I have been working on an exegesis of Romans for several months ago. Earlier this week I finally finished the rough draft—247 pages—and I have been going through it, editing and revising, searching for errors, rewording and such of that nature. As I was going through what I wrote regarding Romans 1.18-32, something stuck out to me: The Enslaving Nature of Sin. It is my belief that the church has an anemic and even dangerous view of Sin, which I’ll write about tomorrow. But I just want to examine what Romans 1.18-32 says about the enslaving nature of Sin (note: I deal with this extensively in my Romans exegesis, several pages worth, so this is just a summary).
It begins with idolatry (Rom 1.18-23). Mankind suppresses the truth of God for a lie and turns to worshipping idols. The essence of an idol is that it is created after the created thing. It is in the image of something God has created. The idols worshipped in St. Paul’s day were the gods of the Greco-Roman pantheon (in Romans 1.18-32, the list of idols he gives are Egyptian and Canaanite in characteristic, not Greco-Roman). Today’s idols include sex, wealth, fame, success, etc. The idol is enjoyable to serve because the idol in fact serves the self. As they were originally intended, the person begins worshipping an idol to indulge him or herself (it is ironic that the idol soon enslaves the person; yet, it is not the idol doing the enslavement but the power/force of Sin). The result of turning to idols and forsaking God is that mankind becomes foolish, and our hearts are darkened to the truth.
Because of idolatry, God displays His wrath by “giving them up…” (1.24-25) God honors mankind’s decision, and He allows Sin to enslave and bond and overcome the person. The result is that people are under the whips of Sin, and Sin is driving them to and fro, pushing them deeper and deeper into immorality. Sin takes hold completely and warps the Body, Mind, and Soul (Rom 1.26-32; also 3.10-18). Sin turns the person into an unnatural creature, warping even a person’s sexual activities. Sin fills the person and leads them forward into even more vices and wickedness. All the while, mankind is enslaved but laughing and gloating in glee, even encouraging others to do the same things they are doing. Sin takes total control, and the person, though able to make decisions, is under that control; although a person may even genuinely want to do good, that person is unable to quit sinning because of Sin’s domineering power over them. And thus mankind is enslaved to Sin.
I know these thoughts are discombobulated, and for that I apologize.
It is 11:53 p.m. and I am tired.
It begins with idolatry (Rom 1.18-23). Mankind suppresses the truth of God for a lie and turns to worshipping idols. The essence of an idol is that it is created after the created thing. It is in the image of something God has created. The idols worshipped in St. Paul’s day were the gods of the Greco-Roman pantheon (in Romans 1.18-32, the list of idols he gives are Egyptian and Canaanite in characteristic, not Greco-Roman). Today’s idols include sex, wealth, fame, success, etc. The idol is enjoyable to serve because the idol in fact serves the self. As they were originally intended, the person begins worshipping an idol to indulge him or herself (it is ironic that the idol soon enslaves the person; yet, it is not the idol doing the enslavement but the power/force of Sin). The result of turning to idols and forsaking God is that mankind becomes foolish, and our hearts are darkened to the truth.
Because of idolatry, God displays His wrath by “giving them up…” (1.24-25) God honors mankind’s decision, and He allows Sin to enslave and bond and overcome the person. The result is that people are under the whips of Sin, and Sin is driving them to and fro, pushing them deeper and deeper into immorality. Sin takes hold completely and warps the Body, Mind, and Soul (Rom 1.26-32; also 3.10-18). Sin turns the person into an unnatural creature, warping even a person’s sexual activities. Sin fills the person and leads them forward into even more vices and wickedness. All the while, mankind is enslaved but laughing and gloating in glee, even encouraging others to do the same things they are doing. Sin takes total control, and the person, though able to make decisions, is under that control; although a person may even genuinely want to do good, that person is unable to quit sinning because of Sin’s domineering power over them. And thus mankind is enslaved to Sin.
I know these thoughts are discombobulated, and for that I apologize.
It is 11:53 p.m. and I am tired.
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