In Romans 1, Paul gives a progression of depravity. There is a process, a series of steps. It starts with a fundamental problem; humans unrighteously suppress the truth (Rom 1:18). Well, of course, that stands to reason. If mankind is to go awry, it must start by hiding the truth. Now, keep in mind that it isn't a case of ignorance. No, no. We all know that "ignorance is no excuse", but Paul says that no one can even claim ignorance. What truth is it that is suppressed? What is suppressed that starts this whole process? "That which is known about God" (Rom 1:19). And on what basis does Paul say that ignorance is not a valid claim? "God made it evident to them" (Rom 1:19).
So, here we stand. God made known clear truth about Himself. He did it in nature. He did it by revelation. He did it intrinsically, "within them" (Rom 1:19). And humans -- we -- took that which God made evident ... and suppressed it. We didn't forget it. We didn't ignore it. Suppression is an active process. We pushed it out of sight.
The process continues downward from that point. Having willfully suppressed the truth about God, we fail to honor Him or thank Him. Having willfully set aside the truth, our thinking becomes corrupt. We become fools. And in our self-proclaimed wisdom we substitute creation for Creator. So ... God surrenders us to the direction we choose. This first surrender is of a sexual nature initially. We become dominated by self-gratification. And we reinforce our stupid notion that we are the important ones and God is not. So God lets us go beyond sexual revolution to utter sexual depravity. Humans degrade themselves, exchanging passion for the opposite gender for passion for the same gender. So far out is this degradation that at this point God passes us off to lunacy ... what Paul calls "a depraved mind", where we not only indulge in every kind of evil but happily urge others to do so.
Up until now, I've simply been speaking of generic humans. It's "mankind". And the cycle has occurred over and over in human history. The problem is that there is nothing beyond this last level. Paul doesn't list a "next step in the progression". This is the last step. And, in history, we can see this is the case. When a society degenerates to the point that it is indulging openly and eagerly in sexual sin of all sorts as "normal", there is no "next step". Those cultures in the past that got to that point ended up being terminated.
We know that there is a final judgment, a time when each and every human will be judged by Christ. We know that until that day ultimate justice does not occur. The same is not true, however, with nations. Biblically and historically God judges nations whenever He sees fit. They may receive a warning or they may not. They may be given the opportunity to repent or they may not. He does as He pleases. So while we're all muddling about here in America debating the definition of marriage, who deserves more rights than the other, and whether or not religion should be involved in politics, we move ever closer to the moment that God will be required to act. He may choose to judge America, or He may choose, as Billy Graham has suggested, to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah (yeah, about that ... don't count on it), but we are leaving Him no choice if America doesn't repent ... and soon. America doesn't need better political parties, improved laws, or an economic bailout. America needs the Gospel ... unadulterated and clear. Or ... America needs judgment.
2 comments:
Yes but there is also part two. What Paul says in Romans Two seems to say "Yea but you guys in the church have enough problems of your on and have no right to speak to the depravity you are witnessing". How much do you think that the second chapter of Romans has stymied Christians in their duty of being salt and light?
I think, actually, that Paul was thinking of the Jewish believers when he wrote "chapter 2). (I put it in quotes because the original doesn't have chapters.) Me, when I read the passage, feel like (at the end of chapter 1), "Yeah! You evil sinful people! Yeah, are you listening??!!" And Paul says, "You who judge should notice that you are guilty of sin, too."
We walk a very fine line, don't we? We need to recognize sin. Jesus's very first ministry was a call to repentance. We need to call to repentance. But we cannot afford to do so without recognizing our own immersion into the sin we're calling sin. Sigh.
I see it the same way I see it when a teenager is told, "You mustn't engage in sex before marriage" and asks, "Why? Didn't you and mom do it?" The answer isn't "Yeah, we did, so we have nothing to say about it." The answer is, "Yeah, we did, and we were wrong. Did you think we were warning you off because we didn't know the dangers? No! It's because we know firsthand." The Church needs to tell the world, "Repent! We know what sin is because we've experienced it. We'd like for you to stop because it will hurt you, too!" (Or something like it.)
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