons and Christian quotes and and church services and Bible verses.

We have Christians going out on the street. We have a team that goes out all the time on once a month on Thursday going out in the community sharing the gospel. See the Bible says in Luke 12 in verse 48 to whom much is given, much is required. And we as a nation has been given much in the area of Christianity. So our judgment will be harsher. So you better start worrying about those pygmies and start worrying about yourself because we have been given such a revelation of God from the time we were conceived as a nation until today.

Our plethora of Christian verses and Bibles and churches and tracts. And now with social media, we can just post for right now at least we can post and then you post too much then you going Facebook jail and and you wait about 30 days before you get out then you start posting all over again you know from there. This is why the last part because of everything we've been given. This is why the last part of verse 20 says they are without excuse. No one in the world can give any excuse to God for why they didn't accept him or walk in his ways.

Why? Why? Because verse 20 says that God's invisible attributes are not only clearly seen through creation, but they also being understood by the things that are made. Even God's eternal power and Godhead or his divinity can be seen through creation. So if this is the case, then why is it that the gospel needs to be preached in all the world like Matthew 24:14 says. Why is it that you know need to be preached to every creature? Why is it that Mark 16 verse 15 says go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature when they have their conscience and the witness of creation.

Why do we need to still preach the gospel to them? Watch this. Because creation God's natural revelation tells us that there is a creator God. But creation alone don't miss this. Creation alone can never tell us what this creator is like. Is he mean? Is he nice? Is he indifferent? Does he even care? See this is why we need God's special revelation which is Jesus Christ seen through his word. It is in God's written revelation through Jesus Christ that we see and know what this creator God is all about. Philip said one of the disciples said show us the Father, Jesus and that'll be sufficient for us.

He said Philip have I not been with you so long? If you've seen me, you've seen the Father. See if you want to know what God is like just look at Jesus Christ. And from Genesis to Revelation, especially in 1 John 4:8 that says that God is love. Yes he is a God of love that most people want to stop right there. The people you come in contact with that don't know God. One thing they do know, well, God is love. And so they're saying since God is love, then he just loves me the way I am and I can do whatever I want to do because it doesn't matter because he still loves me.

And they stop at that one attribute that God is love. Did you know God has other attributes? He does. And the other attributes that he has and one other one is that he is holy. And his holiness must punish sin.

Guest (Male): If the word made plain has been a source of inspiration and encouragement to you, why not consider becoming a word made plain giving partner to keep this listener supported program on the air? As a giving partner, you join forces with Calvary Chapel Newport News's Kingdom Vision of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can make your tax deductible gift online at calvarynn.org or send your gift of any amount to 15553 Warwick Boulevard, Newport News, Virginia 23608 and receive a gift from Calvary Chapel Newport News as our thank you. In addition to your financial support, we ask that you pray for the word made plain broadcast that it touches hearts and generates change in the lives of people around the world.

We pray you've been blessed by God's word today and hope you'll tune in next time to hear the word made plain.