Romans 1:18 NIV The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
B1 Suppress
C1 The Greek word is κατέχω katéchō. It means to prevent free movement. This movement is bound and held down. It also means to repress (Wuest).
C2 The truth is deliberately being held down, repressed, and prevented from being acknowledged and revealed.
C3 In our passage, it is the truth about God. It can be applied to all truth, for example, a person’s sins, fraudulent science, false prophets, false teachers, false pastors (who don’t want to be exposed), etc.
C4 An example of telling the truth and suppressing it. John 8:45-46 NRSV But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
B2 Where do lies come from?
C1 From the devil. The first liar evidently is the devil. John 8:44 NRSV You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
C2 From the human heart. The heart is the soul, the immaterial part of every human.
D1 Luke 6:45 NIV A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
D2 Matthew 15:18-20 NKJV But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 "These are [the things] which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
B3 Why do they do this?
C2 Love evil. Psalm 52:3 NLT You love evil more than good and lies more than truth.
C3 Love darkness, that is, repression, suppression, covering up truth. John 3:19 NLT And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
C4 Hate light, that is, truth being exposed. John 3:20 NLT All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. Vincent’s Word Studies notes on John 3:20-21: There the plural is used: doeth evil things; evil being represented by a number of bad works. Here the singular, the truth, or truth; truth being regarded as one, and “including in a supreme unity all right deeds.” There is also to be noted the different words for doing in these two verses: doeth evil (πράσσων); doeth truth (ποιῶν). The latter verb contemplates the object and end of action; the former the means, with the idea of continuity and repetition. Πράσσων is the practice, while ποιῶν may be the doing once for all.
C5 Have a sin nature that all humans are born with. Psalms 58:3 NLT These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.
B4 What is the danger of suppressing the truth?
C1 More apt to believe lies.
C2 Searing the conscious. It will be easier to lie and not feel guilty.
C3 Justifying evil actions.
C4 Substitute subjective opinions as the standard of truth.
C5 All the above increases sin. Note the downhill motion of sin in Romans 1.
D1 Realization of truth. The Holy Spirit opens all hearts and minds to understand some facts about God. Compare 1 Corinthians 2:18-20 and John 16:8-11.
E1 Romans 1:19 NLT They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
E2 Acts 16:14 NIV One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.
E3 2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
D2 Taught truth. God teaches them truth. (Romans 1:19-20). This includes
E1 God’s existence
E2 God’s eternal power which includes
F1 Omnipotence
F2 Power in ability
F3 Aseity (no beginning or end of existence. He is existent of Himself)
F4 Eternity (always existing)
E3 Power as the source of life
E4 Power in wisdom (omnisapience)
E5 Power in knowledge (omniscience)
E6 Power and authority as creator, king, judge, etc.
E7 Jesus’s ministry which showed authority over demons, weather, sickness, death, trick questions, temptations, etc.
E8 Power and authority to forgive sins and recreate a person’s heart (soul) when they believe. Compare Luke 18:13 and 2 Corinthians 5:17.
E9 Godhead which refers to what we call the Trinity. Compare John 1:1 and John 1:14, etc.
D3 Suppress truth (Romans 1:18)
D4 Refuse to give God credit for what He has done (creation and providence for example). (Romans 1:21)
E1 Also, not giving thanks for all He has done, is doing, and will do.
E2 Compare Acts 14:17 NLT but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.
D5 Empty imaginations to dream up things which bring about all goodness and creation, yet excludes Jesus as being that creator. (Romans 1:21)
D6 Foolishness leads the heart to be darkened. It is a punishment and result of rejection. (Romans 1:21). This was the reason for parables (Mark 4:12)
D7 Self arrogance when dealing with possible solutions to problems and questions. They do not accept Bible truth but do accept other suggestions (Romans 1:22). Compare Isaiah 44:9-20.
D8 Choose and make gods (Romans 1:23). This would include gods of science, philosophy, etc. Compare Acts 17:29 and Galatians 4:8.
D9 God gives them up, delivers, and takes truth away from them (Romans 1:24). These rejecters start worshiping fleshly desires. Compare: Romans 1:24 GW For this reason God allowed their lusts to control them. As a result, they dishonor their bodies by sexual perversion with each other.
D10 Romans 1:25 has the following effects from suppressing truth—to believe falsehood and to worship and serve the creature (pantheism). This is a type of spiritual blindness.
D11 Believe and practice all types of sex (Romans 1:26-27). God gives them up these sins. Giving them over to these sins is punishment resulting in even greater deceptions. Psalms 81:12 NLT So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas.
D12 The idea of God is still in their mind but thinking about God causes mental and emotional distress (Romans 1:28). Isaiah 30:11 GNB Get out of our way and stop blocking our path. We don't want to hear about your holy God of Israel.
D13 Next down the ladder of sin is that their lives become nothing but selfish (egotism), resulting in a long list of evil, hurtful attitudes, and evil actions. Compare the NLT: Romans 1:29-31 NLT Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.
D14 Finally, they realize God’s disapproval, yet give God the finger and do what they want, encourage others to join them, and have no concern for the future (Romans 1:32). Compare
E1 2 Thessalonians 2:12 NLT Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.
E2 Isaiah 57:20-21 GW But the wicked are like the churning sea. It isn't quiet, and its water throws up mud and slime. 21 There is no peace for the wicked," says my God.
E3 Revelation 22:12-15 Phillips “See, I come quickly! I carry my reward with me, and repay every man according to his deeds. I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the Beginning and the End. Happy are those who wash their robes, for they have the right to the tree of life and the freedom of the gates of the city. Shut out from the city shall be the depraved, the sorcerers, the impure, the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practises a lie!
B5 What is the solution?
C1 Recognize truth. Thoughts, desires, words, and deeds are either truth or lie. A part lie is a lie. Saying true words to deceive is a lie. A standard is needed to help us. That standard is God, the Creator.
D1 1 John 2:21 NRSV I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth.
D2 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
C2 Expose lies. Ephesians 5:11 NRSV Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
C3 Tell the truth and practice the truth. The more we tell the truth, the more we will tell the truth. Zechariah 8:16 NLT But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.
C4 Note the comparison. We are to recognize lies, avoid lies, speak the truth, and do truth in the spirit of love. Ephesians 4:14-15 GNB Then we shall no longer be children, carried by the waves and blown about by every shifting wind of the teaching of deceitful people, who lead others into error by the tricks they invent. 15 Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.
C5 Realize that all lies sometime and somewhere will be exposed. Proverbs 12:19 NLT Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.
C6 We are to guide and help each other back to truth. James 5:19-20 NLT My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
C6 Seek for pastors and teachers that tell and teach truth. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
John 14:6 NRSV Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
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