Who is Paul talking to in Romans? I believe he is not talking to the world, for prior to Paul writing this letter it was already known to him and the church, the world was already declared debased in their actions, that is to say God had already given the world over to their sins (Job 9:24, Psalms 81:12) so it's unlikely the intent of these chapters was a warning to the world. It is my contention Paul is talking to those who are in the church, and it is a warning to the church and those that are in the church but are not yet Christians; those whom believe they are Christian, but yet have not gone all in on Christianity. On close inspection we find Paul uses the latter part of chapter 1 as a warning to those whom don't hold to the power of the Gospel he laid out in the first part of the chapter; those whom think they understand God, but yet blind themselves to the whole truth because they love their sin more than they love God (vs 21-23). Paul specifically states he is writing to the Christians in Rome, verse 13 "I do not want you to be unaware brothers and sisters...." and finishing this salutation in verse 15 with "...I'm also eager to preach the Gospel to you in Rome. So this letter is written to inform the Christians in Rome. From Warren Weirsbes Bible commentary: "Romans 1:24–27 (BEC):.... If man is his own god, then he can do whatever he pleases and fulfill his desires without fear of judgment. We reach the climax of man’s battle with God’s truth when man exchanges the truth of God for “the lie” and abandons truth completely. “The lie” is that man is his own god, and he should worship and serve himself and not the Creator. It was “the lie” Satan used in the Garden to lead Eve into sin: “Ye shall be as God!” Satan has always wanted the worship that belongs only to God (Isa. 14:12–15; Matt. 4:8–10); and in idolatry, he receives that worship (1 Cor. 10:19–21).
The result of this self-deification was self-indulgence; and here Paul mentions a vile sin that was rampant in that day and has become increasingly prevalent in our own day; homosexuality. This sin is repeatedly condemned in Scripture Romans 1:24–27 (BEC): Gen. 18:20ff; 1 Cor. 6:9–10; Jude 7). Paul characterizes it as “vile” and “unnatural,” as well as “against nature.” Not only were the men guilty, but “even the women.”
Because of their sin “God gave them up” (Rom. 1:24, 26) which means that He permitted them to go on in their sins and reap the sad consequences. They received “in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Rom. 1:27, nasb). This is the meaning of Romans 1:18, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven” (literal translation). God revealed His wrath, not by sending fire from heaven, but by abandoning sinful men to their lustful ways."
Certainly at this point we would applaud Paul's condemnation of the sinners of the world, but as Paul continues in Chapter 2 his point to his audience is not God's condemnation of the world( this had already happened in the Garden of Eden and answered by the Cross), but the condemnation of the believer whom 1 does not take the Gospel serious enough to live it and profess it and 2 to the believer who takes the Gospel so seriously that it leads them to pompous condemnation of others. For both actions Paul writes in Romans 2:11, “For there is no respect of persons with God”, this would shock the Jew, for he considered himself deserving of special treatment because he was chosen by God. But Paul explained that no one was more special than the other, not even the Jew who was given the Law first. Weirsbe further writes "Wherever you go, you find people with an inner sense of right and wrong; and this inner judge, the Bible calls “conscience.” You find among all cultures a sense of sin, a fear of judgment, and an attempt to atone for sins and appease whatever gods are feared.
The Jew boasted in the Law. He was different from his pagan neighbors who worshiped idols! But Paul made it clear that it was not the possession of the Law that counted, but the practice of the Law. The Jews looked on the Gentiles as blind, in the dark, foolish, immature, and ignorant! But if God found the “deprived” Gentiles guilty, how much more guilty, how much more guilty were the “privileged” Jews! God not only judges according to truth (Rom. 2:2), and according to men’s deeds (Rom. 2:6); but He also judges “the secrets of men” (Rom. 2:16). He sees what is in the heart!
The Jewish people had a religion of outward action, not inward attitude. They may have been moral on the outside, but what about the heart? Our Lord’s indictment of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 illustrates the principle perfectly. God not only sees the deeds but He also sees the “thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). It is possible for a Jew to be guilty of theft, adultery, and idolatry (Rom. 2:21–22) even if no one saw him commit these sins outwardly."
The main point of Romans 1 and 2 was not to condemn the world as some believe, the main point was to steer the church of Rome in the right direction. At that point, the church was young, they were still dealing with the "old ways" of doing business...they were dealing with those who still wanted to be bogged down by the weight of the Law and in doing this they covered over the purpose of the good new (Gospel) of Christ (Romans 1:1-15). Paul in these two chapters was not trying to prophesy nor condemn a world already under the judgment of God, he was trying to point the church in Rome, whom were largely Jews to Christ as their Salvation, as To paraphrase Romans 1: 15-17,they no longer had the weight of the Law, they had the freedom of the Cross. This meant dieing to self and old traditions and picking up the new life found in Christ. They no longer had to work for salvation, a practice that lead to arrogance and judgment (Romans 2:1), now trust in the work of Christ that leads to salvation apart from the Law (Romans 2:25-28). Paul was fighting against complacency in the church, not sin in the world. Paul was attempting to change the world through changing the church so they were no longer living for themselves, but living for Christ; this in the world then and now is not an easy task.
I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “T he just and upright shall live by faith .” For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth, because that which is known about God is evident within them [in their inner consciousness], for God made it evident to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense. For even though they knew God [as the Creator], they did not honor Him as God or give thanks [for His wondrous creation]. On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking [godless, with pointless reasonings, and silly speculations], and their foolish heart was darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God for an image [worthless idols] in the shape of mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their own hearts to [sexual] impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin], because [by choice] they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading and vile passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural [a function contrary to nature], and in the same way also the men turned away from the natural function of the woman and were consumed with their desire toward one another, men with men committing shameful acts and in return receiving in their own bodies the inevitable and appropriate penalty for their wrongdoing. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive, until they were filled (permeated, saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice and mean-spiritedness. They are gossips [spreading rumors], slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors [of new forms] of evil, disobedient and disrespectful to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful [without pity]. Although they know God’s righteous decree and His judgment, that those who do such things deserve death, yet they not only do them, but they even [enthusiastically] approve and tolerate others who practice them.
ROMANS 1:16-32 AMP
Wiersbe, W. W. (2001). The Bible exposition commentary.
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