How many times have you heard someone say something like this? “I think God has a plan for everyone, and clearly if I wasn’t meant to be doing this, he would have made it known by now.” That declaration is a quote from a self-proclaimed Christian providing sexually provocative (non-nude) material on OnlyFans. * Let’s see what the Bible says.
In today’s exploration of Romans Applied, we are looking at Romans 1:18 – 2:1. Paul begins, “For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18, CSB) He then lays out a series of cascading therefores. I encourage you to read the entire passage, as I’ll summarize it below.
God’s wrath is revealed. And according to vs 19-20, God’s attributes are revealed in nature and the world around all humans. This is called General Revelation by theologians. I’ve often wondered at how some see God’s hand in brilliantly colored sunsets, majestic mountains, the power of ocean waves, a newborn baby, or the provision of rain, but others are entirely blind to it. They see but do not see. Romans says, “For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21, CSB)
That darkening begat idol worship (vs 22-23). Idol worship begat sexual impurity (vs 24-25). Verses 26-32 explode with examples of human depravity. “They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful.” (Romans 1:29–31, CSB) God’s wrath is revealed against all of these, and we’re ready to be His hammer.
God’s wisdom is the next “therefore.” “Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.” (Romans 2:1, CSB) You see, the tendency when we read Romans 1:18 and following is to point judgment at others. However, we are all deserving of God’s righteous wrath.
The first application is to see ourselves in the examples of Sin’s corruption. I am guilty and deserve God’s wrath. So are you. So is everyone else. As we will discover, the only solution is faith in Jesus Christ.
The second application is understanding that God will allow us to be foolish, stupid, and sinful. Several times in the passage, it says “God delivered them over to…” While it grieves God’s heart, He allows our free will to lead us into places outside His will.
The third and final application asks how we can stay in God’s will? How do we avoid going our own way that leads to wrath and remain in God’s will for us? The answer begins in verse 21, “For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21, CSB) Keep your eyes on Jesus, not on tangible or intangible idols. Worship God with praise and thanks, bringing glory to His gracious hand in your life.
The young woman who said, “Clearly if I wasn’t meant to be doing this, he would have made it known by now,” is a cautionary tale. She is in the path of God’s wrath and doesn’t realize it. Her sight is darkened by the idol of money. I don’t say that judgmentally, but with prayer that God would break through her spiritual blindness. And I also must pray for myself – God, where am I like this? Show me where an idol has seduced me away from your will and into the path of your wrath.
*https://www.gq.com/story/sophie-rain-profile
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