Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Romans 1 SERIES: Vs.28-32

 Commentary of Charles Spurgeon, Adam Clarke & Matthew Henry
 
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Vs.28-32
 
Almost every trace of original righteousness had been obliterated.
 
---Were man left to the power and influence of his fallen nature he would be, in all places of his dispersion on the earth, what the apostle describes in the 29th, 30th, and 31st verses of this chapter.
 
The proofs of God's eternal power and providence, so manifest in the creation and preservation of the universe, were wholly disregarded.
 
They did not like to retain God - It would, perhaps, be more literal to translate ουκ εδοκιμασαν, They Did Not Search to retain God in
their knowledge. They did not examine the evidences before them ( Romans 1:19, Romans 1:20;) of his being and attributes; therefore God gave them over to a Reprobate mind, εις αδοκιμον νουν, to an Unsearching or undiscerning mind; for it is the same word in both places. They did not reflect on the proofs they had of the Divine nature, and God abandoned them to the operations of a mind incapable of reflection. 
 
First, Sins against the first table: Haters of God.
Secondly, Sins against the second table
These are especially mentioned, because in these things they had a clearer light. In general here is a charge of unrighteousness. This is put first, for every sin is unrighteousness; it is withholding that which is due, perverting that which is right; it is especially put for second-table sins, doing as we would not be done by. 
Against the fifth commandment: Disobedient to parents, and without natural affectionastorgous, that is parents unkind and cruel to their children. Thus, when duty fails on one side, it commonly fails on the other.
Against the sixth commandment: Wickedness (doing mischief for mischief's sake), maliciousness, envy, murder, debate (eridoscontention), malignity, despiteful, implacable, unmerciful; all expressions of that hatred of our brother which is heart-murder. 
Against the seventh commandment: Fornication; he mentions no more, having spoken before of other uncleannesses. 
Against the eighth commandment: Unrighteousness, covetousness. 
Against the ninth commandment: Deceit, whisperers, back-biters, covenant-breakers, lying and slandering. 
Here are two generals not before mentioned—inventors of evil things, and without understanding; wise to do evil, and yet having no knowledge to do good. 
They knew that those who commit such things were worthy of death, eternal death; their own consciences could not but suggest this to them, and yet they ventured upon it
 
They not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that do them. Syneudokousi: they do not only commit sin, but they defend and justify it.
 
 Now lay all this together, and then say whether the Gentile world, lying under so much guilt and corruption, could be justified before God by any works of their own.