In the first 16 verses of Paul’s epistle to the Gentile church located in the city of Rome he emphasizes “the Gospel” of the Kingdom of God, which, as Jesus tells us in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) was His message of hope to the Jews, the other Israelite tribes, and to the Gentiles.

In verse 16 Paul stated that THE Gospel was the “power of God (leading) to salvation” for all who believe.”  Belief is the same as “faith.”  Faith, Paul tells us, is simply taking God at His Word (Rom. 10:19). Contrary to universal church opinion, faith alone will not save the soul (Jam. 2:14).  Faith without works (obedience to God’s Word) is dead faith (Jam. 2:10,14,16,17,18,20, 24,26).  In that one lives by one’s faith, dead faith reflects a spiritually dead believer.  And in that “works” (aka “legalism”) is a dirty word within professing Christendom, all church believers are spiritually dead.

In verse 17 Paul writes: “For therein (in the Gospel–vs 16) the righteousness of God is revealed as we grow in faith” (from little to much faith) and thereby become more like Him.  God’s righteousness is revealed for one reason only–so that believers can become like the Lord and thereby inherit salvation and all that comes with it (read Leviticus 26:1-13 and Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

Note in Romans 1:17 that “the just(tified) must live by faith.”  As James tells us, faith that is not “worked” (lived/walked) is dead faith.  We must “walk as Jesus walked” if we call ourselves His brethren (1 Jn. 2:6).  We must do so until we “come to (attain) the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13) and retain our justification until the end of life (Mat. 10:22) by obedience to the Gospel.

Everything written so far in this posting, as well as in postings A and B, are summarily rejected by the whole of professing Christendom.  The precious Scriptural nuggets found in the first 17 verses of Romans are ridiculed and rejected.  Those who speak and write those Truths are accused of being false prophets who, if they have ever known God, have fallen away from Him.  I have personally been told that I have “fallen from grace” and that I need to join a real church in order to get “saved.”  My offence was that I preach and write God’s unedited, unmaligned, uninterpreted Word.  So what does that mean for my finger-pointing detractors?  This brings us to verse 18.

The rest of Romans chapter one is dedicated to answering the above-stated question.  We have been told by the “the fix is in” contingent that in verses 18 through 30 Paul is referring to people who have never known God (been “saved”).  This is not true.  As the Scriptures themselves will reveal, Paul is writing about Israelites who have known God and have rejected Him.  Jesus personally ministered to a small percentage of those same people while on earth–the Judahites, nicknamed “Jews” by the King James translators.

The message God sends to the readers of Paul’s letter also applies to those who claim to be God’s people while refusing to obey His Word today.  This billions-strong, two-headed, multi-bodied religious organization calls itself “the church.”  This is the same “church” from which God rescued me, cleansed me, taught me His Truth and set me on this path.  Neither in this life nor in the next life will I be able to thank Him enough for His grace, kindness, long-suffering and patience.  I have told Him on several occasions that, if He was capable of making a mistake, I would be it.  And yet, here I am.  Praise Him, all ye people.  For it is only by the power of His name and Spirit that true, Bible-based ministry can be carried out.

Romans 1:18 reveals that the people Paul refers to in the remainder of the chapter are Israelites who, because they lived like godless Gentiles, had BECAME spiritual Gentiles (heathen).  These were those Israelites to whom Jesus sent the apostles in Matthew 10:6–“THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL” who, because of their sins, had been scattered throughout the heathen world.  Read Who and Where is Israel Today?  Key word–Today.  Beginning with verse 18 Paul describes their spiritual condition and how they came to embrace it.

In verse 18 he writes about the wrath of God that comes upon those who “hold the Truth in unrighteousness.”  Jesus said in John 17:17 that the Word of God was Truth.  To “hold” that Truth means to possess/know it.  One cannot hold what one does not possess.  In verses 19 and 20 Paul notes that none of them were excused, for God’s creation itself proves His existence, power and Godhead for He has “shown it to them” through His creation.  As is proven in chapter one, those whom Paul describes had also been taught God’s ways.  In verse 21 he states that these people “knew Him (God)” but rejected Him in favor of gods of their own making.  Note that their foolish hearts (minds) had been “DARKENED.”  This means that their hearts at one time contained light which, because of their self-centeredness, was replaced by darkness–were “darkened.”  Being wise in their own eyes, they “BECAME” fools (vs 22), meaning that they had not been fools in the beginning.  Adam and Eve knew God’s light, listened to Satan’s darkness, chose to follow him and became filled with darkness.  They set the example for what has become the universal mind-set within professing Christendom.  We will skip forward to verses 28, 29 and 32.  We will return to the other verses later.

In verse 28 we find more proof that the reprobates Paul is describing are fallen Israelites.  He notes that these people (they) refused to “RETAIN GOD IN THEIR MINDS.”  One cannot retain (keep) in one’s mind something one has never had in one’s mind.  He says that at one time they had God in their minds.  Note that because they refused to RETAIN (keep) their knowledge of God and His ways, He “GAVE THEM OVER TO A REPROBATE MIND.”  They were so intent on sinning that God “gave them over to” (allowed them to obey) the one they were intent on following–Satan.  In verse 29 Paul says that they had filled their own minds with unrighteousness.

Undeniable proof that Paul is writing about people who once knew God, His will and way is found in verse 32.  Here he states that the people he was writing about KNEW THE JUDGMENT OF GOD.  THEY KNEW THAT THOSE WHO DISOBEYED HIM WERE “WORTHY OF DEATH.”  Nevertheless, they not only DID what they KNEW would produce DEATH, they took pride in convincing others to follow in their footsteps.  Sound familiar?

This is the same attitude exhibited by those who have been lured into Satan’s false church.  The Bible they carry to church on Satan’s sabbath reveals God’s Truth, but they refuse to learn it.  And when shown His Truth they reject it, proving, as Jesus said, that they “… DESPISE ME.”  He also noted that “… HE WHO DESPISES ME DESPISES HIM WHO SENT ME” (Lk. 10:40/ Mat. 10:40/ Rom. 2:14).

Now let us return to Romans 1:23-27, 29-31 to see what it was that God “GAVE THEM OVER TO” because they rejected Him after knowing Him.  I will simply list the abominations of which these people were condemned for committing: idolatry (vs 27); homosexuality (vs 24, 26,27); fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity,  They became whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, spiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, homosexuals, implacable and unmerciful (vss 29-31).

Verse 32 tells us that they knew exactly what they were doing because they had been told by the prophets who had read God’s Word to them in their synagogues every Sabbath.  “THEY WERE WITHOUT EXCUSE,” as are their modern day counterparts.

We have only studied one chapter in Paul’s epistle and have already uncovered numerous errors that are put forth as “God’s truth.” Let us be thankful that He is opening our eyes to His Gospel which reveals His righteousness so that we can learn, believe and obey it and thereby absorb His righteousness so that, as was the case with Jesus, when men see us they see the Father (Jn. 14:9).  L.J.