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 26 through 27.

Tony Clark: Uh we got a powerful message today uh that we want to get into. So turn with me in your Bibles to Romans chapter 1. We're going to be looking at verses 26 and 27 as we continue to go verse by verse, chapter by chapter, and book by book through the Bible. We find ourselves on Sunday mornings in the book of Romans chapter 1. And on Wednesdays we're going through 1st Samuel and just going through the Old Testament, but we're in the book of 1st Samuel. So we're so thankful to have the word of God to go through and so thankful that you're here to hear it as well as you online as well.

So let's just pray. Father, we do thank you uh for this tremendous time to worship you in spirit and in truth. And Lord, we are so thankful that you brought us to the table of your word. And so Lord, we pray open up our hearts, open up our ears. Lord, I pray that your word will go forth powerfully today in Jesus name. Amen. All right, Romans 1 looking at verses 26 and 27. The title of this message is when God gives up part three. When God gives up part three. Now in part two of this study, we saw how God will give up on a society or group of people when they fail to glorify him as God nor are thankful leading them to be futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened according to verse 21.

We saw how a society in this condition will profess to be wise, but they become fools in verse 22. Because a society in this condition has moved uh the true and living God out of their lives, they turned to worshiping idols in verse 23. Then we saw how God gave them up to uncleanness in verse 24 who exchanged the truth about God to believe not just a lie, but the lie. And instead of looking at creation and acknowledging that there is a creator God, they would rather worship creation. And we see them they're commonly called um mockingly uh tree huggers and those who worship nature and all kind of things like that.

Now we pick it up in verse 26. Notice the very first part of verse 26. Notice what it says there. It starts off with for this reason. Well, for what reason? For the things that are listed in uh verses 18 down to 25. For this reason, we see here in verse 26 that God gave them up. Notice it says for this reason God gave them up to vile affections. Now this is the second time that God abandons sinful mankind. The first time we saw in verse 24 where he gave them up to uncleanness. Now we see in verse 26 that God gave them up to vile passions.

Now the word vile there, the Greek word is atimia. And it's a great Greek word. It means uh disgrace. It means vile, reproach, or it can be translated shame. And now we see what the uncleanness is that God gave a society up to in verse 24 and what the vile passions are that God has given them up here in verse 26. Notice the rest of the verse. It says for even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Now what I am about to talk about is not politically correct. It is not popular.

However, I I want to be true to God and to his word. And I want to speak God's truth in love. What we're about to talk about is considered unpopular and unloving. However, 2 Timothy 4 in verse 2 says preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrinal teaching. Paul was telling Timothy to preach the word whether preaching the word is in season, which means or popular to do, or whether preaching of the word is out of season or unpopular. Now why did Paul say this to Timothy?

The next couple of verses in 2 Timothy tells us why and I believe that we're living in these times today. He says for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to fables or made up stories about God. We're living in this time where people don't want to endure, which means to put up with sound doctrine. Let's dig a little bit deeper. The Greek word for sound is and it means healthy, clean.

It means to be well in body. It is where we get our English word hygiene from. In other words, Paul is saying that the time will come where people will not want to endure or put up with healthy, clean doctrine that will teach them how to lead a clean, healthy, holy life for God. No, instead they want to have their ears tickled with teaching that will allow them to continue in their sinful life. But to tell them that God understands your lustful passions because he gave them to you. They are not vile like the Bible says.

They're pure because they come from a place of love and God is love. See these false teachers turn their ears away from the truth to turn to fables or fairy tales about God. They and they go on to say there is no hell and God will not judge you because God is a God of love. And yes, you've heard me say many times God is a God of love, but that is not his only attribute. He is also just and holy and he will punish sin like we're studying here in the book of Romans. Did we quickly forget that Romans 1 18 says for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.

So now God is going to list the number one category of what he said and what he called vile passions spoken of in verse 26. Let me start off let me start off by saying something. I I want to start off by saying that the church, Big C Church, we have really blown it in in this area that we're about to talk about. Those who are on the island of same sex attraction, those who on the island of lesbianism and homosexuality, we have not dealt with them properly over the years. We have vilified them. We have ostracized them from the church.

And what we as Big C Church have done over the years have not been right. We we the church has blown it. Let's let's just be clear about that. And and and if I was to be true with myself, I I was a part of it. And then over the years things began to change. But one thing I do know is we've messed up church. And I'm speaking to churches throughout the centuries. And we fouled it up here in this area. And we need to get it right. Prior to the pandemic, I would have taught these verses a whole lot differently.

What I mean is I would have taught these verses with a with a different spirit. You know the and and you will understand this. Those wonderful women in here, you you're in your 40s and 50s and up. It's not so much what your husband says. It's the tone by which he says it. Now it's about tone. He been saying the same thing for 20 years, 30 years. But now it's the tone. And what has happened over the years is that these verses are still in the Bible and they will forever be in the Bible. But here it is.

It was the tone by which we taught them. That hasn't been right. And prior to the pandemic, I would have had the same tone. But something changed. A whole lot has changed. Everything has changed. The world has changed. And so I will never compromise the word of God. You know me long enough to know I would never do that. But I can still teach it with a different tone. And that's what I'm hoping to be able to do. So notice he said God said he gave them up to vile passions. Verse 24 he says gave them up to uncleanness.

But he didn't describe the uncleanness until we get to these verses here. So God gave them up to uncleanness, but the uncleanness wasn't quite specified. Then he says God gave them up to vile passions. Now we're about to get to in the second part of verse 26 get to what the uncleanness and the vile passions, what they look like. The number one category of vile passions. Notice he says for even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Now Paul didn't use the normal Greek word for woman, which is gune. It was a very tender word that Jesus used to speak to his mother in John chapter 2.

The Greek word is but Paul didn't use that word here. He used the Greek word which means female, just a female in general. So Paul is saying that the females exchanged the natural use of the woman for what is don't miss this next phrase for what is against nature. So lesbianism is against nature according to God. Now I know that this is not popular speech. But I see it as truth speech. See do we want to believe the truth of God or the falsehood of this world? See Paul is saying that it is not natural for women to be with women in a sexual way.

He said that it was against nature. Now I don't I let me tell you something. Save your being angry with me over anything that's being said. I didn't make this up. I couldn't make this up. I I I I'm not the author of anybody's Bible. This is God. So if you want to have a problem, take it up with God. I I'm I'm good with that. Don't don't come at me with anything, any kind of hostility, you trying to step to me over this sort of stuff. It it won't go well for you. You try to step to me.

I got their security that will be all over you. You'll be tasting the ground. But but I'm just saying this is what the word says. It is against nature. Well, how can you say it's not natural? I was born this way. And this is why Jesus said in John 3 3 you must be born again. That's why he said that. And then he just didn't leave it there and say you must be born again. Jesus said this or you cannot enter God's kingdom. So the way into God's kingdom is being born again. So in the Old Testament those committing these sins were put to death.

Leviticus 18 29 says then there are are then you know it it says that they be put to death in Leviticus 18 29 for you notetakers. Then there are skeptics and protesters. I I already know it. I've I've been in these debates before. They will say well, if you're going to quote that in Leviticus, well the Old Testament also said that you could not eat shrimp nor were garments made of linen and wool. Well, please understand that when God gave the Israelites the dietary laws, that was for the purpose of making them healthier, not holier.

So his people can be strong and healthy and not be diseased and and unhealthy like all of the nations around them. So he gave them a dietary law to make them healthy. What we have done today is saw those dietary laws and say not they not only make us healthier, but they also make us holier. and that's where you're wrong. Because the Bible is very clear that those dietary laws were set aside in Acts chapter 10 verses 9 through 16, in 1 Corinthians 8 8, and 1 Timothy 4 verses 1 through 5. 1 Corinthians 8 8 is a beautiful one.

It says food does not commend us to God. For if we eat, are we the better? Or if we don't eat, are we the worse? That's about as plain as you can get. However, God so the point is the dietary law was set aside. Now the Bible says that as long as you looked at that food and you say, Lord, I thank you for my daily bread. God bless you. Amen. Thank you for your provision. And you go ahead and eat that bacon cheeseburger or those ribs or whatever it is you want to eat is good.

Now you may not be the healthiest, but food doesn't commend us to God. It's simple as that. This is very simple. So those dietary laws were set aside. But God's moral law, the Ten Commandments has never changed. A lie is a lie in the New Testament just like it is in the old and just like it is today. God's heart has never changed concerning sexual sins. Fornication or sex with someone before marriage is wrong today just like it was in biblical times, no matter what our society says or what our society approves of. Adultery, sex with someone outside of your marital spouse is wrong today just like in biblical times.

No matter what our society is saying. And so too lesbianism is wrong today just like it was in biblical times. Why? Because God says in Malachi 3 6 I'm the Lord thy God, I change not. God doesn't change when it comes to his moral law. Why? Because his moral law is a reflection of his holiness. It's a reflection of his character. Now I want you to watch something in verse 27. Look what the very first word of verse 27 likewise. This is a transitional word which means that he is about to introduce a new category under the same topic.

The topic is homosexuality. He just described how homosexuality among females is against nature. So likewise the males notice the rest of verse 27. It says also the men or the males leaving the natural use of the woman burning their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. So now likewise the males leaving the natural use of the females. So it is natural for men and women to get together sexually. But if you do so outside of what God has prescribed in marriage, it is still not right in the eyes of God even though it's natural.

But it's not right. So men burn in their lust for one another. The Greek word for burn is an interesting Greek word and it means to be inflamed deeply. It means to burn. There is a burning of lust among the homosexual community that's not even seen in the heterosexual community. It is not uncommon. When I was when I read this some of the stats on this, I was blown I was baffled. It is not uncommon among male homosexuals to have had over 300 partners a year. I can't even I can barely count to 300. 300 partners a year.

This is what it means to burn or to be inflamed in their lust for one another. This sin is so serious and evident by the total destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah where homosexuality ran rampant in Genesis 19 in verses 4 through 25. This was not their only sin. It was their main sin. It was very evident. Now let me say that the gospel of Jesus Christ offers forgiveness to male and female homosexuals as it does for all sinners. If they repent and watch this next phrase, watch this next phrase. If they repent, watch this next phrase.

And not try to justify their lifestyle. Repentance, forgiveness is for male, female homosexuals and any other sin. If you just come in brokenness and humility, not trying to justify what see, you know that's what y'all saying. That why people don't come to church now and all this sort of stuff. Don't try to justify your sin. Don't try to justify it. Forgiveness is offered through Jesus. He offers forgiveness. The power of the gospel message talked about in Romans 1 16 is able to give complete deliverance if one comes in brokenness and humility. Now this doesn't mean that a person brought out of this lifestyle will not be tempted to go back because they will battle those feelings.

Watch how long. Watch how long. They will battle those feelings until they go to the grave. Why? Because it is a part of your old nature that we're told to resist daily. Paul said something in 1st Corinthians 1st Corinthians 15 31. Paul said I die daily. What he means by that he says every day I wake up. I have to die to my fleshly desires and appetites. I have to die every single day to these things every day. You might have the victory today and say, oh I'm strong today, and you may fall tomorrow. No, Paul said every day.

He said I die daily. I have to die to my fleshly appetites, my desires, my fleshly inclinations that will cause me to disobey my God. He says every day it's a battle. Every day it's a war. Every day I got to put on the armor and shield and go to battle. When my eyes wake up, the battle starts. And he said this is every day. This is why it is it will be a struggle. Now watch this. Galatians 5 16 says walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Walking in the spirit means walking in obedience to the word of God.

So walking in obedience to the Bible, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Now watch this. What is the lust of the flesh? The lust of the flesh is that which God saved you from. For some it is alcohol. For some it is porn. For for some it is drug abuse. For some it is male and female homosexuality just to name a few. So if you walk or live according to obedience to God's word, you and I will be fine. But if we walk according to the flesh, watch this. If we walk according to the flesh, we will walk back into those sins that God saved us from.

Whatever it is that you were doing and involved in, that you cried out to God and so God save me. Oh God, I can't do this anymore. Oh God, I can't rescue myself.

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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.