After Paul introduces his primary theme-salvation for all humanity by the gospel of God-he warms to the need for that gospel. He begins where we all must begin, with the knowledge of our sin and God’s righteousness. God holds the world under judgment, and any thinking person must agree that His judgment is right.

Paul divides this section among four broad headings. He persuasively points out the vile corruption of “those people,” then pinpoints us as equally guilty. He describes God’s desire for faithfulness and His sovereign power to judge. The verdict is in: all of humanity is guilty of sin and condemned by its own conduct.

When people reject God, they sink deeper and deeper into sin. Paul demonstrates that some aspects of God’s nature can be known from nature! His power and order can be clearly shown from what is created. Even pure reason could discover that there is a God who is responsible for all that exists. In fact, Greek philosophers arrived at exactly that conclusion without any knowledge of the Old Testament books.

Yet people rejected God and “exchanged” Him for images due to their ingratitude and pretended intelligence. When that happened, humanity began to fall very low. God allowed that terrible freedom to walk away from Him, and we did. When Paul writes, “God gave them over,” he means that God opened His hand and let them go.

God let them go-into depravity of heart, shown by sexual impurity, violating God’s plan for human life. In doing this, they expected to glorify their humanity, but only degraded it and themselves. Then God let them plunge-into depravity of conduct as they considered mere impurity too tame and rushed into homosexual behavior. This is the clearest discussion of homosexual conduct found in the Bible and is based on theological precepts. Such conduct is unswervingly condemned in the Bible. But the progression of sin was not complete.

God then let them sink-into every kind of sin. Paul presents a stunning list of the most common, vile, and hateful behaviors of mankind. The situation is so warped that such people call good, evil and evil, good. Far from regretting their sin, they glory in it and applaud those who imitate them.

By now we have worked ourselves into a righteous indignation and we recognize that it is appropriate. But then Paul points at us and declares, “You are the man” (2 Samuel 12:7). When we judge them, we condemn ourselves, too.

We store up wrath for ourselves on the basis of our deeds. It is true that we can find much to condemn in the world, but it is also true that we possess our own darkness and frequently excuse in ourselves what we condemn in others. Even a great moralist like Seneca, brother of Gallio (Acts 18:12), who held ethics in complete harmony with Christian teaching although he didn’t know Christ, was guilty of deep sin. Although he professed a love for justice, he connived at Nero’s murder of Agrippina, Nero’s mother. Likewise, we find ourselves guilty of vile things we would not tolerate in others.

And so, God’s judgment is for all-Jew and Gentile alike, for God does not show any respect of persons (literally, He is not a “face-receiver). Nobody is passed over because of family connections, heritage or past conduct. The Jew will be judged on the basis of his standard, the Law of God. The Gentile will likewise be judged by his standard, his code of ethics. In both cases condemnation is certain. As C. S. Lewis aptly described, everybody has a code of conduct; nobody follows it perfectly.

A relationship to God is governed by the concept of covenant. When the Israelites wanted to praise God, they invariably focused on His two attributes: power demonstrated in creation, and covenant demonstrated in His relations with Israel. And yet Israel failed to keep the covenant. In fact, the bad conduct of the Jews caused the Gentiles to blaspheme God!

Paul moves forward to point out that righteousness counts, not mere ritual. The most fundamental requirement of Jews was circumcision. It was the moment of covenant-making with God. But Paul declares that even more important than the ceremony of the covenant is the obedience to the covenant! God has always wanted people of faithfulness.

The covenant with God is a spiritual one, an inward and invisible covenant. It is a dedication to God from the core of our being and is the work of the Holy Spirit within us. And God will reward our faithfulness to Him.

When we reject God, we stand condemned for our faithlessness. And God judges us exactly properly. He is the Sovereign of the universe. His judgment will be done with perfect righteousness and nobody will be able to disagree with Him.

Some might declare that condemnation from God is unfair, since He is glorified in comparison to our weakness. However, nothing humanity can do will increase God’s glory. Neither our righteousness nor our sin enhances His glory. He dwells in perfect, perpetual glory, independent of human impact. And He will judge all, because all sin. The entire world is accountable to God, and the universal testimony of the Bible and human experience is that condemnation is the result. We will never be justified by law because we fail to keep it perfectly. The law merely illustrates and illuminates our sin.

What can we know about God by observation of His creation? What do we need to know about God that we cannot observe?

How have people gone so wrong in their moral conduct? Why does idolatry have such a terrible effect? Why do people plunge into sexual sin more readily than other immoralities?

Why do we stand condemned by our own judgments? What does it mean that God shows no favoritism? Is it fair for Gentiles to be judged by their own standards instead of God’s unchanging law?

What does God want from people? What’s wrong with performing the right ceremonies and rituals?

What does it mean that God is sovereign? How can we enhance God’s glory?