Friday 9 May 2014

Read: Romans 1:28-31

If the rest of Romans 1:18-32 has been describing the long slide of mankind away from God into sin then this passage describes the pit at the bottom. At the beginning of the process mankind suppresses the truth of God revealed in creation and rejects God. Having rejected God they turn away from Him and begin to worship the things that He has created instead of worshipping Him. Now the slide is in full swing: God gives them over to sin and they begin to engage in all sorts of sexual immorality. This declines into homosexuality and the degrading of men with other men and women with other women. Now, beginning with a depraved and sinful mind, they slide down to rock bottom and experience all the terrible brokenness and immorality found there.

Walk Moment

It can be a helpful exercise to inform yourself about what is going on in the world so that you can be praying more effectively and be ready to share how the Gospel can help with the terrible things we see in the world. As you watch the news or read the newspaper today make an effort to pray for each situation you read about.

Paul's list of 'every kind of wickedness' sounds like a 6pm news bulletin. Evil, greed and depravity are rampant. The rich greedily steal from the poor. A man envies his neighbour's things. Murderers and serial-killers appear in nearly every bulletin. Strife, deceit and malice are shown in the ways that men and women manipulate others for their own personal gain. Gossip and slander seems to comprise the majority of lunchroom conversation. God-haters write books, make television programs and publicly mock God. Sinful man is insolent, arrogant and boastful when confronted with God's standards. Sinful humanity takes pride in inventing new ways to do evil. Children disobey their parents. Blinded to love they are senseless, faithless, heartless and ruthless.

Mankind does not sin out of ignorance. They know God's commands. They can see God through creation and they know right from wrong by their consciences and yet they deliberately ignore God and His commands. Not only do they stubbornly continue in their sinful ways but they also approve of others who do evil. They pass laws to legalise sin, they write books to justify sin and they have parties to celebrate sin. They are wicked and rebellious to the core.

Apart from the work of God this perfectly describes our sinful world. What we fail to admit is that without the gracious and loving work of God in our lives this perfectly describes us. All of us have the inward capacity and inclination to reject God and to stubbornly persist in sin. Each of us, apart from God's grace, would reject God and make that terrible slide into depravity. Praise God that He is gracious enough to drag us out of this pit and into His loving embrace.

Discussion Questions for families and groups

Imagine that you share this passage with someone to show them the sinfulness of mankind before God. They respond by asking about all the good things that these people do.

1. How do you respond?
2. The people listed in verses 28-31 do good things as well. How do you explain this?

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• What are today's headlines in the news? Pray for each of these situations.
• Pray for the youth in your church. Pray that God would be at work in their hearts so that they might grow in their love for Him. Pray that He would guard them from the temptations of the world and help them to draw close to Him. Pray that they might be able to share the gospel with those they come in contact with.

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