GOFAMINT DEVOTIONAL-NO REASON TO BOAST

LESSON 1 6/3/2022

MAN’S GUILT AND DEPRAVITY

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 22, 160

Devotional Reading: Romans 1:18-32

Topic for Adults: All People are Guilty of Sin

Topic for Youths: We Inherited Sin

Topic for Intermediates: Our Nature is to Disobey God

Lesson Scriptures: Romans 1 and 2

MEMORY VERSE

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and

unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness”

Romans 1:18 (NKJV).

                            DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sun. 6/3/2022      No Reason To Boast      Rom. 2:17-29

The people of Israel felt superior and elevated above other people because God gave them the law. They imagined that other people are inferior because they do not know God’s will through the law. Christians can also boast like this about knowing the Bible. They tell others how to behave, but they have never seen themselves in the light of the Bible. They only know it for others. They may condemn stealing if someone else does it but if they do it, they call it taking something to which they have a right. What they did not realize is that they must obey God’s word. So, if someone is boasting of knowing the will of God, but is not obeying it, such an individual dishonours God.

Point of Emphasis: You have no reason to boast if you do not obey God.

Prayer Point: O Lord, give me the grace to always obey You in every area of my life.

Reading The Bible Through in a Year: Morning: 2 Cor. 7; Evening: Neh. 4-6

ALSO READ: DCLM DAILY MANNA FOR TODAY

BACKGROUND

Man was created in the image of God, and he was righteous and holy. Through voluntary disobedience, man fell into the depth of sin. As a consequence, everyone born through Adam and Eve became sinners, shapened in iniquity and utterly void of the holiness of God. Every man became totally inclined to evil. As a result of the fall of man (Adam and Eve), all men born through man and woman became sinners through inheritance. By inheriting the nature of sin, man became depraved. There is nothing in the natural man that has not been affected by the power of sin. Today’s lesson will show us the sinfulness of mankind.

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NOTES ON THE LESSON

PART 1: THE HUMAN RACE IS GUILTY BEFORE GOD - ROM. 1

Rome was the most important city in the world at the time of Paul. The rulers of Rome were extremely powerful and wealthy. Rome was also an important city for trade. Paul had never been to Rome. He was not the person who founded the Roman Church. This makes the Book of Romans different because most of Paul’s letters were to Churches he founded. The Church in Rome was founded by people who visited Jerusalem and heard Peter preach on the day of Pentecost. These people took the Gospel to Rome and founded the Church in Rome.

Paul introduces himself to the Roman Christians as a bond servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and separated to the Gospel of God. After telling the Christians in Rome that he is eager to come see them and preach the Gospel there, Paul stressed that the Gospel is God’s power to save everyone who believes in Jesus. We need to be saved because our sin has earned us God’s wrath.

Paul went on to give reasons why the human race is guilty before God.

i. Ungodliness: This refers to man’s offences against God.

ii. Unrighteousness: This refers to the sins of man against man.

iii. Suppression of the truth in unrighteousness: Every truth revealed to man by God has been fought against, disregarded, and deliberately obscured.

iv. His invisible attributes are clearly seen: God has given a general revelation that is obvious both in creation and within the mind and heart of man.

v. Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God: The problem is not that man did not know God, but that he refused to glorify Him as God.

vi. Nor were thankful: Man’s ingratitude is shocking.

vii. Professing to be wise they became fools: Our rejection of God’s general revelation makes us to become fools.

The tragic result of human guilt before God are:

a. Therefore God also gave them up: God allows man to experience the destructive result of sin.

b. Man began to exchange the truth of God for a lie.

c. God gave them up to vile passion.

d. God gave mankind over to uncleanness and lust.

e. Man begins to receive the penalty of his error which was due.

f. As further judgement, God gave man over to a debased mind, so that things that are disgraceful and sickening are readily accepted and approved.

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PART 2: THE GUILT OF THE MORALIST AND THE JEW – ROM. 2

In Romans chapter 1, Paul lists the terrible sins humanity indulges in as a result of rejecting God. In this chapter, he now speaks to those who are generally moral in their conduct. Paul assumes they are congratulating themselves that they are not like the people described in chapter 1. Paul turns to them and says “This applies to you, too”. Nobody can judge arrogantly because we are all guilty. Paul makes it clear that the moralist is just as guilty as the obvious sinner. He points out that the moralist himself presumes upon the goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering of God, which should bring the moralist into humble repentance instead of the attitude of superiority.

• Goodness may be considered as God’s kindness to us in regards to past sin. He has not dealt with us according to our past sins.

• Forbearance may be considered as God’s kindness to us in regard to our present sin. He holds back His judgment against us.

• Longsuffering may be considered as God’s kindness to us in regards to our future sin. He knows that we will sin tomorrow and the next day, yet, He holds back His judgment against us.

That is why Paul describes these three aspects of kindness to us as riches.

God will judge the moralists because their works also fall short of God’s perfect standard (verses 6-10). God’s wrath will come to all who do evil - without respect to who they are - Jew or Gentile. God is not partial, He will judge righteously. He will judge the Jews according to the law He gave to them, and He will judge the Gentiles according to their conscience.

Williams Newell summarised Romans 2 with “Seven Great Principles of God’s Judgement”. God’s judgment is: according to truth (Rom. 2:2); according to accumulated guilt (Rom. 2:5); according to works (Rom. 2:6); without partiality (Rom. 2:11); according to performance not knowledge (Rom. 2:13); reaches the secrets of the heart (Rom. 2:16) and according to reality not religious profession (Rom. 2:17-29).

CONCLUSION

The Gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. The just shall live by faith, while the unjust (sinners) will face the wrath of God. Those who have been saved should not judge those who have not been saved. They should thank God for His goodness, forbearance and long-suffering. God is not partial, He will judge everyone righteously.

QUESTIONS

1. Mention at least five reasons why the human race is guilty before God.

2. What are the tragic results of human guilt before God?

3. Why will God judge the moralists according to this lesson?

4. List the “Seven Great Principles of God’s judgment” according to William Newell.

DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY

©2022 THE GOSPEL FAITH MISSION INTERNATIONAL DEVOTIONAL IS BY PASTOR (DR) E.O ABINA, THE GENERAL OVERSEER OF GOFAMINT Worldwide.