Romans 1: Man's Fall

The first chapter of Romans doesn't just tell us that we are all sinners. It carefully builds a case for the wrath of God. God is fully justified in His judgement and we are without excuse in our sin. So, today must be the day of salvation. Tomorrow may just be too late.

God will let you go down the road you choose. The problem is that you will one day end up at the end of that road and it may not be where you want to be.

The flesh, that part of us that responds to the world, is totally corrupt. It corrupts our minds so that we can't think right

God didn't simply give us a list of rules to follow. Each act of God comes through His holiness. Each command is a statement of holiness. Man's rebellion against God is a rebellion against holiness. Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life. There is no way to separate those. The way, the truth and the life is a person. You can't have the truth without the way, You can't have the way without the truth. You will not receive life if you haven't agreed with the way and truth. Many people don't have true life because they have exchanged God's truth for human reasoning. They have chosen peace with the world over peace with God. So, there is a progression against God's truth and His holiness. Sin is progressive. This is natural but not godly. Our fallen condition causes us to continue in our sin.

People will trade a relationship with the God that they do not know for the lies of the world that they know. In other words, those who have not accepted the saving grace of Jesus do not know that their trade for the world is the worst trade ever.

Exchanging God's glory for something else can happen to us without our noticing. We may even think we are doing what is right when we do so. We can look at the scripture and claim we aren't doing what the scripture has used as real examples of exchanging God's glory but we may still be doing so. Thus, we claim to be wise rather than convicted. We become fools instead of becoming wise. That's a dead end road.

God has revealed Himself to everyone since creation and through creation. The evidence is so plain that no one has a valid reason for ignoring God. This sermon gives the reasons why.

If I had cancer, I would want a doctor who hated cancer. It would make him or her more than a good doctor. It would make a loving doctor. This sermon shows how a God who isn't full of wrath concerning sin isn't a loving God.

How much righteousness do you have? Do you think you have 50% or 75% of what is needed to have an unhindered relationship with God? So, you only need 25% to 50% of His righteousness, right? No, absolutely not! This message states clearly that your righteousness and God's righteousness are totally different. You must abandon your righteousness to have His righteousness. Then, you will live by faith.

Many Christians trust in Christ but fail to realize the power in that decision. They set the gospel aside rather than access its power in their lives. It's like riding in coach when you could fly first class.

Those who regularly share the gospel, whether it be with family, friends or co-workers, will be judged poorly some of the times. The gospel is offensive to many of those who want to believe they are going to heaven without it. This message tells why.

What if God has great plan for you but you don't do what God wants you to do, do you still get His great plans? We are not our own. We may be able to choose what we want to do but those who know Jesus Christ as Savior owe a great debt that is a joy to be paid. Paying that debt puts us right on track in receiving God's great plans.

Sometimes you can do everything right; you can do all the Lord has asked of you, and you will fail. Is this because God isn't able to help you succeed? Does God quit caring some times? How can you fail when you have done everything right? This message helps answer these questions.

Fellowship is more than fried chicken and potato salad. It is the meeting of spirits between Christians. It has a lot to do with the Christians mutual growth in the faith. This message tells you how you can have it.

The most godly person can say the most godly prayer and God can still say "no." Why is that? Is it because I asked in the wrong way? Or is there another reason?

A good marketing person might tell Jesus that He didn't play His cards very well. After all, look at all the real miracles He could do. Why didn't Jesus tell the disciples to get a crowd together after he fed the 5000. He could tell them to tell the crowd to come back for a really good meal the next day. Then, the disciples could gather some really sick people and maybe a couple of people who had recently died. After the disciples had the crowd chanting and really rocking out, Jesus could walk across the Sea of Galilee for His entrance. Then, saying, "Behold!" with the sound of thunder He could raise the dead, heal a few people and start producing fried chicken and potato salad to feed the whole crowd. Just think of His popularity, future crowds and the offerings He could gather! But He didn't do that. Why?

The difference between a sinner and a saint is the Savior. Paul has some choice things to call believers. We are every thing he has called us.

It's very hard to talk to people about grace when they already think they deserve more than they are getting. Maybe that's why so many sermons are telling people how they can get God to give them more rather than realizing what God has already given to them. Saving grace comes from Jesus Christ our Lord. It comes with responsibility.

I once heard a tv evangelist say that he was as much the son of God as Jesus was when He walked on the earth. This message proves that this tv evangelist didn't know what he was talking about. Jesus is unique. Who He is and what He has done cannot be matched by anyone.

This message explains the promised gospel and what it means for all believers. It means that we know God, It means that we are forgiven, it means that we have strength to do everything God wants in us. It means that every believer has been given a purpose in life.