This is really a good news message, good news that salvation is available to every man. The message that we preach, the message that saves when men hear and believe, this is God's plan for redemption and his way of righteousness for anyone who will receive the free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus alone and what he has accomplished on the cross in his death, burial, and resurrection. 

So today in our text we're going to see a contrast with this great and glorious truth of the gospel, a contrast with God's way of salvation, God's plan of salvation by grace through faith, and in verses 18 to 32 we're going to see man's way where man decides truth, where man rejects God and makes himself a God, creating his own religion and subsequently God gives him over to the complete and controlling power of indwelling sin. 

As a result, what is manifest in our world today is truly a travesty, truly a terrible display of what happens when men reject God and his righteousness and they go their own way seeking to establish their own righteousness through religion. It's a stunning contrast and it's a tremendous explanation and understanding for us as we look around our world as we see the sinfulness and selfishness of men on full display unfettered by God's restraining grace and love. 

In 2nd Timothy 3.1 Paul said, "but know this, that in the last days perilous times will come; for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of what is good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power." And he says, "and from such people turn away." 

In verse 13 he said, "but evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." This is our world. Since the coming of Christ, we are in the last days and we see this progression of wickedness, this devolution of man, an abandonment of God and truth being given over to their sin.

In the gospel of Jesus Christ as expanded and explained by Paul in the book of Romans, we see the glorious good news of salvation by grace through faith but we also see the bad news; we see the sinfulness and condemnation of every man in Adam, the miserable hopeless state of every man who does not know Christ, the need of every man for a Savior. This is laid out particularly in Romans 1:18 through chapter 3 verse 20 and it's really summarized in chapter 3 at verse 10.

I'd like for you to turn to Romans 3:10 with me and follow along and look at this characterization of the men of our world of the man in Adam who has rejected God. Romans 3:10 states, "as it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one; there’s none who understands, there’s none who seeks after God; they have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." 

"Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes." 

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

This is the truth of the spiritual condition of the man in Adam and what we will see again today is that there’s only one answer for this man, this one under law dominated by indwelling sin and destined for eternal death, only one solution to his temporal and eternal problem of sin, and that is the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel. 

His wrath poured out on Christ on the cross for the sake of every man and the only answer for the man condemned in Adam is to turn to Jesus, to look to Him, to put his full faith and trust in what Jesus did for him on that cruel cross of Calvary. But the fact is, my brothers and sisters, most men will not travel that narrow way of grace and faith, of righteousness imputed as a gift from God. 

Most men choose to travel the broad road that leads to destruction. Most men despise the goodness of God and His saving gospel and they hold down, willfully suppress the truth, choosing rather to go their own way, establish their own religions and gods crafted in their own likeness, corrupt and evil, allowing them to live out their lusts and sinfulness without guilt or remorse, having a false hope and a reprobate mind. 

What we see in our world, what we see in religion and in self-righteousness and the wickedness that persists and pervades our culture and society is a result of the choice of man to reject God and subsequently God giving man over to his sin, removing Himself and His protective grace and allowing man to go where his sin will inevitably take him. 

This is the wrath of God revealed in our world against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness. It's a tragic story of opportunity lost, a willful choice to destroy oneself, but it is the story of man, it is the story of religion, and it is an amazing explanation for us for our understanding of the world around us. 

It is a vivid portrait for us, for those who believe, of the desperate need of the gospel truth in our world, in our time, to rescue the perishing, to snatch them from the flames. Let’s look at our text, let’s begin in Romans 1:16, please. 

Romans 1:16 states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse."

"Because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things." 

"Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness and the lust of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." 

"For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions, for even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting, being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness. They are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." 

I have four points for you this morning on our outline. First, revelation of wrath. Second, religious ruin. Third, redemption plan. Fourth, revelation of righteousness. I want to begin in verse 18, and we’re going to come back to 16 and 17 for a little good news at the end of this message. But let's begin in verse 18 and I'd like for you to turn with me, first of all, to Philippians 3. 

This is a passage that really succinctly, clearly summarizes all that we're going to talk about this morning. Paul's testimony in Philippians 3, beginning at verse 1: "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation. For we are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." 

"Though I also might have confidence in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." 

"But what things were gained to me, all these religious history of Paul, his acts in the name of religion and persecuting the church, all these things that were gained to me, he says, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ." 

"And be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." 

Now I want you to focus in on that ninth verse because this is really the crux of the matter. Paul says, "and be found in him," in Christ, "not having my own righteousness which is from the law," law-keeping, "but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." 

This is the choice that is presented in our text. The choice to be found in Him, in Christ, having His righteousness imputed to me through faith alone, or rejecting God's way, God's gift, God's grace, God's Son, and seeking to establish my own righteousness through the law, through religious works. This is the choice for every man and it's the choice that will decide his life today and his destiny forever. 

In verse 18 and following in our text we see what happens when man makes the wrong choice which is the road that so many take. We're not going to have time to do a proper exegesis of this text this morning, but I just want to draw out the major principles as we focus on the gospel and the cross for our communion service this morning. 

I'd like to read again verses 18 to 23. He says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness because what may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." 

"Because although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened; professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man." 

That's the definition of religion. This is the origin of religion. These verses teach us that the wrath of God is being revealed. It's upon this earth against all unrighteousness of men because they know God, they know the truth of the Creator, of an all-powerful, wise Creator who should be worshipped, who should be revered. They know that and yet they choose to hold down and suppress that truth. 

It takes an active part on their will to reject and suppress the evidence for God in this world. The suppression here is not of the gospel, for all men do not know the gospel, but it is of the knowledge of God. All men through creation and conscience have a knowledge of God, even His eternal power and Godhead, it says, so that they are without excuse. 

Paul says in Acts 17 that we should seek for Him because He is not far from us. The willful suppression here is of the knowledge of God, the clear truth of His existence. They will not pursue, they will not seek after the revelation that they have, the light that God has given them, because they do not want God to be true. 

Here’s the fascinating part: they do not want God to be true because of the moral implications that it brings to bear on their lives. The word translated "wrath" in verse 18, the wrath of God that’s being revealed, is against sin. Vincent describes it as God’s personal emotion against sin. 

Prince describes it as a wrath of God that would not, the wrath of God that would not love good unless he hated evil. It represents God's abhorrence, his hatred of sin. In contrast, man suppresses the truth of the true God and the creator and all that he is and all his existence and goodness implies because of the very fact that man loves his sin. God hates sin, man loves sin; this is the contrast here. 

The human race, possessing the clear knowledge and truth of God, who He is and what this means, suppresses this truth in order to persist and go on in its sin. It is the result of this choice of man that makes manifest the wrath of God in our world. 

I remember when I preached through this section of Romans; you know it’s been almost five years ago since I was in this section of Romans, but I remember that several Christian leaders were coming out warning against the wrath of God, that God was going to judge America because of this Supreme Court decision. 

There will come a time when God will miraculously, visibly pour out His wrath from heaven on this world and judge the wicked before the second coming of our Lord. But that's not the wrath that's being revealed now in our world that Paul speaks of here in Romans 1. 

You see, what I think we often fail to understand is that things like this Supreme Court decision, gay marriage validated in our land, rejection of God, who he is and what he commands for morality and righteous conduct, this is the judgment of God. God has given us over to our sin, allowing our sin to run its natural course to its natural end, and this is the result of religious ruin. 

We see the wrath of God revealed; next, we see religious ruin in our text, Romans 1:21, "because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God. They were not thankful but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools." 

Here’s the key, verse 23, "They exchanged, they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man." These verses tell us that the suppression by man of the truth of God results in a deposing of God from His throne, that men create their own gods, their own systems of morality, making themselves God and the deciders of truth. This is the ruin of religion. 

Religion by definition is a system of works and rites and rituals meant to gain favor with God. Paul defined it for us in Philippians 3 when he said, a righteousness which comes through the law, any law. It's a seeking to establish our own righteousness rather than submitting to the righteousness of God. 

In creating religions, men always fashion them after their own corrupt nature. We see this in verse 23; they change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man. Why do they do this? Because if God is corrupt like man, then the standard can be lowered to meet us where we are. God’s standard is perfection. 

We see that so clearly in Jesus’ teaching in Matthew, "you must be perfect, as my Father in heaven is perfect," to enter the kingdom. But my brother once told me when I was witnessing to him years ago, he said, "no man is perfect." I said, "well now you're starting to get it." This puts man in a hopeless position, dependent only on the grace and mercy of God and in need of a Savior to die in his place for his sins if he hopes to be saved from the wrath of God to come. 

But religion, as created by men with gods like men, allows for a literal, or should I say, a lot of wiggle room. If God is corrupt like men, then men can get away with a lot of sin and not expect to be punished for it. This is precisely why men so desire to depose the true God, to declare the God of the Bible as dead, so that they may persist in their sin without conviction of conscience. 

I remember reading years ago about Aldous Huxley writing a book, Confessions of an Atheist or something like that. In that book, he said that they were so quick to grab hold of the theory of evolution because it got rid of a moral and accountable God. He said the truth of God interfered with their sexual mores. You’ve got to love an honest one now and then. 

Well, this is what's been done over and over and over again from the mainline denominations that call themselves Christian to every pagan variety of religion that plagues our world. This rejection, willful suppression of the reality of God and the implications of who He is concerning the responsibility of man toward Him, and the subsequent creation of the religions of man, every works-righteous, man-centered religion that's ever existed, results in the wrath of God, the judgment of God on mankind manifest in our world. 

And verse 24 gives us the essence of this judgment. Let me say this to be clear concerning the point here. The wrath, the judgment of God is not coming because of all these heinous sins described in Romans 1, but the giving over of man to his sin, to his choice to reject God, is the judgment of God in this time in our world and results in these horrible sinful acts. 

There will be a final judgment, a cataclysmic, catastrophic judgment. But the wrath that Paul’s talking about here being revealed in our world is a giving over of man to his sin, and the inevitable results are what we see in our world. 

Verse 24, "therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever." 

"For this reason God gave them up to vile passions, for even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature." That’s an interesting verse, 26, because he’s taking it to its final logical end. The women of a culture should be protected by the men. They should be held up and guarded and kept from evil. Paul says they even get to the point where the women are corrupted and exchange the natural use. 

Likewise, verse 27, "also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting. 

The judgment, the wrath of God revealed, is the giving over of man to sin. Men choose to reject the clear revelation of God in creation and conscience, and God removes Himself and His common grace, His protective grace, and allows man to be consumed by his sin. This results in three judgments according to our text: uncleanness, vile passions, and a debased mind. 

We see that this is not merely permissive, but it is judicial. God gives them over, first to uncleanness. And this speaks of all kinds of profligate living licentiousness, a giving over to the lusts of the heart and the man in Adam. Paul says, "to dishonor their bodies," primarily in unabated sexual sin. Next, because they exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped the creature rather than the Creator, it says that God gave them up to vile passions. 

The previous word, uncleanness, spoke of general lustful desires or inclinations that are common to every man in Adam. But here the word passion speaks of an actual diseased condition that they come to. It is a more severe progressive judgment, where now the man and Adam having rejected God is under the unmitigated control of the vile passions that drive him. We see this so clearly in our world in so many ways. When man rejects God, God gives him over to his lusts, his vile passions, and they consume the man; they drive him; they dominate him absent the saving grace of God in Christ. 

Well, finally we see that when a man persists in his rejection of the true God and creates for himself false gods and false religion, God gives him over to a debased mind. I find this one to be the most fascinating thing. Romans 1:27 states, "likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, that doesn’t take a lot of exegesis there, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, this is an interesting phrase, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting, being filled with all unrighteousness." 

The words of verse 28 speak of a testing, a putting on trial. What it says is that mankind has tested God; they have put God on trial for the purpose of determining His fitness as their God. What it says is that they chose not to have Him as God. They found Him to be an unfit God. The response of God is to give them an unfit, unfunctioning mind. 

This is the third and final most severe judgment where God gives them over to their sin to such a degree, listen to this, that they can no longer think. They can no longer reason. They no longer have an active or functioning mind as God intended, and they only react to bare animal impulses driven by their lust to do the things which are unfitting. 

When we look around the world, what do we see? Men in this very state, having an unthinking, unreasoning, unfit mind, a mind literally that can no longer function as a mind. You ever talk to anyone like that? I mean, really, we have to be careful to line up our thinking, renew our mind, right? To God's truth, to His Word, to think God’s thoughts. But my mom used to say they've lost their ever-loving mind. And she was no theologian, but she had it right. 

We see this in the present riots going on around our country right now. A man is killed unjustly by police. He should be arrested, he should be prosecuted. But this mind, the mind of the world, says we should steal everything from Target and burn the city. Is there logic in that? Is it proper? And this is approved. 

The last verse of our passage says, "they not only practice these things, but they approve of those who do them." It's encouraged by leaders and prominent men and women in these communities in the city and our government. The mayor of Minneapolis came out two days ago and said that most of these people that caused these problems were from outside. They came in and were agitators and were hired. 

Then he had to come back and say, "well, no, I didn’t really mean that." Why? Why do you have to say that? Because the powers that be approve of these things. And you better fall in line with the world and Satan’s plan or you’re going to be on the wrong side of those people. They have no mind. It’s insanity. It’s insanity to burn down your own neighborhood. 

And yet they think it’s some sort of beautiful display of social justice or something. There’s no right and wrong in our world anymore. And the reason is because man has rejected God and God has given him over to a debased mind. We could go on and on and on with examples. They're all around us in our culture, society, education, entertainment, government. 

Man's mind can no longer function as a proper mind because God has given man over to his sin. This is the wrath of God revealed. This is the condition of man because of his rejection of God and because of the judicial action of God giving him over to a debased mind. 

As important as it is for us to understand these things, as Paul writes to us, as much as this helps us understand our world as we look around, it can leave us with a very hopeless feeling sometimes. It leaves man in what seems to be a hopeless estate, where there’s no justice, no righteousness, no reason in our world and things are waxing worse and worse. 

So what's the answer? What's the solution? How should we respond to these things? Should we get on one side or the other and try and make things right in this world? Should we protest and fight and bring justice? It’s hard to even figure out where anything is anymore, isn’t it? What’s the answer? 

The answer is in our last two points: God's redemption plan found in the revelation of His righteousness. I'd like for you to look at the bookend passages of this condemnation section of Romans 1:18 to 3:20 and see God’s plan for redemption and our means of bringing hope and salvation to lost men and Adam in this world. 

Look first at Romans 1:16. This is immediately before 1:18, 1:16, and 1:17, "for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God, the salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith."

Now turn over to Romans 3:21, immediately following the condemnation bad news section of the book of Romans, he says in contrast, "but now," but now, this is how we see the world, this is how things are going on, this is man rejecting God, this is man trying to establish his own righteousness through creating religions in his own God. 

This is where it's gotten him because his sin controls him now and he says, "but now, the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe." 

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation," it’s a full satisfactory payment by His blood through faith to demonstrate His righteousness; "because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, look at this beautiful statement, in order that He might be just, that means He’s a just God; He punishes every sin, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

There’s so much evil and injustice in our world, so much confusion and lies and deception. Men are so lost, they’re so hateful, they’re so sinful, they’re so selfish, it seems that there’s absolutely no hope for any man and Adam in this world. But my friends, God has a redemption plan. 

His righteousness has been revealed through faith. His redemption plan centers on the person and work of Jesus Christ, what He has finished, accomplished on the cross. And receiving this righteousness of God is solely by faith in Jesus Christ. Just as Mark read to us this morning from 2 Corinthians 5, when a man turns to faith in Jesus Christ, he's made a new creation. 

The old is gone, the new has come; we’re given a new heart, a new spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to live in us, Jesus Christ Himself lives in us and changes us, and lives His life out through us. We have a new way of thinking as our mind is being renewed by the truth. This is the glorious good news of the gospel. 

God through Christ has completed the salvation work; He’s made propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Christ died for the sins of every man, and every man has a choice, has a decision to stop rejecting God. I rejected God for 26 years of my life. When someone came and preached the gospel to me, guess what, I had a choice. 

I had a choice to stop rejecting God, to stop rejecting His grace, His gift of salvation. Any man, when he hears the gospel truth, can turn from his sin and self-righteousness and religion and turn to Jesus through faith. It is the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. 

This is why Paul repeats over and over and over again throughout his letters that his message, his preaching, his entire ministry is centered on what? On the gospel of Jesus Christ. On Christ crucified, buried, and risen again. This is the means of God's salvation, and my friends, this is the message that we have been commissioned to preach to the world. 

It is the gospel truth, that salvation work accomplished on the cross that we come here this morning to focus on, to celebrate, to remember, to rejoice, to be thankful to God. This is God's plan and means of salvation. This is our message and means for leading men to faith in Christ, and this is our hope for today and for eternity. 

It's good news. Good news. Aren't you so glad you're not in the midst of the world with a debased mind? Not knowing you’re lost? I want to bring you back to where I started in Philippians 3 before we have our communion service and listen to Paul's testimony of how he decided to cast aside religion and self-righteousness and how he came to faith in Jesus Christ at the foot of the cross. 

Finally, my brethren, Philippians 3:1, "rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe." "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation, for we are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." 

"Though I also might have confidence in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." 

"But what things were gained to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." 

This is the answer, my friends, to receive God's righteousness, to receive Jesus Christ. John 1 tells us that those who believe are the ones who receive Him. Not Him who works, but Him who believes. He’s justified. 

Let’s have a prayer before we have our communion service. 

Father, we’re so thankful for Your gospel truth, we’re so thankful for Your Word, even the hard parts, Lord, that help us understand the good news. The world is in such a horrible state because they’ve rejected You, because they’ve gone their own way, and You were right to judge them, to give them over. 

But Father, we thank You that Your hatred for sin is balanced by Your love for men and Your desire to save them, and You love them so much that You were willing to give Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for the sins of every man. Now You have the church and the world going out to bring that good news message. That’s our commission, that’s our privilege, that’s our joy, to tell men that they can be saved if they would just turn to Jesus in faith. 

We pray, Lord, for clarity in preaching, pray for opportunity and for boldness that we might preach the gospel as we should. We thank You for Jesus, for the cross; we come here to remember what He did for us now this morning and to thank You and praise You. In Jesus’ name, amen.