CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DAILY DEVOTIONAL ON YOUTUBE
Romans 1:26-32
As the Apostle Paul builds his case against the ungodly and unrighteous (Romans 1:18), he reminds us that the wrath of God is revealed to them because of idolatry, and “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions” (Romans 1:26), which includes the women developing passionate feelings for other women, and the men developing passionate feeling for other men (Romans 1:26-27). But the list goes on for those who, as the (HCSB) states in Romans 1:28, “And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong.” Paul gives us a list of these types of behaviors in which is reflective of the ungodly and unrighteous as he describes in Romans 1:29-32, NKJV, “being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
This is an example of the actions of those who are ungodly and unrighteous.
As we review this list of the ungodly and unrighteous that the Apostle Paul has given us, we may find ourselves singling out a particular group of people and condemning them as was reflective of the Pharisees way of life in proclaiming self-righteousness. But Paul goes a bit further and adds to the list some things in which we all are at fault; envy, deceit (which is telling lies or misleading others), whisperers (which includes gossip), backbiters, violent, proud, boasters, and the “catch-all” of the list – disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. We have all fallen to one or more of these things. These tags are meant to hit us all right in the heart to draw us to confession and repentance that we would all realize our ungodliness and unrighteousness and turn to Jesus and ask of His forgiveness. I believe that Paul’s main point here is not to call out a particular people or a particular sin, but to inform us that we are all included in this group of sinners. Paul will tell us in Romans 3:23 (ESV), “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”.
It is very important to our salvation in Christ Jesus that we all come to a realization of our sins that leads to confession in admitting our sins to Jesus and asking of His forgiveness with a sincerely repentant heart that comes from our faith in God and His plan of salvation for us. Paul wants us all to realize this so that we may prepare our hearts to receive forgiveness through Christ Jesus and truly be born again.
Dear LORD,
We have no place to point out the sins of others as we too have sin in our lives that needs to be forgiven through Christ Jesus. We are no one better than another as we all fall to temptation and the trials that Satan throws at us. Please help us to focus on bringing our own sins to the cross of Christ Jesus with a heart that is sincerely confessing, and repenting, and receiving, and following the new life that You have for us in Christ Jesus who died to free us from them. In Jesus name I pray, amen.