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ROMANS 1:18-32
This is one of
the greatest paragraphs Paul ever wrote!
It describes
the downward spiral of sin!
I do not
believe in evolution. But I do believe that lost mankind
is devolving into lower and lower forms of sin!
My proof for
such a statement?
The text we
are about to study!
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A Preacher in his Study
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ROMANS 1, VERSE 18 ...
"For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness."
The subject of our verse is the "wrath" of
God.
The noun for "wrath" is the little Greek term
"orge." (Only used 36 times in the New Testament!) There are
two main New Testament words used to express anger or wrath. ("thumos"
and "orge") Our word here pictures a slowly developing kind of
passion ... but once developed it is long lasting and usually
seeks some form of punishment! Hence ... God is not quickly
angered! BUT His anger is not quickly abated either! (Only the
Blood of Jesus can pacify it!) And God's anger over sin will
lead to Holy justice some day! Be sure to understand that God's
wrath is completely sinless and righteous!
But ... our verse says that His wrath "is
revealed." The verb is "apokalupto" which gives us our word for
"revelation," apocalypse! It means uncovered! (Something now
laid open that had been previously obscured!) The verb is a
present indicative with a passive voice. God's wrath is already
unveiled Paul says! And God did the uncovering.
But, preacher, I can't see God's wrath. (I
can hear someone saying that now.) Yet the verse is PLAIN! It
is presently being revealed!
What IF it is being revealed in this manner.
It USED to be that if a man or woman sinned, they felt ashamed
and bad about their wicked deeds. Now days people sin
habitually and feel no shame, no sorrow and no restraint
whatsoever. Could this removal of God's restraining Hand be a
sure sign of His wrath on rebellious mankind? I believe so! And
... it will get worse and worse. Look at what God said to
Abimelech in Genesis 20:6 --- "And God
said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in
the integrity of thy heart; for
I also withheld thee
from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to
touch her." (Wow!)
"Ungodliness" ("asebeia") means irreverence
or no respect toward God any longer! (No reverence! No
adoration!) And "unrighteousness" ("adikia") means not
"right" in the eyes of God. It is a legal term from the court
system. I believe these two terms cover volitional sins and
emotional sins as well. And these kinds of sins always follow
mental sins! The whole of man is involved in utter rebellion
against God.
Now watch what these wicked men to to the
truth! (Jesus is Truth in John 14:6. And the Word of God is
Truth in John 17:17.)
They "hold" the truth! "Katecho" combines
two little terms that mean "to hold" (echo) and "down (kata)!
They HOLD DOWN the truth! (A present participle) Here's a bit
of the word's "history" in the New Testament: In Luke 4:42 it's
translated "stayed!" In Luke 8:15 and 1 Corinthians 15:2,
"keep!" In 2 Corinthians 6:10, "possessing!" 2 Thessalonians
2:7, "letteth!" Philemon 13, "retained!" Hebrews 3:6 and
10:23, "hold fast!"
There are people on earth today who in their
hearts "know" the truth about God and eternity and Scripture ...
but suppress the truth
for selfish reasons! (We know this on the authority of God's
Word!) Here's how Peter described them: 2 Peter 3:5
"For this they willingly are ignorant of."
(Willingly ignorant!)
God pity this crowd on the day of judgment!
This little verse alone today has helped me
tremendously! I thank God for Truth!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 19 ...
"Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them."
Romans 1:19
The verse is telling us that there are just
some things about God which may be revealed even to a (lost)
human being!
Get the wording "that
which may be known" of God!
We do not know everything about God! (Nor
shall we until eternity!)
BUT some things about God are "knowable" even
here on earth and even to lost men!
How can a lost man know anything about God?
Because God has "manifest" it to him.
The verb/adjective nexus here "is manifest"
translates the Greek "phaneron estin." This is a form of the
verb "to be" ("eimi") and is in the present tense, active voice
and indicative mood. These things about God are in a constant
state of being manifested to a lost world!
Now I am NOT SAYING that the plan of
salvation is printed across the horizon or anything! I am
saying that the existence of God and His mighty power are easily
discernible by every creature on earth!
"Manifest" ("phaneros") means apparent or
evident (clearly so).
And this "knowledge" of God is not said to be
shown TO them ... but rather IN them! The preposition here is
"en." (It carries these meanings: in, on, at, near, by, before,
or within!)
Who revealed this? God did!
God "hath shewed" it to them. Again the verb
is a form of "phaneroo." It comes from a background word which
means "to shine!" (Hence ... to make clear or evident or
plain!) It is light brough to one in darkness! (Like the flash
of a camera when a photo is made!) The verb is an aorist
suggesting that God may be looking all the way back to creation
week! God gave enough "evidence" in those days alone to prove
Himself forever!
Hear me.
Man knows of God!
The evidence is "planted" everywhere!
(Including the hearts of mankind!)
If we are interpreting our verse rightly
today, then no man will ever be able to stand at the Judgment
Throne of God and say that he had no idea there was even a God
in existence!
Then ... preacher, WHY are there so many
atheists?
That is another matter altogether.
We shall go into it in the couple of days,
Lord willing.
(Another warning: Just because God has
revealed some things about Himself in the world around us does
NOT mean that the trees and mountains and oceans
are God! That is
a false doctrine called "pantheism." It confuses the creator
and the creature. More about this later too.)
I think our "nugget" today is radioactive!
It will be emitting truth all Saturday long.
God has manifested Himself! Of course do
remember that the GREATEST Manifestation of God ever is THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST!
Wow! Another "nugget!"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 20 ...
Today we shall look at a verse that has
interested me since I was an eight or ten year old boy. I've
heard preachers quote it for years.
Romans 1:20 says:
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse."
Whatever this verse means, it renders mankind
absolutely "inexcusable" concerning knowledge of the existence
of God!
Just think. There have been several times in
earth's brief history when EVERYONE on earth knew the truth
about God. When? In the Garden of Eden. (There were then only
2 people on earth ... and they both knew the Lord!) When? When
the Ark of Noah rested on Ararat! There then were only 8 people
on earth ... and they all knew personally about the existence
and the power of God! When? In Paul's day! Clearly Paul says
so in Colossians 1:6 ---
"Which
(the Gospel) is come unto you,
as it is in all the
world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also
in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace
of God in truth."
If three times in Scripture we can see that
all men had heard the truth ... man is indeed "without excuse."
He can never blame God for any lack of knowledge!
"Without excuse" is a Greek term ("a" meaning
no or not and "apologeia" meaning a verbal defense)!
"Invisible things" translates a Greek word
"a" + "horatos" which means "not to gaze at" or "not to see."
Things that cannot be seen by the unaided eye! How did Paul
know that there are some "invisible" building blocks that
comprise seen matter? Today we call these (among other things)
"atoms" --- but they had not been scientifically discovered in
Paul's time! I guess you could say Paul had "inside"
information!
The word for "creation" means to design,
engineer or fabricate! It strongly suggests "order" in
creation! Paul is a rank "creationist," isn't he? So am I! So
is any true Bible believer!
"Clearly seen" is another form of the verb "horao."
But ... it has a prefix "kata" which intensifies the meaning.
Translated: to see fully! To gaze upon thoroughly! To behold
distinctly!
(Remember that Charles Darwin rejected God
before he accepted the atheistic theory of evolution. Read his
life story and any honest biographer will mention this point!)
"Being understood" is a verbal form of the
noun "nous," meaning one's mind! "Mentally comprehended" is the
idea. It is a present participle in the passive voice!
"Things that are made" translates "poiema."
Things God has "worked into being." (A production!) The bare
verb means "to do or to make." (It gives us our English word
"poem!") God's creation is literally one of His "poems!"
BUT what specifically about God can be
deduced here? Two things. His POWER! His "eternal" (Greek =
continued duration) power! The noun power is "dunamis." His
FORCE! This term gives us the English word "dynamite."
Creation reveals God's eternal power!
AND it also shows us His "Godhead." What
does that word mean? (Only used 3 times in the whole Bible) It
is from the word "theos" (the Greek word for GOD) and means
divinity! It is the Lord's GOD-NESS!
The Apostle believes that the vastness and
glory and beauty and ever growing knowledge of creation will
more and more convince us of God's Existence and God's Power and
God's dynamic Deity.
And I have to say that I agree with Paul!
I somehow feel that I've been on a world-wide
tour of all creation this morning! And I've reached one
conclusion for sure! We serve a GREAT GOD!
For anyone to reach a different conclusion
... he or she must have some very strange motives tugging from
within!
More tomorrow, Lord willing.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 21 ...
We are today in the heart of one of the
greatest passages in the Bible! (Consequently one of the
greatest Paul ever wrote!)
"Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain
in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."
Romans 1:21
There are two things one just MUST do when he
first learns of God! Our verse will list them for us.
They must be done when one first "knows"
God! The verb "knew" is from the Greek word "ginosko" and is
here an aorist participle. It means "to find out, to learn, to
understand, to perceive or even to recognize. It implies some
effort on man's part! This is NOT speaking of our ever growing
knowledge of God as Believers. It means when we first learned
of the existence and power of God (aorist verb ... action that
occurred at a point of time now past ... completed action)!
First ... when we learn of God we must
GLORIFY Him! The verb is "doxazo," to honor or to magnify!
Again, we are dealing with a "aorist" here. At the very moment
you learned of God's existence ... glory and honor should have
issued from you to HIM! This is the very thing this old lost
world adamantly REFUSES to do today! Instead of honoring God
... they now ignore God!
Secondly, knowledge of God's Being and His
Power should make us "thankful" ("eucharisteo")! As a verb it
is aorist indicative active! In the past at the very second we
first began to learn of God ... thankfulness should have bubbled
forth from us to HIM! That word in Greek (eu + charis) means:
good grace! When one learns of God he immediately knows that
God is good and merciful! This knowledge alone should generate
all kinds of thanks! BUT again this lost world REFUSES to thank
God for anything! (Even if we have a "good" weather day now ...
credit is given to the "weather man" ...not God Almighty!)
Now look what happens if a man will not
magnify and thank God! He WILL become "vain" in his
"imaginations." Vain ("mataioo") means empty (profitless) or
even foolish! And "imaginations" are our very thoughts! ("dialogismos)
This term gives us our word "dialogue." (A conversation between
two persons ... but here a conversation within a man between his
mind and his heart or his will and his emotions, etc.) One
lexicon says "to reckon thoroughly." Man's very thinking becomes
"muddy" if he ignores the Lord!
Now even God calls him "foolish!" Foolish
is the Greek noun "asunetos," from "a" and "sun" and heimi."
These 3 little words when put together mean NOT + TOGETHER + TO
SEND. (Not able to properly put together thoughts!)
Unintelligent! Wow!
The noun heart is in Greek "kardia." (Our
word cardiologist comes from it!) In Latin the word for heart
is "cor." The heart to them was the very CORE of a man!
What happened to their God-ignoring hearts?
To their unthankful and non-glorifying hearts? Their hearts
"were darkened." ("skotizo") To make shady! To make obscure!
This is an aorist verb in the passive voice! Their wicked
rejection of the knowledge of God caused their hearts to be
darkened! (No light!) It is only in God's Light that any of us
can see light! ("For with Thee is
the fountain of life: in
Thy Light shall we see light." Psalm 36:9)
This verse full of "nuggets" explains one of
the greatest tragedies of all human history. Study it well
today. It explains all the "craziness" we see abounding in our
land.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 22 ...
"Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools."
This verse (as clearly as any in Scripture)
shows us that two values systems exist in this old world!
What the world calls "wise," God may call
"foolish!"
The opening verbal (a participle)
"professing" is from a Greek word ("phasko") that means (from "pheimi")
to make known one's thoughts. To say or to talk. The basic root
of the little verb is one that means "to shine!" (Sounds like a
little self reflection!) Bragging on oneself a little! One
lexicon says: to claim, to assert, to allege! It is a present
participle ... suggesting ongoing habitual action! They never
shut up about their own knowledge and skill and (so-called)
wisdom.
"To be" is a present infinitive of "eimi,"
the basic Greek verb for expressing existence. These God
rejecters actually feel that they are wisdom personified!
(Walking wisdom! It's a wonder they don't call themselves
something like "Doctors of Philosophy! Philosophy means "lover
of wisdom! Phileo = to love! Sophos = wisdom!)
Wisdom ("sophos") means skilled or cultivated
or learned or expert! Folks who spurn God always lift
themselves high! (To know God one must lower himself!
"God resisteth the proud!" James
4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5)
BUT LOOK AT GOD'S VERDICT!
They "became fools!"
This translates one word. "Moraino" gives us
our little English noun "moron." It means to become stupid! To
become foolish! In the King James Bible the word is used in
Matthew 5:13 of salt "becoming tasteless!" This crowd of rebels
have become just that to God: tasteless, useless, ineffective!
They have lost their purpose for existence! (Also see Luke
14:34.)
Oh! To be wise in the eyes of God!
Here's another example of God clearly
declaring that two types of wisdom exist on this earth. James
3:15-17 "This (worldly) wisdom descendeth
not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For
where envying and strife is, there is confusion
and every evil work. But
the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good
fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
May I say that all true wisdom then ...
begins with God Almighty!
There are fully three verses in the Bible
(Psalm 111:10 and Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 9:10) that say the
very same thing! "The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."
Thank God for "nuggets" of Truth embedded in
every verse of scripture!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 23 ...
Today we are looking at Romans 1:23. It
tells us one of the very first things a man will do when he
rejects God. (Right after he becomes "vain in his imaginations"
and his "foolish heart is darkened!" See the verse 21 notes from
Monday.)
"And changed the
glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and
creeping things."
The verb "changed" is from the Greek "alasso"
which means "to make different." (To make other than it is)
It's an aorist here ... the action took place back when man
rejected the knowledge of God's existence and power and glory!
Glory is "doxa" which gives us words like
"doxology," the hymn of praise to our God! It is a word that
summarizes all the Essence of God! (All He is!)
Notice that God is called "incorruptible."
The word means NOT ("a") to WITHER, WASTE, OPINE AWAY OR DECAY
("phtheiro")! There are just some things God can not do ... and
decay is one of them!
The noun "image" is the Greek word "icon" and
comes from the verb "eiko" which means to resemble!
Man does this after God has expressly
commanded "Thou shalt not make unto thee
any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is
in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or
that is in the water under the earth." (Exodus
20:4)
Observe the one adjective that modifies man
and all the animals: "corruptible!" ("phthartos") It means
perishable or subject to decay.
Here's an interesting word: "fourfooted
beasts" translates the Greek "tetrapous!" It just means
something with four (tetra) feet (pous)! It's only found 3
times in all of Scripture!
The noun "man" is in Greek "anthropos." It
is a "loan word" in English. "Anthropology" is an example of its
use now.
"Birds" comes from the Greek verb which means
to fly! ("petomai")
"Creeping things" means just what it says.
Paul's available verb for "creeping" was "herpo."
Interestingly the English disease "herpes" comes from this
word! It is a sickness that "creeps" all over its victims! (A
slowly spreading or "creeping" eruption on the skin!)
Now we have men rejecting God ... and
investing god-like traits into the very animals ... including
(of course) man himself!
That's why we have men who curse God all day
long ... then go put bumper stickers on their cars that say
"Save the whales!"
That's why we have nations on earth that are
starving to death while cows walk around in their back yards
being worshipped as gods!
Romans 1 is a powerful portion of Scripture.
It OUGHT to be taught in every college and university sociology
class ever assembled!
I've got my handful of "nuggets" today. Hope
you have too!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 24 ...
Because of man's continual rebellion against
the Lord ... God did something drastic!
"Wherefore God also gave them up to
uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour
their own bodies between themselves" Romans 1:24
Here we are plainly told that when sin is
allowed to continue unchecked and rebellion grows (as a result
of that unconfessed sin) ... God will simply step back from a
man or woman and "give them up" to their own wickedness!
Three times in this text we are told that God
either "gave them up" or "gave them over" to sin (verses 24, 26
and 28)! The same Greek verb is used in each case.
(The opposite of this is God's sending His
Holy Spirit to "convict" us of sin and cause us to be
"uncomfortable" with our rebellious ways! God CAN restrain sin!
For example ... in Genesis 20:6 --- "And
God said unto him (Abimelech) in a dream, Yea, I know that thou
didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for
I also withheld thee
from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to
touch her."
What we have here in Romans 1 is the very
opposite of God's "withholding" power! God just releases His
restraint! (One preacher says that God's judgment upon the sin
of these "reprobates" is just to allow it to grow and grow ...
until the final day of judgment!)
The verb "gave up" here translates Greek "paradidomi,"
which means to place into the hands of another (to give +
alongside)! The verb is an indicative aorist active for you
grammarians.
The noun "uncleanness" is a negated term in
Greek. ("akatharsia") The "a" means NOT. "Katharsia" first
meant clean from dirt (as in a house) ... but later developed to
mean clean from any form of moral defilement! The English word
"catharsis" comes from this noun. (It means to purge one's
digestive system.) God gave this old world up to its constantly
building filth! (This pictures this old world as a backed up
sewer system!)
Lusts is the word "epithumia," meaning strong
("epi" intensifies a term) passions! It can be used of good or
bad cravings ... depending upon the context. Here it is
definitely BAD!
Neither can man here say: "The devil made me
do it!" God says that these lusts come through men's (and
women's) own hearts! Inborn ... and inbred sin!
Then look what they do! They "dishonour"
themselves! ("atimazo") The noun "time" (pronounced tee-may')
means value, price, dignity or even "money paid." Our noun
reverses all that! People who so sin ... reduce the value of
themselves! They become rejects, discontinued items! A society
that loses its self-value in such a way will end up murdering
babies (who by now would be appearing to these reprobates as
"worthless") and condoning every kind of self debasing sin!
This verse sort of indirectly declares that
we should "honour" our bodies as gifts from God! That's exactly
what Paul taught elsewhere too. Notice what 1 Corinthians
6:19-20 declare: "What? know ye not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are
bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in
your spirit, which are God's."
The preposition "between" translates the
Greek word "en." It means "with, among or in!"
This sounds like some sort of "same-sex"
activity to me. The pronoun "them" early in the verse is in the
masculine gender. It just looks like this text is teaching us
that the downward slide of sin will ultimately lead to
homosexuality ... and probably even a lot worse ... before
things are finally brought to judgment.
We have seen a very "sobering" Bible nugget
today.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 25 ...
Romans 1:25 accuses mankind of some pretty
bold things! Let's examine the "charges."
"Who changed the
truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."
We will have to agree that Paul is right!
To "change" uses the Greek verb "metallasso,"
which means "to exchange" or "to make different." (It actually
contains the noun for "another" in it!) As an aorist verb it
shows past action ... now completed. (The old rebellious sinner
... and this old rebellious world have long ago changed God's
truth into a lie!)
TRUTH is the Greek word "aletheia." It means
not concealed! The Bible operates on the principle that one day
all TRUTH will be fully known! (That just means that JESUS is
coming again!) Jesus is THE TRUTH according to John 14:6.
The word "lie" is "pseudos!" Now that word
we all know. It simply means false! Here are some examples of
man's truth twisting: God says CREATION! Man says evolution!
God says purity! Man says sexual preference! God says life for
the unborn! Man says death to the unborn! God says heaven ...
or hell! Man says no afterlife at all! Again and again "lost"
man has turned God's Word into a lie.
Now look at something carefully. Man who has
rejected God completely still "worships!" (Even atheists
worship, I assure you!) The verb ("sebazomai") means to
reverence or even to fear. (To honour religiously!) It's an
aorist middle verb ... action having occurred in the past and
having influenced the participant greatly! Reprobate man has
been worshiping himself (or some other creature) for a long time
now. If one dethrones the REAL GOD ... he invariably will
enthrone another god!
But not only is "worship" involved ... so is
"service!" "Latreuo" means "to serve as a priest" or in a
religious sense! There are actually some astronomers (and
historians and educators and even theologians, etc.) who go to
work daily attempting to serve their god of the human mind. (Or
the god of chance if you are an evolutionist!) Or the god of
money! Or the god of liberalism! Or now even the god of sexual
perversity. Or the god of hedonism (pleasure)!
"Creature" is "ktisis," meaning the thing
created. The word implies "original formation" and strongly
hints at the doctrine of the origin of the species! Sounds
like biological evolution to me.
And "Creator" is "ktizo," the One Who made
man and earth and life according to the great book of Genesis!
The background of this noun is likely a verb which means "to get
or to acquire." It pictures God not only as the Creator ... but
as the Owner of all! I say "Amen" to that! But, look! Paul
said "Amen" too!
Paul can't mention God without bursting into
praise! (Even when in a sermon on a depressing subject such as
sin!) Paul often does this! In fact, 75% of the thanks and
praise in the entire New Testament flow from the Apostle Paul!
He was one worshiping man!
Man may "curse" and ignore and "change" God
... but nonetheless GOD IS BLESSED FOR EVER!
"Blessed" is Greek "eulogetos." It literally
means "good" (eu) "word" (logos)! I would concur! He is THE
Good Word! We believers are to declare His praises until we are
called "home" to heaven! (This term gives us our word eulogy!
To say good things about a person!)
God IS blessed. The verb here "is" can be
clearly found in the Textus Receptus (the manuscript from which
the King James Bible is translated). "Eimi" ("estin" to be
exact) expresses the verb "to be" as a present indicative. It
is true and it is permanent that God IS blessed! He is the
eternally praised one!
And "for ever" translates Greek "eis aion," a
preposition and a noun. It means "into" (eis) the "ages" (aion
... our word "eons")! God is blessed perpetually!
Then Paul adds a simple "Amen!" The Greek is
spelled: AMEN too! It is derived from a Hebrew term that means
TRUE or FIRM! Indeed to say AMEN during a sermon or during the
reading of Scripture is to declare: It is true! It is true!
It is true!
I hope you got your Bible "nugget" today. I
sure did!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 26 ...
We have a sad verse to consider today. It
continues to describe the downward spiral that sin produces in
earthly culture.
"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even
their women did change the natural use into that which is
against nature." Romans 1:26
The prepositional phrase "for this cause"
translates the Textus Receptus "dia touto." "Dia" means through
or by means of. "Touto" (a pronoun) just means "this." Hence:
"because of this." The "cause" is found in verse 25 where
mankind changed God's truth into a lie and consequently began
worshipping the creature more than the Creator!
Look what God did (again). He "gave them
up." "Paradidomi" means to give beside ... or to give to
another ... to deliver over! The "aorist" action says that God
did this in time past ... resultant to man's rejecting God
Almighty! This ACT OF GOD is happening in American society
today in a stunning manner!
To what did God give these hard-hearted
sinners? "Vile affections!" Vile translates "atimia," which
means no + honour! (without honour or respect) Disgrace! Vile
(atimia) is the same word used by Paul in Romans 9 for vessels
of "dishonour!" It is translated "shame" in 1 Corinthians
11:14. And affections is the Greek noun "pathos," meaning
passions, feelings, emotions, even thoughts. What a startling
chain of words: vile affections ... atimias pathe.
The noun "women" is Greek "thelus." (From
the verb "thelazo" which means "to suck" as with the female
breast for the babies) Thele = the nipple.
"Even" has the connotation of "both" or
"also." The implication is that the women now love women
(sexually) as the men did earlier in verse 24!
"Change" ("metalasso") means to swap one
thing for another! This has happened in the past as "cultures"
went bad and is repeating itself again in today's world with
newer cultures! (Including America who is "young" as far as
nations are considered)
"Natural" is "phusikos." (From "phusis"
which means growth.) This is our very word "physical." It
refers to God's crated (natural) plan of man loving woman. The
sexes were even "built" to so cohabit. But these women are
changing the natural plan of God into something perverted
(twisted)!
"Use" is the noun "chresis," meaning that
which is needed! God acknowledges (and even created) man (and
woman) with physical (sexual) "needs." These needs are to be
supplied in the context of marriage! That's God's way! Read
Paul's great sermon on this in 1 Corinthians 7 (the man's duty
to his wife and vice versa)!
The preposition "against" surprises me. It
is "para" and means alongside! "Against" and "contrary to" are
normal meanings in such a context as ours here.
The last noun "nature" is "phusis" again.
(Things "physical)
There's a lot about homosexuality that just
does not make sense to me. Seems like that's what Paul is
saying too.
It is against all logic!
Someone has been deceived! (I don't believe
it could even be happening now as it is ... but that God has
"turned over" some people to their vile lusts!)
The "nuggets" today are rather dreary. BUT
they are true!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 27 ...
Our course of study today brings us to Romans
1:27 which (amid great controversy) says:
"And likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in
their lust one toward another; men with men working that which
is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of
their error which was meet."
The noun for "men" here is not the generic
word that can means humans (men or women). It is the specific
word "arren" that means the male (as distinct from the female).
"Leaving" is the term these first century
folks used when they meant "to send away" something or someone.
Men no longer cared for the women in a sexual sense. They had
other "interests." Or should I say other "preferences?"
"Burned" is ek + kaio. It means to kindle or
set on fire with an added prefix to intensify it. To vehemently
burn. When translated literally it means "to burn out!" It is
an aorist passive verb! There is a "chain" in sin that once
begun ... is hard to break! In fact, only Jesus' shed Blood can
break it!
"Lust" is in Greek "orexis!" It is a strong
noun, coming from a verb that means to stretch oneself or to
reach out after! (A longing, a craving, an eager desire!) Look
at this: Paul reached for some things ... these reprobates
reached for other things! Listen to Paul:
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching
forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the
mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:13-14
"One toward another" uses a word that means
another of the same kind! This is truly homosexuality.
(Christians also do things "one to another!" They pray one for
another and encourage one another plus about 12 other things ...
but they do NOT lust one for another!)
These men lovers are truly energetic in what
they do also. The verb "working" is one that combines "ergon"
(work) and "kata" (the prefix of intensification). To
powerfully engage in a matter. This explains all the
"activists" as the media loves to call them.
"Unseemly" translates "askemon" which means
NOT + TO HOLD! This makes no sense until one sees within the
verb form the little term: scheme. (Look and you can see it
clearly.) This crowd is doing something that the population
normally has NOT HELD as proper. The word came to mean things
indecent!
"Receiving" is apolambano = to take in full!
This is a present participle indicating ongoing action. (To get
all you can ... as with a greedy miser and his gold!)
"Themselves" of course is a masculine
pronoun. (Nothing else would have "fit" here.) The Scriptures
are grammatically correct as well as spiritually correct!
"Recompense" is the noun "antimisthia," which
is their word for payment. "Anti" here has the idea of "in
return." (wages in return) Sin does have a payday!
"Error" is the noun "plane" (our word planet)
which pictures something ROVING AROUND in the darkness!
(wandering around) It's a picture of sin --- being LOST!
"Was meet," the last verb of our verse today
is of course another Greek term, "dei." This is nearly
startling! It means "is necessary!" Something that MUST
happen! A binding consequence!
Hear me. Sin has "wages."
Lord willing, the next "nugget" verse will be
tomorrow.
Having looked at this verse with you, I feel
absolutely "stunned!"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 28 ...
Today we come to a study of Romans 1:28. It
is an example of classical Pauline theology. It is one of the
reasons Paul is so "unpopular" today.
"And even as they
did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them
over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not
convenient." Romans 1:28
Let's open with the verb "like." It's a bit
unusual here. The Greek term "dokimazo" literally means "to
try, to test, to prove as authentic!" It was often used in the
time of Paul to show how gold was tested to prove its
authenticity! Get it? This crowd of rebellious sinners REFUSED
to seek the reality of God! They ignored revealed truth! They
ran from the "test!" Oh, how Jesus loved to say:
"Come and See!" (John 1:39)
The verb "retain" is Greek "echo" which means
"to hold on to!" This crowd wants nothing to do with God!
(They would probably try to remove the Ten Commandments from all
public places if they were in charge today!) Instead of
adhering to God ... they repelled Him! They actually spurned
the Creator of heaven and earth!
"Knowledge" is "epignosis," which can mean
book learning (with study involved). The prefix "epi"
intensifies the whole concept. These people are well educated
(in their own eyes anyway)! BUT there is no place for God in
all their learning!
They rejected God.
God then responded to them.
He "gave them over" to something. The verb
is "paradidomi" and we have had it two previous times in this
short paragraph of Scripture! It means "to give alongside." To
yield over. To deliver. To commit. (Indicative aorist)
To what did God "give" them?
To a "reprobate mind!"
"Reprobate" is "adokimos!" It means tested
... and failed! (Subjected to careful scrutiny ... and found to
be inauthentic!)
These rebels would NOT examine God with an
open mind! They did not even want to TEST ("dokimazo") Him ...
SO GOD JUST TESTED THEM ... AND THEY DID NOT PASS! Our
adjective here came to mean: rejected! Or even worthless!
Mind is the noun "nous" which is believed to
come from "ginosko," the verb "to know."
But what is the consequence of a reprobate
mind? It results in a certain type of behaviour!
"To do" is a verbal infinitive which means to
practice. (Not just a one time performance!) The literal verb
is spelled "poieo," and gives us the English word "poem!" These
wicked folks think they are turning their sins into works of
beauty!
And ending our verse today is a little term:
"things which are not convenient." The meaning of "convenient"
is "fit, proper or becoming." It ("katheko") combines kata plus
heko which means "to arrive or to be present." They are always
arriving at some new moral or social "low."
How BAD can things get? Come back tomorrow
and we'll see (Lord willing).
Do we now live in a society where more and
more folks have been turned over to "reprobate minds?" Sadly I
believe so.
There are plenty of "nuggets" embedded in
today's verse. Get a few and ponder them this Monday, March
1st.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 29 ...
Today, in what has become a detailed study,
we notice Romans 1:29. (The chapter ... and our "study," ends at
verse 32, Lord willing.)
"Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of
envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers."
Romans 1:29
Here are some of the side effects of the sin
of rejecting the Lord God Almighty!
I think I’m about ready to say: "The wages of
sin is more sin ... and then more sin ... and then even more sin
yet!"
After the sins of sexual deviation ... these
rebels plunge themselves into such things as "unrighteousness."
The word ("adikia) means un-right (not right) things! Not "just"
according to God’s Law. It is a "blanket" term and covers a
multitude of wrongdoing.
Notice that they are "filled" with these
evils! The word ("pleroo") has the idea of filled to the brim!
Overflowing! In its Greek "tense" the action is ongoing,
habitual, continuous! The sinning now never stops!
"Fornication" is the Greek word "porneia"
which means illicit sexual relations. Our word "pornography"
comes from this noun. This particular word is often not used for
married folks ... that would be "adultery," but for singles (as
the world calls them)! Remember that in our context here we are
dealing with people who have already been homosexual in
behavior. (Does this new word make them bi-sexual?) It looks to
me like many of them just are not particular. They’ll have "sex"
with anybody. (I don’t mean to be too "plain." I’m just trying
to explain the passage before us today.)
"Wickedness" is "poneria" and means depravity
or iniquity or malice. It is the Greek word that means active
malignant evil! It is always working and spreading and infecting
the sinner himself and then others around him.
"Coveteousness" is Greek "pleonexia." It’s an
amazing word. It comes their words for more (pleion) and "to
have or hold" (echo)! Therefore: to have more ... and more ...
and more! Isn't our Bible just filled with perfect word
pictures?
"Maliciousness" is the Greek term "kakia."
Its "root" definition is "worthless!" This is not activ,
killing, spreading sin as was "wickedness." This is just "good
for nothing" sin which benefits absolutely no one!
The adjective "full" is "mestos" and means
replete, complete! Of its (only) 8 times in the King James New
Testament, it’s always translated "full."
"Envy ("phthonos") means ill will! It comes
from a verb that means "to wither or pine away!" That’s exactly
what envy will do to a person too! (A feeling of displeasure
upon seeing the success of someone else ... whom obviously you
don’t like too much!)
"Murder" comes from an old Greek verb that
means "to slay." One lexicon says it means "to slaughter." It’s
translated "slaughter" once in our Bibles.
"Debate" is "eris" and means a quarrel or
wrangling. (Strife, contention, variance!) It has the idea of
rivalry.
"Deceit" is a Greek noun "dolos." It is
believed to come from a verb that means "to decoy, to trick, to
bait (a hook or trap)!"
"Malignity" is "kakoetheia" and means to be
"used" to ("ethos") and the word for evil ("kakia"). It is a
description of one’s whole life character! (To be used to a
certain way means to live in that way! It has become a habit!)
It literally means "bad ethics!"
And "whisperers" ("psithos’) means a quietly
uttered slander! (Even telling the truth with the design to hurt
someone!) This refers to gossip behind someone’s back! In a
"sneaky" manner!
What a list of sins!
Maybe I should have stopped our series back
at verse 28. What do you think?
I almost feel like we’ve waded through a
moral cesspool today. BUT this is just about where America is
living in 2004 I’m afraid.
Sorry to say, I believe there are many
"nuggets" about evil in this compound verse. Learn about it ...
but DO NOT practice it or condone it! The Bible has told us
right here all we need to know about these kinds of sins!
Let’s make it our goal to live for Jesus!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 30 ...
We are nearing the end of our Romans chapter
1 journey. I have preached this a few times over the years, but
have never before seen these truths quite as clearly. Maybe the
"times" in which we live have helped me to grasp them in all
their ugliness. God sure knows human nature!
Today we notice verse 30:
"Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents." Romans 1:30
I call this paragraph (verses 18-32) the
"downward spiral of sin." Verse 30
continues Paul’s list of the "consequences" of rejecting God.
Here are the side effects of rebellion.
"Backbiting" is found only a few places in
Scripture. (Paul mentions it once again in 2 Corinthians 12:20
and Solomon twice in Proverbs refers to it. See Proverbs 15:3
and 25:23.) The word is "katalalos" and means to talk ("laleo")
down ("kata") to someone or about someone. The Greek verb seems
to be to be the lower of two words for speaking or talking (Logeo
and laleo). Laleo can means just uttering sounds or "blabbering"
words with no forethought or purpose. Just "running one’s
mouth!" In fact, if you will notice this ... nearly all "gossip"
is involved in putting someone down, criticizing them in some
way!
"Haters of God" is a compound term that is
derived from "theostuges," meaning to hate ("stugo") God ("theos").
Paul as a rabbi would have been familiar with this expression
from the Old Testament Scriptures. Here’s an example: 2
Chronicles 19:2 --- "And Jehu the son of
Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king
Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that
hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before
the LORD." And the Lord Himself talks to us in Proverbs
8:36 --- "But he that sinneth against me
wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death."
And Jesus adds in John 15:23 --- "He that
hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them
the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but
now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father."
Bible scholars also tell us that the term can mean those who do
things that are hateful to God! This can include an additional
category of people.
"Despiteful" means "an insulter" according to
Strong’s Concordance. Its from the verb "hubrizo" which means"
to exercise violence" or "to abuse" someone. (insolence, injury)
It may be ultimately derived from the base word "huper" (our
word "hyper")!
Then Paul uses another one of his famous word
"hook-ups." The Spirit often leads the Apostle to fuse one word
together with another ... and even another ... to arrive at just
the "right" shade of meaning! (I DO believe in the verbal
word-for-word inspiration of Scripture!) "Proud" is the Greek
word "huperephanos" which suggests "phaino" = to shine, to show,
to show off ... plus the prefix (preposition) huper (hyper
again) = over, beyond, above! These people are "show-offs!"
The word "Boasters" (in Greek = "alazon")
means ("ale") to wander about the country! A vagabond, an old
"bum," an empty pretender! This crowd boasts ... but their
bragging is without merit! (For example, anyone who boasts about
his or her knowledge of the evolutionary process! Silly
boastings! God created Adam and Eve!)
"Inventors of evil things" is interesting.
Inventors is from "epheuretes." "Epi" just means upon and often
intensifies the rest of a word. And "heurisko" means to find!
"Evil things" translates "kakos," meaning worthless or depraved
or even injurious. This type of evil seems to spread less
rapidly that "poneros" evil! (But it still spreads!)
Lastly, "disobedient to parents" is listed.
"Disobedient" is Greek "apeithes." Watch this! "A" as a prefix
means no or not. (It often negates a word.) And "peitho" means
to convince or to pacify! This "disobedient" group refuses to be
persuaded of anything! They are "hard-headed" and stubborn!
Hence ... they will not obey their parents. Parents is "goneus"
and comes from the verb that means "to cause to be" (to beget).
To "gen"-erate (ginomai).
Look around today friends and see if these
sins are not proliferating everywhere!
Each of us Believers in Jesus Christ our Lord
should be thanking God this Wednesday that we have been saved by
His Grace and delivered from this kind of lifestyle!
And it all began by ignoring God and
rejecting the "light" He wanted to give!
Lord willing ... more tomorrow.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 31 ...
Paul in Romans 1:31 continues a rather long
list of sins. These are traits of those who have rejected God.
Reprobate minds call for this kind of behavior.
"Without understanding,
covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful."
Romans 1:31
I believe this is the next-to-the-last verse
in one of Paul's greatest sermons ever!
The first term in our verse is "without
understanding." The Greek is spelled "asunetos," and means
unintelligent or just plain stupid! (Not able to mentally put
together) Three Greek words "fused" into one: a + sun+ heimi =
not to send together! They cannot put their thoughts together as
they should! These folks can no longer reason properly!
(Without discernment or understanding!)
"Covenantbreakers" is the noun "asunthetos,"
a + sun + tithemi (NOT + TOGETHER + TO PLACE!) This precise
word is only found here in all the Bible! It means: Not agreed!
Not willing to adhere to compacts! They won’t keep their word!
It pictures a state of peace interrupted by the wicked!
"Without natural affection" means lacking
family love! (astorgos) A + STORGE! Not + family love! (Stergo =
to cherish affectionately) Here are people who dislike (or even
hate) their own family members!
"Implacable" translates the Greek word "aspondos,"
a combination of "a" + "spendo," meaning to put out as an
offering! (Our verb "spend" comes from it!) The "a" privative
reverses the meaning: NOT TO POUR OUT ONE’S OFFERING! The
essence of the word: Those whom you cannot lead into a
commitment! They will no longer "obligate" themselves to
anything! ("I'm just not ready to make a 'commitment' yet!")
And "unmerciful" ("aneleemon") is an
adjective which fuses NOT ("a") and MERCY ("eleemon")! It
means: No compassion, no grace, no kindness!
These lists in ancient literature were called
"vice lists." It is certainly Bible proof that one sin leads to
another, isn’t it?
How does one avoid being under the dominating
influence of these sins? By yielding to the Lord God Almighty
and His Son Jesus Christ! By living your life under His
Lordship!
I believe there are 23 sins in this list! And
only Jesus gives "victory" over them all!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
ROMANS 1, VERSE 32 ...
The last verse of Romans chapter one is so
true-to life! (I once heard an old preacher say that there were
two things a preacher just HAD to know. What were they? The Word
of God ... and the souls of men! Paul knew both well! He has
described man’s behavior with startling accuracy here!)
The verse is nearly a summary statement of
what has already been said. Having listed these 26 sins in rapid
succession (not counting the sins in previous verses), Paul now
presents the ultimate consequence of sin: death!
Here’s the verse:
"Who knowing the judgment of God, that
they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do
the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
Romans 1:32
"Knowing" is an aorist participle of "epignosko,"
which means full knowledge. These wicked men and women are
completely aware of their wrongdoing. And they have know it for
some time. This can carry the idea of knowing through research
and experience ... not based just on a "hunch."
But ... what do they know?
The "judgment" of God! This is a "strange"
word here. It is not the usual word that one would expect for
judgment. "Dikaioma" means "that which has been deemed right so
as to have force of law." Or ... what has been ordained by law!
A judicial sentence! From its "verbal" source: to render just!
To make something right! It literally sounds like Paul is
telling us that this crowd deep down inside already know God’s
judgment is coming and have resolved themselves to it!
To "commit" such things means to ("prasso")
practice them! (To perform repeatedly!) It is a present
participle (on-going habitual action).
"Such things" means those sins (from same sex
escapades right on down the line to the covenant breakers) Paul
has reviewed earlier in the text.
"Are worthy" translates a verb and an
adjective (eimi and axios). The verb is in the present tense and
indicative mood. They continue to be this way --- worthy of
death! The adjective "worthy" means "deserving, proper, fitting,
suitable." It actually comes from a word that means "heavy with
weight!" In other words, when put on God’s scales of justice,
these sinners will tip the scales decidedly toward hell!
"Death" is the old Greek word "thanatos." It
has (even in English) become synonymous with the absence of
life, the grave, even the afterlife! "The
wages of sin is DEATH!" Romans 6:23
Then we have another word for "do." "They do
the same." This is the verb "poieo." It means "to make, to do,
to bring about, to accomplish." Its a present active verb ...
they again do these wicked things more and more day after day
(and night after night). This almost makes sin sound
"addictive," doesn’t it? Well, IT IS!
They KNOW they will suffer judgment for these
deeds ... yet they do them anyway!
Sin loves company! These reprobates "have
pleasure" in others who do wrong with them. The verb "suneudokeo"
means (Its prefix "sun" means with! The verbal prefix "eu" means
well or good! "Dokeo" means to think or to seem! Put it all
together: To think everything is good! This is the old
"everything’s ‘all right’" syndrome! (Another indicative present
active verb ... habitual and continuous back-slapping and
congratulating of one another!)
And the pleasure is placed in whom? "In them
that do them" (these sins). Our last verb "do" is "prasso" again
which (if you recall) means to practice again and again.
All that’s left then is the judgment of God!
Death! Hell! Eternal torment! Fire and brimstone! Weeping and
wailing! Gnashing of teeth! Unending separation from God!
Literal fire!
... UNLESS they have an experience with the
magnificent saving Grace of God! Unless God saves them! Delivers
them! Redeems them!
BUT He only saves sinners ... and so far this
crowd refuses to admit to being that!
I think I’ll quit calling this Page the
"Nuggets" Page and start calling it the "CHUNKS" Page. (Chunks
are much bigger than nuggets!)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
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