Reading Romans 1 again (for the first time)…

How many people have read parts of Romans 1 and left mad or at least confused?  There is all this wrath and condemnation.  There is this anti-homosexuality sentiment.  There is talk about punishment and hopelessness.

John Piper calls Romans the “greatest letter ever written” and I believe it is.  However most people can’t get past the first chapter without being offended, and maybe rightfully so.

I challenge you to read it again, using this as a suggested guide.  I’m not saying I have all the answers (certainly not), but getting back into Romans is the goal.  

• Don’t stop too early.

Don’t stop at 1:27.  Most people do.  It seems like Paul is singling out homosexual activity as the most heinous sin.  (Personally I think it is singled out because it can be seen as an unnatural aspect of human society)  Don’t stop without reading the next few verses.  Paul is talking about all sin.  (e.g. envy, murder, gossiping, slandering)  I know that doesn’t answer the objection, but it does clarify the point.  Paul isn’t condemning homosexuality, he is condemning sin.  It is clear however, in this text, that homosexual activity is a sin, dishonorable, shameless and contrary to nature.  But so are the other things listed.

Don’t stop at 1:32.  If you feel like chapter 1 is condemning you and/or people you know and love, take heart, you are not alone.  Read 2:1 and then keep going.  If you are saying “Amen” after chapter 1 then read 2:1 and see how you feel about yourself.

Don’t stop at 2:25.  Don’t get hung up on circumcision here.  Thing of this as just an example of following the Law, a.k.a. the Old Testament.  For us today, try to think of “circumcision” in this text as “religion” and “Jew” as “a religious person” then maybe we’ll see the point of Paul’s critique for our own time.  For instance: Romans 2:25 could be read as “For religion indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your religion becomes irreligion.” And 2:28-9 “For no one is a religious person who is merely one outwardly, nor is religion outward and physical.  But a religious person is one inwardly, and religion is a matter of the heart…”

Don’t stop at 3:20.  I know you’ve read a lot of wrath and hopelessness at this point but you won’t see the point of this whole thing if you don’t keep reading.

• Pay attention to the pronouns.

They.  Chapter 1 is full of ‘they’s.  Find out who “they” are (1:18).  “They” are people who have rejected God and are sinful.  There are a lot of “they”s in the world.  If you don’t call yourself a Christian you are offended that Paul is lumping you in with “them”.  If you are a Christian you should recognize characteristics of “them” that are in your own history.

You.  Chapter 2 is full of ‘you’s.  Find out who “you” are (2:1).  “You” are someone who judges “them”.  “You” think you’re better than “them”, even though you practice the same things.  2:3 “Do you suppose, O man — you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself — that you will escape the judgment of God?”  The “you”s are the outwardly religious that are inwardly prideful and hypocritical.  If you were offended by chapter 1 then take heart that those religious hypocrites who often offend you are lumped into this thing as well.  If you call yourself “religious” and you  liked the “us and them” idea of chapter 1 well wake up, you’re in trouble.

We.  Paul shifts the first person in chapter 3.  So you’d expect to see that “we” are ok.  Everyone else is screwed but “we” are good.  Well… 3:9-10 “What then?  Are we religious people any better off?  No, not at all.  For we have already charged that all, both religious and irreligious, are under sin, as it written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.'”  Paul isn’t taking anybody off the hook here.  The message is that God’s wrath is on all of humanity in a way.

• Look at the context.

Don’t stop reading at 3:21.  The point of Romans 1-3 is not that God’s wrath is on everyone.  That’s in the text, but I believe it’s only there to show the power of the gospel.  3:21ff “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law… through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”  

When you’ve read the whole thing look back at the the two verses before “the wrath of God” starts being discussed.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew (or religious) first and also to the Greek (or irreligious).  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”  Romans 1:16-17

We can’t know what the gospel is saving us from unless we talk about the wrath of God.  We can’t know the power of the gospel until we see the utter hopelessness of humanity without faith.  We can’t see the Good News until we see the bad news.

If you’ve ever been told that Romans 1 is full of bigotry and hatred toward certain people then I encourage you to read it again.  It’s not singling out anybody except Jesus as the Savior of everyone who believes in him.