Without Excuse

Romans 1:18-32

The Book of Romans opens with power. Yesterday we read that the gospel is the very power of God to change lives. Today, Paul reminds us of the harsh reality of sin.

There is no excuse that can justify sin. God designed the world as a reflection of His power and as a reflection of who He is. The fact that He created us, and the world around us, is enough to require us to acknowledge and serve Him.

This is the account of our brokenness. Paul’s description of humanity’s rejection of God to pursue its own path is our story and the story of each person we know. Let’s look at verses 28 and following:

Since we thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned us to our foolish thinking and let us do things that should never be done. Our lives have been characterized by greed, hate, envy, quarreling, deception, and gossip. We have been backstabbers, rude, arrogant, disrespectful, proud, boastful, and disobedient to our parents. There are, of course, more sins in the list, but too often I read the “big ones” and skip over these, as if these are okay. In verse 32, Paul explains that people know that God’s justice requires that people who do these things deserve to die, but they do them anyway – and even encourage others to join them in their sin. The truth is it’s not the sum of these that demand God’s punishment; any one of these is enough to require God’s judgment against us. James 2:10 tells us that anyone who stumbles over just one point of fulfilling God’s law is guilty of breaking all of it.

This is the bond and bondage of humanity. None of us can look honestly at our lives without admitting that at least one of these words names something we’ve done. Yet these things should never be done. God created a world that reflected His glory, and He made people in His image. Our sinful actions and attitudes misrepresent our Creator, and they hurt the people He created. As an offense against His perfection and the people He loves, our actions and attitudes deserve God’s punishment. There are no take-backs, no excuses.

Our only hope is a righteous Savior who can rescue us.

Thank you, God, for being as gracious and loving as you are righteous! Thank you, Jesus, for paying the penalty our sins require by dying on the cross! Change us through your word, and use us to bring your message of restoration and hope to others.