Scripture Reading: Romans 2:3-11

Filled With All Unrighteousness (#1)

(Romans 1:28-32)

Intro.

1. Christians are to be "filled with the Spirit", Eph. 5:18.

a. The Spirit-given word: Walk in, be led by and live in, Col. 3:16; Gal. 5:16-18, 25.

b. Bear the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22-23.

2. The worldly "fulfill the lust of the flesh", Gal. 5:16-21.

3. The degeneration of individuals and entire societies that refuse to honor God and retain a knowledge of God, Romans 1---

a. Sin places sinners under divine wrath, 1:18-20.

b. Unthankful fools who distort God and defile themselves, 1:21-25.

c. Driven by vile passions, they abandon what is natural, 1:26-27.

d. Reject knowledge of God - Reprobate (rejected, depraved) mind, leading to all manner of sin, 1:28.

4. Filled with all unrighteousness, Rom. 1:29-31:

a. First Group: Very general designations of sin.

b. Second Group: Envy and its consequences.

c. Third Group: Variety of sins...dangerous to souls and social fabric (spiritual, family, business, community, law and order, justice).

5. God's judgment on those who practice and those who approve. 1:32.

6. This depraved world exists today (various degrees and places).

7. Warning: We must not learn what they teach, think as they think or live as they live, 1 Cor. 15:33-34. (Application: Parents, children, media, schools, friends, etc.)

I. FIRST GROUP: GENERAL SINS OF DEFILEMENT, Rom. 1:29.

A. Filled With: Full of, Consumed by (filled to the brim): State of Completion. cf. Eph. 4:17-19 - Given over to all manner of evil.

1. Unrighteousness (adikia): As in 1:18, lack of right conduct toward men, injustice.

a. Treats others with disregard (even contempt).

b. It comprehends all that follows in 1:29-31; 1 John. 5:17.

c. Opposite of golden rule and loving neighbor, Matt. 7:12; 22:39.

2. [Sexual immorality (porneia)]: Fornication. (NA & UBS omits)

a. Dishonors/defilement of marriage bed, Heb. 13:4 (adultery).

b. Dishonors/defilement of body, 1 Cor. 6:13, 18-20; 1 Thess. 4:3-5.

c. Dishonors/defilement of heart, Mark 7:21.

3. Wickedness (ponēria): "Defectiveness, "Intentionally practised evil will" and "unceasing baseness" in classical Gk. (Kittel), malice, evil purposes and desires. Stands in contrast to "good."

a. "Describes the inner nature of a person who delights in acting in ways that oppose God and goodness, and who puts his evil desires into practice."^[1]

b. Plots sin, Prov. 1:10-16.

c. "used...more of the tempter and seducer to evil."^[2] - "...enticing unstable souls" (2 Pet. 2:14)

4. Covetousness (pleonexia): Greed.

a. Insatiable desire to have more; Never content or satisfied, 1 Tim. 6:6-10; Phil. 4:11-13; Heb. 13:5-6.

b. Often at the disadvantage of others (cf. gambling, theft, unethical business practices, etc.).

5. Maliciousness (kakia): Malice, meanness, desire to injure.

a. More the passive side of evil; the development of evil motives and desires, cf. Acts 8:22.

b. Disrupts fellowship with man and God, cf. Titus 3:3 (malice).

c. Gospel calls to lay aside all malice, 1 Pet. 2:1. Transformation of the way we think, away from the world and toward God, Rom. 12:2.

Conclusion

1. To the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure - They always see evil in motives and actions (projection of themselves on to others), Titus 1:15-16.

2. Sin begins with refusing God...ends in eternal refusal by God due to His righteous judgment against sin, Rom. 1:18, 32; 2:2, 6-9.

3. To be continued...

^[1] Cottrell, J. (1996). Romans (Vol. 1, Ro 1:29–31). Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co.

^[2] Alford, H. (2010). Alford’s Greek Testament: an exegetical and critical commentary (Vol. 2, p. 326). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: September 5, 2014