The Epistle of
ROMANS
Chapter One, Vs. 19-32
19. Because
that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Literal: Because that which is
known of God is visible and apparent (manifest) to or among them, for God made
it manifest or apparent and showed it openly to them.
Remember how the Word
interprets itself in the context. God is saying for this reason His wrath is
made known to these ungodly and unrighteous people who do not have an excuse
for their actions SINCE God made His Word openly apparent and available to them
and they did not apply themselves and their lives to His Word and its
commandments. God gave them every opportunity to believe AND act on:
II Timothy 2: 15 -- Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.
20. For the
invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse:
Literal: For the unseen things
of Him (invisible) from the founding or creation of the world are clearly seen,
being perceived or observed by the things that are made, both His eternal power
and His divinity (the characteristic or property or condition of being God), so
that they are without excuse, defense, or apology.
At the creation of the
world, the invisible things relating to the how of creation were not known of
men but by God only. But those invisible things are now made known (with
exceptions) by what is perceived and clearly seen by man. Both His Godly power
and His characteristics are openly seen by man by what is made and by the Word
of God. God comes right out in the open and does not hide like the god of this
world. God is saying that those ungodly and unrighteous men have no excuse
and no defense. God held nothing back and made His way openly available to
them and to no avail. The upcoming verses are a great example of what can
happen to people when they get out of alignment and harmony with God. The
"wrath of God" mentioned in verse 18 continues to unfold for it can
be seen that these sinful people get worse and worse from worshipping idols to
without natural affection.
21. Because
that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their
imaginations [reasonings], and their foolish heart was darkened.
Literal: Because having known
God, they glorified (honored, praised) him not as God, neither were thankful,
respectful, or paid homage (anything done or given to show reverence); but
became vain (foolish, useless, and empty) in their reasoning of things and
their calculations, and their foolish (irrational in conduct, stupid) heart was
darkened and deprived of light, without understanding.
The Gentiles had heard but
refused to believe. The word 'knew' is to perceive or observe obtaining a
knowledge of or insight into. It denotes a personal and true relationship
between the person knowing and the object known -- to be influenced by one's
knowledge of the object. [See Ephesians 4: 17, 18]
This verse has a number of
lessons in it as to what can happen to someone who has heard enough of the Word
to be saved but refuses to ACT on what they believe – apeitheia unbelief. They had everything
available to them and enough teaching to believe, but simply refused to
believe. This unbelief is the result of fear and is due either to wrong
teaching or ignorance. ACTION CURES FEAR AND INACTION STRENGTHENS
FEAR. Remember, you always have free will. Once born again, you can still
disobey God by not studying and renewing your mind and surely calamity will and
does result. You bring this upon yourself -- it is never God's fault. Remember
your sonship rights -- especially righteousness. By refusing to believe they
became foolish, useless and empty, irrational in conduct and just plain stupid
lacking understanding because their heart was in darkness lacking the light of
God's Word in their life.
Ephesians 4: 17, 18
-- This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that
ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding (heart - cardia)
darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in
them, because of the blindness (hardness) of their heart.
22.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Literal: Professing or
declaring to be wise (clever or skilled), they became fools (to make dull or
foolish).
23. And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Literal: And changed the glory
(renown or honor) of the uncorruptible God into a likeness of an image of
corruptible man, and of birds, and quadrupeds (four-footed beasts), and
creeping things (animals or reptiles). [See Deuteronomy 4: 15-18]
24. Wherefore
God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Literal: Wherefore God gave
them up through the lusts or desires of their own hearts to uncleanness or
impurity in general, their bodies to be dishonored, shamed or disgraced between
or among themselves.
Psalms 81: 12 -- So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
25. Who
changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Literal: Who (people) changed
(one thing for or into another) the truth of God into the lie, falsehood, and
reverenced and served the created thing rather than the Creator, who is blessed
to the ages or for ever. Amen.
The word 'blessed' is
unique here in that it is only used when applied to God, and never to man. They
worshipped man more than they worshipped God. Vain worship has been going on
for a long time and will continue unless people decide to believe and act on
God's Word. [ See Acts 7: 40-43 and Revelation 9: 20 ] People don't realize this
but when they do not have God first in their life, they are worshipping the
devil and devil spirits and this is worshipping in vain. There are only two
alternatives of worship -- the true God or the devil. We are to have no
confidence in the flesh. If things surrounding us look black and society seems
worse and worse, do not get excited or worrisome, but stand on the
promises of God and worship God in spirit and in truth. No good end can come to
those who worship anything but the true God. Prove it to yourself in your own
life as I did in mine. GOD MUST BE FIRST IN YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR ACTIONS. How
can this become a reality unless you know God?! God is His Word. You get to
know God by studying His Word.
26. For this
cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change
the natural use into that which is against nature:
Literal: For this reason God
gave them up to passions or affections of dishonor, shame or disgrace --
passions of infamy, for both their females changed (to change one thing for or
into another) the natural use into that contrary to nature (inborn
quality, natural source or origin).
It seems frightening, but
an unbeliever will continue to go down hill in the direction of without natural
affection. The subject matter here addresses lesbianism which is running
rampant in our society and in the world today -- gaining acceptance in social
and political circles. Lesbianism/homosexuality is Satan's STRONGEST devil
spirit -- they are as bold as can be and they play major leadership parts in
the devil spirit kingdom!
WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION IS NOT THE
BOTTOM OF THE BARREL --
It is UNDERNEATH the
barrel !!! You can't go any
lower. It is the EXACT OPPOSITE of the love of God in the renewed mind in
manifestation.
Have I made my point?
Satan appears to make
"without natural affection" harmless as he continues to entice people
to the lowest form of life that exists. His time is truly short
and he is recruiting his army with diligence.
Be very careful in this
area. There is nothing trickier and more deadly than this devil spirit. But
remember, Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. A person
at this lowest point in life can be delivered with much study prayer, and
effort. That spirit needs a body to function through and fights to the hilt to
stay in the person it is possessing. It can come and go when it pleases. I
witnessed firsthand a person trying to get delivered from a homosexual spirit.
It was a difficult experience. I heard this person's voice CHANGE in the middle
of a sentence from a man's voice to a very noticeable feminine dialect. It was
a terrible thing to see and hear and the person was truly tormented. I do not
know if this person was ever delivered. I have seen people who experienced severe
nervous breakdowns as a result of taking part in a homosexual experience --
even once! I knew a person who was put in a State Mental Hospital after being
seduced into having one of these experiences. It tormented him day and night -
just the thought of it, and he struggled to get delivered praying much every
day. I also do not know the fate of this Christian. [I was a Psychiatric Aide
in a State Hospital at one time.] I know of a Christian who was going out of
her way to help someone who was an admitted Lesbian. She wanted to help but against
the advice of other Christians who were concerned. Here is what happened.
God will always tell you first, but if you are not listening, He will tell
another upright Christian to tell you. Against the warnings of many Christians,
this girl wanted to go for a car ride with the girl who was practicing
"without natural affection". Both never returned and were killed in a
car accident.
I don't mean to get
gruesome here, but if one of these true stories makes you extra sharp in
dealing with this deadly devilish movement, then it is all worth it. Stay sharp
and REMEMBER! I love you and God loves you even more. He wants you to know
the score. HE WROTE THE BOOK -- I DIDN'T.
The next verse deals with
"without natural affection" from the male standpoint --
homosexuality.
27. And
likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their
lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and
receiving in themselves that recompence of their error [weakness] which was
meet.
Literal
(a) : And
in like manner also, the males having left the natural use of the female, were
inflamed in their lust towards one another, males with males working out or
achieving shame, moral deformity, and indecency, and receiving (lambano - into
manifestation -- paid back in full) in themselves the recompense or retribution
(deserved punishment for evil done) of their seduction from the truth, their
wandering from the truth which was necessary or fit.
The word 'meet' here
refers to something that is necessary and that there is need of, implying that
something is absent or wanting. The Interlinear puts this word after
recompense.
Restating the verse with
less explanations, if any:
Literal
(b) : And
in like manner also, the males having left the natural use of the female, were
inflamed (burned) in their lust towards one another, males with males achieving
shame, moral deformity, and indecency, and being paid back in full the
retribution that was fitting for their wandering and seduction from the truth.
The word 'lust' here is a
reaching after, the appetite and tendency towards the external object. This
verse teaches about homosexuality and the retribution it brings to one's life.
This attack of Satan is gaining ground among the God-rejecters and the
unbelieving believers in the form of social acceptance such as using the terms
'sexual preference' or 'biological disposition'.
Remember, that the
focus of Romans is on right believing and you can see what happens to those
who have heard enough but refuse to believe (apeitheia believing). These foolish and stupid people
start off with idolatry and go as far downhill as they can to 'without natural
affection'. They serve and worship man instead of God.
28. And even
as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind [void of judgement],
to do those things which are not convenient;
Literal: And according as they did
not approve to have (or acknowledge) God in their knowledge, God gave them up
to an untrue or counterfeit mind void of judgement to do things not fitting or
proper.
The word 'knowledge' is
that which has a powerful influence on the knower. These people rejected the
knowledge of God and they faced the consequences of their negative believing.
29. Being
filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Literal: Being filled (pleroo -
to capacity) with all wrong or unrighteousness, spiritual idolatry, evil nature
or wickedness delighting in evil, covetousness (having more or the will to have
more), malice or badness (evil habit flowing from the wicked act of the mind); filled
or sated with envy or jealousy (which led to the first murder), murder,
strife especially rivalry and contention, guile or a bait (the adulteration of
the truth to catch or deceive), malignity or evil disposedness, the desire of
evil to others, spitefulness (the desire to harm others; great malice),
whisperers or slanderers.
30.
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful [insolent], proud, boasters, inventors of evil
things, disobedient to parents,
Literal: Detractors, speaking
against one another, hateful to God, insolent (outrageous in personal insults
and boldly disrespectful in speech and behavior), proud (appearing over others
or things; haughty or arrogant), vaunting (a boaster or braggart, a false
pretender or imposter), inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31. Without
understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful:
Literal: Without understanding
(dull of apprehension, foolish), covenant breakers (who will betray your trust
by deliberately breaking an agreement), without natural affection (the lowest
form of life on the earth today - homosexuals and lesbians), implacable
(someone whose constant anger cannot be eased or pacified and they are without
compact having no respect for treaties and covenants), and unmerciful
(pitiless, cruel and uncompassionate).
Never believe or rely on
what any man tells or promises you, but rely and believe and act only on what
God has taught you from His Word or revelation above His Word. These people are
treacherous and will deliberately betray your trust and deceive by the deliberate
breaking of faith. This is very prevalent today as you can surely attest to.
The Word of God allows you to separate truth from error.
The word 'implacable'
needs some more study. It means: unable to appease or stop from being angry;
relentless; cannot be eased, lessened or allayed; cannot be appeased or
pacified; without 'compact' which is an agreement between two or more
individuals, states, etc. The Lexicon defines 'implacable' as without
respect for treaties or covenants. Young's Concordance defines it as irreconcilable.
Apparently, this term means someone that cannot be pacified, eased, or
relieved. They cannot reach an agreement or honor a covenant. They are engulfed
in constant anger and are relentless in their ways. The Lexicon also mentions
that they are without libation which is defined in the dictionary as "the
ritual of pouring out wine or oil upon the ground as a sacrifice, offering, or
covenant to God." These unbelievers are incapable of this.
The word 'unmerciful' means
not actively compassionate; not desiring to or relieving the ills or
misfortunes of others, not applying beneficial aid; cruel and uncompassionate.
32. Who
knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of
death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Literal: Who have known (fully
or well) the righteous judgement of God, that they which habitually commit such
things are worthy of death (thanatos - the natural end of life brought about by
sin), not only practice them, but consent with them that do them.
They take pleasure in
doing these things in conjunction with others. They are consenting or giving
their permission or approval with others who are doing the same. You may not
see it but it's out there. God will protect you even more and the enemy must
back off as your renewed mind strengthens which is your key to power. The
negatives will drop off and die, but don't forget the lifestyle of the unbeliever
mentioned and described so vividly in this first chapter of Romans.
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This concludes Part Two of Chapter One of the Epistle of
Romans.
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