Everyone Is Lost In Sin
The Bible clearly says that God is angry. One such passage is before us this morning. Romans 1:18 declares “the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness.” There are a lot of people who have a real problem seeing an angry God who loves the people who make Him angry.
The wrath of God is as real as gravity, and air. It is not always visible, but it is always present.
Job 21:30 – That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
Psalms 90:7 – For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Matthew 3:7 – But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Colossians 3:6 – For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Revelation 6:17 – For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Dare we to ask why God is so angry and full of wrath towards this fallen human race? I believe it is a question we must ask. Why is God so angry?
Our lesson passage this morning provides some of the answer to this question. Look carefully at Romans 1:21,23,28. The apostle Paul outlines seven specific indictments God has brought against every unsaved person.
– Even with the knowledge they were given of God, they chose not to glorify Him. V. 21 Let’s not forget that God’s intention in creating us in the first place was so that we would glorify Him.
– They have failed to be thankful to God. V. 21
– They followed after vain (empty, useless) imaginations. V. 21
– They professed themselves to have attained wisdom. V. 22
– They changed the glory of God into an image. V.23
– They changed the truth of God into a lie. V. 25
– They did not want to retain God in their knowledge. V.28
Please notice I am not adding to this list the particular sinful practices that are mentioned here. Why? Because these sins are merely the result of the volitional choices we make. The seven indictments I have just read are the deliberate choices sinners make that inevitably lead them down the road to the destructive sins mentioned here.
In the Garden of Eden, God provided Adam and Eve with life, and with that life the power to make personal choices. He warned them of the gravity and power of his gift to them, but left them free to choose for themselves. Genesis three reveals they experienced four types of choices:
- Choice based upon truth alone
- Choice based upon deception
- Choice based upon human independence
- Choice based upon dependence and submission to God
Every choice you have ever made is the result of one of these four types of choices. This is true for every person who has ever lived. Remember, we are talking about why God is so angry with people.
- When a person makes a choice based upon truth alone it is viewed by God as good.
- When a person makes a choice based upon deception it is viewed by God as wrong.
- When a person makes a choice based upon human independence it is viewed by God as rebellion.
- When a person makes a choice based upon dependence and submission to God it is viewed by God as righteous.
Jesus himself called some human works good, but did not call them righteous. (Matt. 7:21-22) Of course choice based upon deception, and human independence are clearly displeasing to God. In other words, choice based upon any or all of these first three types of choice is called sin in the Bible.
Now follow me carefully. From that day in the Garden forward, people have always made choices that are sin in God’s view.
– Adam and Eve chose the fruit over dependence upon God
– Cain chose human originated religion over dependence upon God
– Lot chose convenience over dependence upon God
– Israel choose acceptance among the nations over dependence upon God
– False Christianity chooses all of the above over dependence upon God
Our passage tells us that people changed or exchanged what God provided them with something of their making and to their own liking.
– Adam and Eve exchanged perfect innocence for leaf aprons
– Cain exchanged favor with God for the work of his own hands
– Lot exchanged moral purity for the perversion of Sodom
– Israel exchanged a theocracy for national bondage to the gentiles
– Today people are exchanging salvation by grace through faith in the blood of Christ for:
Confidence in baptism to save
Church membership to save
Good works, morality, and citizenship to save
Social acceptance, fraternity, and personal accomplishment to save
Religious experiences and dogma to save
The problem with all of these choices is they all require that a person reject the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ who alone is able to save us from sin.
From the moment of birth we begin to make personal choices. As we live in this world more and more of our personal choices become the product of the spiritual state of our being. There are only two spiritual conditions in which a person can be found:
– A spiritual state of independence from God
– A spiritual state of dependence and submission to God
Illustration:
A number of years ago, I heard a preacher relate a personal experience that really enabled me to understand why God is so angry with sinners.
This pastor had a little boy who had sustained a deep cut and needed stitches. However, the boy had a medical condition that for some reason prevented the use of pain numbing medication.
As the ER doctor and nurse worked to attend to the little boy’s wound, he, the daddy held onto his little one, trying desperately to console and reassure him. The boy’s cries turned to screams: “Make the stop daddy, Make them stop!” The dad knew he could not intervene. After he had endured his son’s screams for only a few minutes, he looked at the doctor with desperate eyes, and said, “Do what you have to do, but I have to leave.” He then ran out of the ER so that he would not physically intervene in his son’s medical care.
This young preacher sobbed a prayer to his heavenly Father. “Please, God help my son, and help me too.” He said, immediately the passage of Scripture came to him where the Bible records the moment when God the Father turned His back on His only Son amid the desperate cry of Jesus.
Had God the Father intervened, the preacher said, I would be lost forever.
The preacher said then he understood why God is so angry with sinners. God sent His Son to die for them, yet in their self-centered rebellion and independence from Him, they deliberately choose to reject His Son’s death for them in favor of their own devices.
Why are so many professing Christians falling into and going after shameful sins? Why do so many professing Christians chronically struggle with doubt and confusion about their personal salvation? Why are so many local churches in decline and division?
I believe the answer can be found in Romans chapter one. It ought to be pointed out what verses precede our lesson passage. (Romans 1:16,17) Real born again believers are people of faith, and they have complete confidence in the power of the gospel to save them from sin.
Dr. Billy Graham has stated he believes as much as 50 percent of professing Christians are actually lost. It is only a human observation, and one man’s opinion, but I believe it to far more accurate than the notion that every professing Christian is indeed saved.
What about you? Does your life portray faith in Christ or human independence from God? Salvation is all about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Can you truthfully say you are in a personal, daily, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, or are you merely religious?
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