GRACE AND PEACE
Romans 1: Paul establishes his credentials in this book as to his being called by God to be an apostle, committed to preaching the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. He begins by proclaiming the true God of the Gospels and His promise to deliver these Gospels which proclaim His Son in human and spiritual form. Paul greets all the saints in Rome and explains to them the many times he had tried to visit beforehand but was always sidetracked. Paul speaks of his obligation to preach to both Jews and Gentiles alike. Paul stands firm in his conviction for the word of God explaining that he is not ashamed of the Word for it is salvation for anyone who believes, first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. Righteousness from God is revealed in the gospels. To quote Paul in verses17: For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written; ”The righteousness will live by faith.”
Paul explains in verse 18: “The wrath of God is being revealed from Heaven against all godliness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them.” God has shown men the powers of His existence evidenced by all He has created. No one has an excuse for their behavior. He tells how man knew God but determined in their own ways not to follow Him. They claimed to be wise but were actually fools. So God let them follow their own ways and their sinful desires. They exchanged the truth of God for lies. Both men and women turned to homosexuality, doing things with the same sex that were totally unnatural. They committed every kind of wickedness imaginable, even to the point of approving the sinful acts of others as well as their own.
One thing you’ve got to say about Paul is he tells it like it is, no punches pulled by this man. He calls homosexuality for what it is, a willful decision to go against the will of God, (See Levticus 18: 22: “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.:); a society so full of sin they even approved of the sinful acts of others. It is indeed a wonder that God continued to love people and further a wonder that He lovingly offered His only Son as a sacrifice to pay for these sins of mankind.
Are you in God’s will? Only you can answer that question. If you are not, if you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, why not stop for a minute and take the step of faith. Ask Jesus to come into your heart. He knows your heart, He knows everything you’ve ever done or are going to do, and yet he loves you enough to want you in spite of yourself. He is truly a loving God and without conditions. Simply ask and he will come.
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