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    by Sandy Shaw

Idolatry Leads to Immorality - Ultimately
Date Posted: July 26, 2021

The Gospel is the power of God to save us from all sin – from each and every sin - and also from what follows – those hurtful and painful consequences.

Romans Chapter 1verses 18 to 32 - This was the situation when Paul was writing. There were these brilliant roads - and peace throughout the Roman Empire - which made communication easier - and today when the situation is similar we have so many avenues of communication.

We have all got something in us that could make us live like what we read of in these verses. That is why it so good to have God's Hand upon you. These are terrible verses - but they are accurate. God tells us as it really is.

Paul describes what happens when the brakes are off - some 21things.

Wickedness - Unrighteousness - Injustice - a liking for the wrong thing.

Evil - a desire to do harm - a desire to injure people - to drag others down with you.

Greed - Covetousness - to want more - discontent.

Depravity - malice - viciousness.

Envy - warped and twisted emotion - we find it even in the Church - people looking for promotion position or election.

Murder - Jesus refers it to our thinking - in thought.

Strife - debate - to contend because of pride and ambition - to stamp in the faces of those below you and lick the boots of those above you - to argue and push yourself to the top. Training videos which deal with bullying in business are quite amazing.

Deceit - crafty - cunning - where there is an ulterior motive - or an underhand method.

Malice - malignity - to put the wrong interpretation upon what you hear - or to paint the worst possible picture.

Gossip - the church going sin – ‘whisper’ in the KJV. - Proverbs 26:20,22, 24,25.

Slanderers - backbiters - openly speaking about others with the intention of destroying their reputation.

God-haters - now the brakes are really off - it is difficult to turn now. "I will do what I want to do and NOT what HE says in His Word."

Insolent - despiteful - rude to superiors.

Arrogant - proud - haughty.

Boastful - to pretend to be or to have or do - what you are not have not and do not do - a veneer.

They invent ways of doing evil - to find new ways of sinning.

They disobey their parents - "Who made you an authority over me?" - despising the God given authority of parents - and rejecting their wisdom guidance and advice.

Verse 31 - They are senseless - foolish - without understanding - unapproachable - and cannot be talked to.

Faithless - covenant breakers - someone who does not keep his promise - who does not keep his word.

Heartless - without natural affection - cold - unable to make close friends.

Ruthless - implacable - unable to be appeased - unmerciful - cruel and pitiless towards others.

If God ever takes the brakes off, that is what we can become - that is the type of personality which will appear. He won't if we do not give Him up. But these are the sorts of things we are witnessing in society. This is the type of society we are left with - where they will approve wickedness in others as well as in themselves.

Verse 32 - people do not want to be lonely in their sin - so they approve of one another.

We only need to consider the matter of language in the homes and on the streets.

Here is a picture of society with the brakes off. Of what people is Paul speaking here? Sodom and Gomorrah - God gave them up - and wiped them out!

Derek Prince spoke about how corruption is irreversible. You can take a peach which has gone bad in one small area but that peace can never become whole. It is possible to slow down the corruption by placing the peach in a refrigerator.

Idolatry leads to immorality - consider the Golden Calf in Exodus.

Paul is describing the situation in the Roman Empire when some 14out of 15 Emperors were homosexual. What happens at the top soon goes through society and what is permitted soon is assumed to be normal - because everybody is doing it.

"Others may - you may not."

No wonder Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel - He saw that only Jesus Christ could save people from all of that. It can save you who are living in the Empire from all that is going on all over the Empire - and therefor I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is God's Way of putting things right.

How far as a nation have we gone today? As a nation we have given God up - and the brakes are off.

Certain behaviour forbidden in the Scriptures and referred to in these verses is now legalised. The wrath of God is being revealed.

Our task is to preach and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ - it is the Power of God.

When we repent - and are reconciled with God through Jesus Christ - He puts things right, and our bodies and minds are saved.

Romans 1verses 16,17 – the battle today is more than the battle for ethics and morality – it is the battle for the authority and authenticity of the Scriptures.

“Almighty loving heavenly Father – our gracious God – than You for bringing us through these sentences from Your Holy Word. Allow us to see and understand seriousness and severity of what is revealed in the Scriptures – sometimes we prefer rationalisation to revelation. Forgive us when we try to reason ourselves out of social cultural fashions – keep us true and faithful – able to hold to Your Word – light in our increasing darkness – we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Biography Information:

Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!

Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.

Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.