[CS-FSLUG] TD: CS-BibleStudy: Romans 1

[john-thomas richards]

On Sun, Mar 06, 2005 at 11:44:15PM -0600, Timothy Butler wrote:
[snip]
> 2.) How do you suppose the Romans received his bold beginning to the 
> letter?

Bold beginning?  He started off by proclaiming himself a mere *doulos* -
a slave.  Ken Wuest wrote that 'doulos' was "the most abject, servile"
type of slave in the Roman world.  His introduction in the first several
verses were to point out to the Roman believers that the Gospel of God
he was about to proclaim to them (in the following eleven chapters in
particular) were not *his* words or teachings.  He was quick to point
this out in verse two.  Most (all?) English translations add the word
"the" in verse two ("through his prophets in the holy Scriptures")
though the word is not present in the Greek.  Paul's emphasis is on the
*nature* of the Scriptures.  What he is about to proclaim was revealed
beforehand by the prophets in *holy* Scripture.  He is informing his
Jewish readers that he is not supplanting their Scriptures but is
explaining them at the behest of his Master.  He is also informing his
Gentile readers that their religion is that which was revealed to the
Jews in ages past.  As such, they had better pay attention since his
teaching is from God, through and through.

> 3.) There is some language in verses 18-32 that appears to deal with 
> the issue of homosexuality. In fact, this is one of the proof texts 
> used to point out the sinfulness of homosexuality. But ignoring that 
> for a moment, and looking at the bigger picture, what do you suppose 
> was the reason for Paul to start with a virtual catalog of sins?
[snip]

Many do use these verses as proof texts for their personal mission to
rid the world of homosexuality.  The truth is Paul outlines a litany of
sins such as envy, murder, strife, *disobedience to parents*.  How many
of us equate homosexuality with the naughty behavior of a
three-year-old (in terms of its offense to God)?

To focus on the one particular sin in this passage is to lose sight of
Paul's very argument.  In verses 16-17, he tells us the gospel is the
power of God and is the very revelation of God (i.e., his character).
Interestingly, he then proceeds to write how the Gentiles have actively
exchanged the revelation of God in nature for something less.  In other
words, man has failed to worship the God that is evident in nature in
order to worship that which is not a God - ourselves.  The failure is a
deliberate act of rebellion against him.  Three times Paul wrote that
even though the Gentiles knew God, they exchanged that truth for a lie.
Three times he followed up with God giving the Gentiles over to that
which they sought (self worship).  This is actually an act of judgment.
Man tells God he does not desire to worship God so God gives man over to
his wickedness, thereby incurring even more wrath upon himself.  Paul
lists a variety of ways this wickedness is manifested - envy, deceit,
murder, disobedience to parents, et cetera.  He singles out
homosexual behavior because of its very graphic illustration of this
rejecting of God.  Such behavior is against the natural order of things.
For example, a man who has sex with a woman outside the bonds of
marriage is at the very least committing a *natural* act, that is, he is
functioning within the natural design of the Creator, though he is not
doing so in the *context* the Creator demands (marriage).  Homosexual
behavior goes against the Creator's design in addition to operating
outside the context.  Does this make such behavior *worse* (in offense
to God) than murder or gossip?  No, it does not.  This is why Paul lists
the other sins.  We should be careful to not get caught up in the
specific sins, though.  In verse 18 he points out that regardless of
*behavior*, we all face the wrath of God!  He writes that God's wrath is
being revealed against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.  Why
does he use two terms that on their surface appear redundant?
Unrighteousness refers to our *behavior* while ungodliness refers to our
*attitude*.  The ungodly are unconcerned with God.  Their attitude is
one of indifference.  Whether we murder, engage in homosexual acts,
disobey our parents, or just live our lives as though God were
irrelevant, we stand in condemnation apart from Christ.
-- 
john-thomas
------
Adults are obsolete children.
Dr. Seuss, humorist, illustrator, and author (1904-1991)