Lessons #41 and 42
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New American Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ HCSB = Holman Christian Standard Bible +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
+ 4. Text is based on 1984 edition of the NIV +
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Punishment of handing idolaters over to immorality (Rom 1:24-25)
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
In the introduction of this epistle, we stated that Apostle Paul’s first consideration of God’s response to unrighteousness concerns His wrath and punishment for unrighteousness that he expounded in Romans 1:18-32. Furthermore, we indicate that the apostle first expounded the idea of God’s wrath in verses 18 to 23 where he described the target of His wrath and the reasons for His wrath. The second thing the apostle expounded concerns God’s punishment that he discoursed in Romans 1:24-32. Indeed, there are three forms of punishment that the apostle discoursed that are intensified progressively. The first is the handing over idolaters to immorality stated in verses 24 and 25. The second is the handing over idolaters to sexual perversions presented in verses 26 and 27. The third is the handing over of idolaters to all kinds of sinful conducts the apostle discoursed in verse 28 through verse 32.
The focus of our study this morning is on the first punishment handed out to idolaters as described in verses 24 and 25. Of course, the word “idolater” is not used but the descriptions of the recipients of the first punishment are best understood as referring to idolaters as will become clearer as we proceed with our study of the section before us. Anyway, the simple message of the section we are about to consider is that God punishes idolaters by handing them over to immorality.
We stated that although the word “idolaters” is not used in our passage but that that is implied. Actually, the first indicator of idolatry in the section of Romans 1:24-25 that we are considering is the first word therefore that begins verse 24. It is translated from a Greek conjunction (dio) that is used to draw what may be considered a self-evident inference or taken as a relatively emphatic marker of a result and so may be translated “therefore, for this reason.” An example of this usage is given with respect to the exaltation of Jesus Christ as stated in Philippians 2:9:
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
The word “therefore” is used to show that the exaltation of Jesus Christ is a result of His willingly humbling of Himself to die for our sins on the cross as implied in the preceding verse, that is, Philippians 2:8:
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Take another example, Apostle Paul encouraged the Ephesians, and so all believers, to avoid falsehood according to Ephesians 4:25:
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
The word “therefore” here is used to draw inference or to state what should result from what the apostle had previously taught the Ephesians as we read in Ephesians 4:21–24:
21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Thus, it should be clear that the Greek conjunction translated “therefore” in Romans 1:24 is used to draw an inference or state emphatically something that results from what preceded. In our passage what preceded is a description of idolatry given in Romans 1:22–23:
22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
As we indicated in our exposition of these two verses, the apostle was concerned with idolatry, especially since the prohibition of idolatry involved images of the kind mentioned in verse 23 as we may gather from Deuteronomy 4:15–18:
15 You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.
The point is that the first word therefore of Romans 1:24 enables us to recognize that the punishment that is to follow is because of idolatry.
The punishment given in the passage we are studying is concerned with God handing the idolaters over to immorality. This we know from the sentence of Romans 1:24 God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity. Literally, the Greek reads God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity. This is because of the Greek words used.
The expression “gave…over” is translated from a Greek word (paradidōmi) that may mean “to deliver” as the word is used to describe Apostle Paul and his team delivering the decision of the church in Jerusalem to Gentile local churches regarding their relationship to the Mosaic law, following the church council in Jerusalem as narrated in Acts 16:4:
As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.
The word may mean “to hand over” as the word is used to describe the instruction of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians regarding the punishment that should be administered to the incestuous believer among them as stated in 1 Corinthians 5:5:
hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
In our passage of Romans 1:24, although the standard Greek English lexicon (BDAG) suggests the meaning “abandoned” as an alternative meaning of the word in our passage, the word is used in the sense of “to deliver” or “hand over” to punishment because the idea that God actively hands over people to the consequence of their sins not merely abandoning them in their state is also referenced in Stephen’s sermon as stated in Acts 7:42:
But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: “‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?
The idea of God handing people over to reap the consequence of their sin is conveyed by the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul as he wrote of end time events in 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12:
9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Verse 11 indicates that God is the One that sent a working or powerful delusion so that those who reject the gospel of Jesus Christ will believe a lie. Thus, the idea of God handing over people to more sins because of their sins is communicated in this passage of 2 Thessalonians. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit conveyed through the psalmist the same idea of God giving people over to reap the consequence of their sin in Psalm 81:11–12:
11“But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. 12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
It is the disobedience of Israel that resulted in God giving them over to a state that they further ignored Him since they followed their own counsel or plan. Of course, there is no denying that God may leave people in their sinful state as part of their punishment, so to say, as implied in Hosea 4:17:
Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!
But more often, as we have noted, in the Scripture, God is described as actively handing over people to the consequence of their sins as punishment. It is for this reason that we contend that in Romans 1:24, the Greek word used does not merely mean “to abandon” but “to hand over” to a state as part of punishment. The Greek tense used although in the English implies something that happened in the past because of the word “gave” but, in fact, the apostle meant to state what is universally true and not just a past action of God. In effect, the handing over to the state we will consider shortly is what happens to those who get involved in idolatry regardless of the time that happens. Anyhow, the apostle wrote God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts. The word “them” refers to idolaters that the apostle described in verse 25 that we will get to at the appropriate time.
Meanwhile, the apostle states the condition or the reason that God handed over the idolaters to more sinful state we will get to shortly in the phrase of Romans 1:24 in the sinful desires of their hearts or literally in the lusts of their hearts. We stated that this phrase is concerned with either the condition of those that are handed over to more sinful state the apostle described in our verse or the reason for their being handed over to such a state. This is because the word “in” is translated from a Greek preposition (en) that as a marker of location may be translated “in.” However, in our passage, it is subject to at least two interpretations. It could be used as a marker of state or condition so that it may be translated “in,” implying that the apostle is concerned with the state or condition of those God handed over to more sinful state. Another interpretation is to take the Greek preposition as a marker of cause or reason and so may be translated “because of, on account of.” The implication of this interpretation is that the handing over of the idolaters to a state described later is because of what is stated in the NIV in the phrase or Romans 1:24 in the sinful desires of their hearts. Both interpretations make sense in the context, and this may be a case where both interpretations are needed to convey what the apostle stated later about God handing over the idolaters to more sinful state. In effect, we are saying that it is because of the state or condition of those described that they are subjected to what we describe as punishment in the verse we are studying.
In any case, it is because of the condition of idolaters that God handed them over to a state we will consider shortly. Again, their condition or state is described in the phrase of Romans 1:24 in the sinful desires of their hearts or literally in the lusts of their hearts. The expression “sinful desires” of the NIV or the word “lust” in the literal translation is translated from a Greek word (epithymia) that may mean great desire for something used either in a neutral or positive sense and so means “desire, longing.” Thus, it is used in a neutral sense to describe the desire one has for things without specifying whether it is good or bad as it is used in Jesus’ parable of the Sower as narrated in Mark 4:19:
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
It is in a good sense that the word is used by Apostle Paul to describe his and his team’s desire or longing to see the Thessalonians as we read in 1 Thessalonians 2:17:
But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.
The word may mean “a desire for something forbidden or simply inordinate,” hence, means “craving, lust” as it is used in the instruction concerning what believers should render inactive in their lives as recorded in Colossians 3:5:
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
In our passage of Romans 1:24, the word has the sense of “evil craving,” that is, “an inordinate, self-indulgent craving (that displaces proper affections for God).” This “evil craving” characterizes or is part of the inner being of the idolaters as in the phrase the sinful desires of their hearts.
The word “hearts” is translated from a Greek word (kardia) that may refer to “the center and source of physical life” as what Apostle Paul indicated to the audience in Lystra he preached to, that God satisfied with them food and filled them with joy as recorded in Acts 14:17:
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
The word may refer to heart “as center and source of the whole inner life, with its thinking, feeling, and volition.” Thus, in some contexts, the word means “mind” as it is used to describe where doubts originate or exist in a person when Jesus Christ assured His disciples that His resurrection was for real as narrated in Luke 24:38:
He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
In our passage of Romans 1:24, the word is used in the sense of “the seat of a person’s thoughts (mind), volition, emotions, and knowledge of right from wrong (conscience).” Thus, evil craving characterizes or is part of the thoughts of the idolaters described in the passage we are studying.
The evil craving that characterizes or is a part of the thoughts of idolaters is the reason for the additional sinful state God handed them over as in the phrase of Romans 1:24 to sexual impurity. The expression “sexual impurity” of the NIV is translated from a Greek word (akatharsia) that literally refers to any substance that is filthy or dirty, hence means “unclean, refuse” as it is used to describe other things that are ceremonially unclean in the denunciation of Jesus Christ against the teachers of the law and Pharisees in Matthew 23:27:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.
Figuratively, the word is used to refers to a state of moral corruption and so means “impurity, immorality” as it is used to describe the state of Gentile unbelievers in Ephesians 4:19:
Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
In our passage of Romans 1:24, the word means “immorality, vileness,” especially as it pertains to sexual sins. Thus, God handed over the idolaters to a state of immorality or vileness. This we contend is a punishment. There is nothing beneficial to being immoral or vile. A person in a state of immorality or vileness or impurity is a person under God’s judgment. Hence, it is our Greek word that is used in the Septuagint in Prophet Isaiah describing himself as being under God’s judgment or unfit to worship God because of being a person that is unclean in the sense of being sinful as we read in Isaiah 6:5:
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”
It is because of uncleanness of Israel that God exiled them as we read in Ezekiel 22:15:
I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you through the countries; and I will put an end to your uncleanness.
So, there can be nothing good about being immoral or impure. To be in such a state is to be under God’s judgment or punishment. It is for this reason that we contend that when God hands over an idolater to a state of immorality or vileness or impurity, that constitutes a punishment.
The handing over of the idolaters to immorality or vileness has a purpose or results in further activities or actions by them as stated in last verbal phrase of Romans 1:24 for the degrading of their bodies with one another or literally the dishonoring their bodies among themselves. The reason for stating that the verbal phrase the degrading of their bodies with one another states a purpose or result of God handing over the idolaters to the state of immorality or vileness is because the Greek could be read to mean that what is given in the Greek phrase defines a purpose of handing the idolaters over to immorality or vileness or that it states what results from handing them over to a state of immorality or vileness. It is often difficult to differentiate purpose and result in some contexts, and this may be one of those. Thus, it is probably the case that the apostle meant a purpose that results in what is described as the degrading of their bodies with one another or literally the dishonoring their bodies among themselves.
What is this “degrading” or “dishonoring” of bodies? To begin with, the word “degrading” is translated from a Greek word (atimazō) that may mean “to treat shamefully” as it is used to describe the treatment of the servant the master sent to his tenants expecting some fruit from those, he rented vineyard in the parable of the Tenants as narrated in Luke 20:11:
He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.
The word may mean “to cause to be dishonored” as the word is used in the Lord Jesus’ description of how the Jews treated Him in John 8:49:
“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me.
In our passage of Romans 1:24, the word has the sense of “to degrade” or “to be dishonored,” that is, “to treat shamefully or without respect.” The thing to be degraded or treated shamefully or without respect is given in the phrase of Romans 1:24 their bodies with one another or literally their bodies among themselves.
The word “body” is translated from a Greek word (sōma) that is used both literally and figuratively. Literally, it is used for the body of a human being or an animal as in the instruction of the Lord Jesus not to be afraid of those who can only kill the body but of God who can destroy both body and soul as stated in Matthew 10:28:
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Figuratively, Apostle Paul uses the word “body” to refer to the Christian community. To the Corinthians, the apostle indicated they are the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:27:
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
In our passage of Romans 1:24, the word is used in the sense of the entire structure of a human being, that is, “body.”
With this understanding, we return to answer the question of what the apostle meant in the verbal phrase of Romans 1:24 the degrading of their bodies with one another. The apostle did not immediately explain what he meant but beginning from verse 26, he conveyed that degrading of bodies refers primarily to the sin of homosexuality. It is shameful for a male to treat his body as that of a woman and vice versa. The apostle certainly viewed sexual sin as an abuse of some kind to the body as in the declaration of 1 Corinthians 6:18:
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
It is true that the apostle’s focus in our passage is concerned with sexual sin, it is entirely possible that because of his description of idolatry in Romans 1:25 that he was also thinking of shameful treatment of the bodies as part of pagan rituals. In other words, he probably also had in mind the prohibition of Leviticus 19:28:
“‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.
The cutting of the body here concerns primarily that of making deep gashes in a person’s skin while mourning the death of a loved one that is practiced by pagans, that is, those in idolatry. We also know that making cuts on the body was used in pagan worship as we may gather from the prophets of Baal as recorded in 1 Kings 18:28:
So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.
Tattooing was a practice that identified pagans with specific gods they worshipped. Believers should not dishonor their bodies that way. Of course, those who want to justify this practice often cite a passage such as Leviticus 19:27:
“‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.
Although we cannot fully understand this prohibition today but apparently it was given to ensure that the Israelites did not imitate the pagans who cut the sides of the head or edges of their beards as a form of pagan religious rites. So, while there is a reason for this prohibition to Israel, it is not to be used to justify a practice that is clearly associated with idolatry in terms of tattooing of the body. That aside, we contend that the degrading of the body has to do with sexual perversion that Apostle Paul later described beginning in Romans 1:26.
Be that as it may, we indicated that those God handed over to immorality or vileness as punishment are idolaters. We stated that the word “therefore” that begins verse 24 enables us to be certain of this identification, that is, the word is the first indicator the objects of God’s punishment are idolaters. However, we have other clearer indicators that the apostle was concerned with idolaters. A second indicator that the recipients of God’s punishment of being handed over to immorality or vileness are idolaters is given in the first description in Romans 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie. Literally, the Greek reads who exchanged the truth of God for the lie. This is because verse 25 begins in the Greek with a Greek relative pronoun (hostis) that was translated “they” in the NIV probably on the assumption that verse 25 is a new sentence that is not connected to the previous verse. Nonetheless, the Greek relative pronoun may refer to “any person” in a generalizing sense hence means “whoever.” It may also refer to “undetermined person belonging to a class or having a status” and so means “who, one who.” The word may serve to give a reason for something so it may mean “since, because” as, for example, in Apostle Paul’s instruction to Titus to silence false teachers in Crete because of the spiritual damage they were doing to believers as recorded in Titus 1:11:
They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
The clause because they are ruining whole households is more literally whoever are ruining whole families. In our passage of Romans 1:25, the word is used both to emphasize the characteristic qualities of the recipients of God’s punishment and the related reasons for their punishment so that it has the sense of “since indeed.” Thus, the literal Greek who exchanged the truth of God for the lie may be translated, following the standard Greek English lexicon (BDAG) since indeed they exchanged the truth of God for the lie.
The recipients of God’s judgment are characterized by the action stated, that is, They exchanged the truth of God for a lie. The Greek reveals that the action of exchanging is not something that is of the past as the English implies. No! The Greek implies that the action of exchanging something for another is universally true of all recipients of God’s punishment for idolatry whether of those in the past, present, or future. The point we are making is that the descriptions given in verse 25 are always true and so independent of the time in which the recipients of God’s punishment for idolatry live on this planet although in our passage the apostle focused on those of the past and present generations of his time. The thing exchanged is describe in the phrase of Romans 1:25 the truth of God for the lie.
The word “truth” is translated from a Greek word (alētheia) with a range of meanings. It may mean the quality of being in accord with what is true hence means “truthfulness, dependability, uprightness in thought and deed”, as it is used for God in Romans 3:7:
Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”
It is in this sense of being in accord with what is truth that Apostle Paul used it in his commendation of the Corinthians for not letting his boasting to Titus about them to turn out to be empty so that he was not put to shame as stated in 2 Corinthians 7:14:
I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.
The verbal phrase has proved to be true is more literally has become truth. The Greek word may mean “reality” as opposed to mere appearance, as it is used in Colossians 1:6:
that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.
“Truth” here has the sense of “reality” as opposed to mere appearance. It is for this reason that the translators of the TEV rendered the phrase in all its truth of the NIV as, as it really is. The Greek word that is translated “truth” may mean the content of what is truth and so means “truth.” It is in this sense that the apostle used it to encourage the Ephesians not to be involved with falsehood as they interacted with each other in the passage we cited previously, that is, Ephesians 4:25:
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
The command speak truthfully is literally speak truth. The word is used then especially of the content of Christianity as the ultimate truth. It is in this sense Apostle Paul used it in connection with the gospel in Colossians 1:5:
the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel.
The phrase the word of truth, the gospel is literally the word of truth of the gospel. The rendering of the NIV is quite good because of the Greek syntax of this phrase. In fact, to communicate fully the idea of the Greek construction we could translate the Greek phrase as the word of truth, that is, the gospel; in this way, it is clearer that the word of truth here is a reference to the gospel message. The apostle used the Greek word to refer to the Christian message that includes doctrine and the gospel message in Galatians 5:7:
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?
Truth here in Galatians 5:7 refers to the Christian message the apostle delivered to the Galatians that includes the gospel message, the doctrine of justification by faith, and the doctrine that the filling of the Spirit is by faith. The apostle used the Greek word rendered “truth” as a reference to the body of accepted Christian doctrines that the church is the custodian in 1 Timothy 3:15:
if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
In our passage of Romans 1:25, the word means “truth” in the sense of the “content of what is true, especially of the content of Christianity as the ultimate truth.” This understanding of the Greek word translated “truth” enables us to recognize that the phrase of Romans 1:25 the truth of God should be interpreted to mean “truth about God” as revealed in creation and more specifically in the Scripture.
This truth about God, the apostle indicated was exchanged by the recipients of God’s punishment with a lie as in the phrase of Romans 1:25 for a lie. The word “lie” is translated from a Greek word (pseudos) that means “a lie, falsehood,” that is, “a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth.” In our context, the word “lie” is a metaphor for idol. We say this because the apostle knew well his OT Scriptures and he is aware that our Greek word is used in the Septuagint to describe idols people made or gods. Take for example, our Greek word is used in the Septuagint of Isaiah 44:20:
He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
The word “lie” is translated from a Hebrew word (šěqěr) that means “lie, breach of faith.” In the context of Isaiah 44:20, the word is used for “an idol” that is held in one’s hand but in the Septuagint of Isaiah 44:20 it is the Greek word translated “lie” in Romans 1:25 that is used. Hence, we see that our Greek word can be used to describe an idol. The implication is that when Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie he meant that those described exchanged truth about God for an idol. It is for this reason that we contend that the sentence we are considering is a description of idolatry. Consequently, those who are handed over to immorality or vileness are those involved in idolatry.
The third indicator that the recipients of God’s punishment in the passage we are studying are in idolatry is their worship as described in the clause of Romans 1:25 and worshiped and served created things. This second clause serves double duty in that it provides further explanation of the second indicator or description of idolatry as well as provides a second description of the recipients of God’s punishment. This interpretation is because of the conjunction and that is translated from a Greek particle (kai) that is often translated “and” in our English versions as a marker of connection between single words or clauses, but the conjunction has several usages. It may be used as a marker of introduction of a result that comes from what precedes and so may be translate “and then, and so.” It may be used to emphasize a fact as surprising or unexpected or noteworthy, leading to the translation “and yet, and in spite of that, nevertheless.” It may be used as a marker of emphasis where there is a stress on what is said and hence means “indeed, certainly.” It may be used as a marker to indicate an additive relation that is not of equal rank and significance to another clause, in which case, it means “also, likewise.” Still the word may be used as a marker of contrast so that it means “but.” In our passage of Romans 1:25, it is used as a marker of explanation of what preceded its use so that it may be translated “that is” or “namely” and also to give additional description. You see, the clause we are considering explains further what is meant regarding the exchanging of truth about God for idols. When a person exchanges truth about God for an idol, the implication is that the person worships an object that is not God the supreme creator.
The word “worship” in the clause and worshiped and served created things is translated from a Greek word (sebazomai) that appears only here in Greek NT; it means “to show reverence to, worship.” To leave no doubt that it is the worship in terms of showing reverence to an object that is involved, the apostle used the word “served” that is translated from a Greek word (latreuō) that in our Scripture is used for service of God. Thus, the word means “to serve” to describe the activities of the priests in Israel’s worship under the Levitical priesthood as stated in Hebrews 8:5:
They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
The word may mean “worship” as it is used in connection with God as the word is by Luke to narrate Apostle Paul’s defense before Governor Felix in Acts 24:14:
However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets.
In our passage of Romans 1:25, the word has the sense of “to worship.” Thus, as we have indicated the apostle used our Greek word to emphasize that those described are involved in service and devotion to idols.
To further describe idolatry of the recipients of God’s punishment, the apostle described the object they worshipped in the phrase of Romans 1:25 created things. The expression “created things” is translated from a Greek word (ktisis) that may mean “that which is created,” that is, the result of creative act as the word is used with the meaning “creature” to describe those that are recipients of the gospel of Jesus Christ that Apostle Paul proclaimed as we read in Colossians 1:23:
if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
The word may mean “system of established authority that is the result of some founding action,” hence “governance system, authority system” or simply “authority” as that which believers should submit themselves to, according to the instruction of the Holy Spirit through Apostle Peter given in 1 Peter 2:13:
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority,
In our passage of Romans 1:25, the word means “creation,” that is, “what was created in contrast to the Creator.” Hence, because those described worship creation, we are certain that they are individuals that are involved in idolatry.
Still another description of the apostle that serves as a fourth indicator that those who are recipients of God’s punishment in the passage we are considering are involved in idolatry, refers to whom they failed to worship as given in the phrase Romans 1:25 rather than the Creator. The word “creator” is from a participle of a Greek verb (ktizō) that means “to bring something into existence,” that is, “to create.” It is used only for God’s creative activity as, for example, in describing those who advance demonic doctrines as stated in 1 Timothy 4:3:
They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
In our passage of Romans 1:25, because a Greek participle is used, the sense of the word is “creator God.” So, what those in idolatry failed to do is worship God, the supreme creator.
God the supreme creator deserves our worship and praise as in the last clause of Romans 1:25 who is forever praised. Amen. The word “forever” is translated from a Greek word (aiōn) with various meanings. It may refer to a long period of time, without reference to beginning or end so it may mean “the past, earliest times” as indicated in 1 Corinthians 2:7:
No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
This meaning of a long period of time without reference to beginning or end may be understood as “eternity” although quite often it is translated “forever” in our English versions as in the promise of Jesus to those who believe in Him, given metaphorically, of living forever in John 6:51:
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
The word may mean a segment of time as a particular unit of history, hence means “age.” When it is used with the word “present” so we have “present age”, it could mean the “world” as in Romans 12:2:
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The phrase this world is literally this age. The word may mean “universe” referring to God’s creation in Hebrews 1:2:
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
Of course, the phrase the universe may mean the world. In our passage of Romans 1:25, the word has the sense of “eternity” so that the Greek phrase used may be translated “to all eternity.” The implication is that God is to be praised now as will certainly be the case throughout eternity. Having stated this fact, the apostle adds the word, Amen. The word “Amen” is translated from a Greek word (amēn) that is derived from a Hebrew word (ʾāmēn) that is a word used for a strong affirmation of what is said. So, it is translated “amen” as an expression of faith by a congregation at the end of a liturgical formula spoken in worship as it is used to describe the response of the four living creatures in heaven when they heard of the praise addressed to God as we read in Revelation 5:14:
The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
It is used at the end of a doxology as Apostle Paul used it in his doxology at the end of the eleventh chapter of Romans as we read in Romans 11:36:
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
The word may be used as an asseverative or emphatic particle with the meaning “truly” that is used only by Jesus Christ to begin a solemn declaration, always with a Greek word that mean “to tell” so it may be translated “I assure you that” or “I solemnly tell you.” Thus, the word is used in the Lord Jesus’ declaration of the necessity of regeneration if a person should come under the rule of God or become a child of God as we read in John 3:5:
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
The sentence I tell you the truth of the 1984 edition of the NIV is translated in the 2011 edition as Very truly I tell you while the NASB reads Truly, truly, I say to you. The Greek word is used to describe Jesus Christ as “the ultimate affirmation, the Amen” in Revelation 3:14:
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
A person may say that there is no mention of Jesus Christ in this verse, but He is the One that delivered the message Apostle John recorded for the seven Asiatic churches. For example, He is clearly identified by the phrase “Son of God” in Revelation 2:18:
“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
In our passage of Romans 1:25, it means “Amen” as “a strong affirmation of what is stated. Thus, the apostle affirmed strongly that God should be praised now as will be done by the elect throughout eternity.
In any case, we have considered descriptions that indicate those who are recipients of God’s punishment as described in our passage are those who are involved with idolatry. So, we close with a reminder of the message of this section that we have considered which is God punishes idolaters by handing them over to immorality. Although God’s punishment is for idolaters, you should be careful that you do not in any way involve yourself in idolatry since that will also draw His judgment.
08/23/24