Rom 1:18-32 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Rom 1:18-3:20: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21 ) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32 ) and Jews (2:1–3:8 ) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20 ). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12 ; Num 11:1 ; Jer 21:3-7 ) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually depicts God’s anger as occurring in the end times (Rom 2:5 , 8 ; 5:9 ; Col 3:6 ; 1 Thes 1:10 ), the present tense of shows refers to God’s expressions of anger throughout human history.

Summary for Rom 1:18-3:20: 1:18–3:20 ^a Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21 ^b) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32 ^c) and Jews (2:1–3:8 ^d) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20 ^e). 1:18 ^f God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12 ^g; Num 11:1 ^h; Jer 21:3-7 ⁱ) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually depicts God’s anger as occurring in the end times (Rom 2:5 ^j, 8 ^k; 5:9 ^l; Col 3:6 ^m; 1 Thes 1:10 ⁿ), the present tense of shows refers to God’s expressions of anger throughout human history.
1:21 ^o To know God in Scripture usually means to have an intimate, saving relationship with him (see 2 Cor 5:16 ^p; Gal 4:9 ^q; Phil 3:8 ^r, 10 ^s). Here, however, they knew God means that people knew about God. All people have some understanding of God through creation, yet they do not do what is right based on that knowledge. Rather than learn more about God, they worship gods of their own making.
1:24 ^t When human beings exchanged the living God for idols, God abandoned them, a point Paul makes twice more in this paragraph (1:26 ^u, 28 ^v). The word abandon includes a sense of “handing over,” suggesting that God actively consigns people to the consequences of their sin.
1:26 ^w women turned against the natural way: In this context, natural way refers to the nature of the world as God made it. As in the Old Testament, Paul singles out homosexuality as a key illustration of how people have fallen away from worship of the true God (see Gen 19:1-28 ^x; Lev 18:22 ^y; 20:13 ^z; Deut 23:17-18 ^aa). God created human beings as male and female, and engaging in homosexual activity is a violation of God’s creative intention.
1:27 ^ab suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved: When people abandon the Creator’s intentions, they are judged for their actions. This judgment can take many different forms, but the ultimate consequence is spiritual death (see 1:32 ^ac).
1:28 ^ad thought it foolish: Sin affects our actions and even our thoughts. One of the serious consequences of turning away from God is an unsound mind; people can no longer use their minds as God intended.
Summary for Rom 1:29-31: 1:29-31 ^ae This list of sins follows a popular Hellenistic literary form called a vice list. While not exhaustive, it reminds readers of various forms that evil might take.
1:32 ^af To encourage others to sin is worse than sinning oneself (Jas 3:1 ^ag; cp. Testament of Asher 6:2: “The two-faced are doubly punished because they both practice evil and approve of others who practice it; they imitate the spirits of error and join in the struggle against mankind”).