CENTRAL THOUGHT
God is graciously inviting all to Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ.
HYMN: I AM THINE, O LORD
Text: Romans 1:18-32, 2:1-10
INTRODUCTION:
Very soon we shall all stand before the throne of God to give account of our lives here on earth. One may say “No time now to study the Bible, no time to pray, no time to go to church, no time to live a holy and righteous life” but a day is coming when everyone will wish they had lived a holy and righteous life; but it would have become too late. What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his precious soul in hell fire? Though one may accumulate abundant wealth and fame here on earth and does not have Jesus, it is just a waste. Peter said in 2 Peter 3:10-12 “…the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up”. A life without God is a hopeless end. God created man to have fellowship with Him, but when man fell, having chosen to disobey God, he lost his glorious union and fellowship with God. Man became a sinner by nature and consequently a servant of Satan and a child of disobedience. This study is aimed at considering the attitude of a person whose life is ruled by sin and God’s reactions as well as provisions to such a person.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
- To understand what it means to live without God.
- To examine the characteristics of people that live without God in this world.
- To learn the implications and consequences of living without God.
- To know the ways people mock God’s kindness and the dangers that follow such an attitude.
- To consider Biblical provisions on how a person can be free from sin and have eternal life.
Q1a. WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY “LIVING WITHOUT GOD”?
John 15:1-5
Contrary to the claims of those who believe that there is no God, through the centuries, it is certain that man cannot live without God. Man can have a mortal existence without acknowledging God, but not without the fact of God’s existence. As the Creator, God originated human life. We owe our being to the God whose image we are made (Genesis 1:27). Our existence depends on God, whether we acknowledge His existence or not. Therefore, to live without God, simply means to live without the reverence and fear of God in one’s heart.
Also, it means not acknowledging the sovereign power and authority of God in one’s life; it is to live a life that is self-sufficient but not Christ-sufficient. Without Christ we might live for the moment, but with Him we will live forever. Our actions have everlasting consequences when we abide in Christ.
A person living without God can also be described as a natural man or an un-regenerated man.
Q1b. WHY IS IT THAT A NATURAL (UN-REGENERATED) MAN DOES NOT OBEY GOD’S WORD OR FOLLOW HIS WILL?
Romans 1:21, 8:7-8, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:4
The natural man in the above passage refers to the un-regenerated or the unbelievers; in other words, man in his natural fallen state without the regenerating grace of God. Paul is saying in this passage that what God has revealed to His people is beyond the comprehension of unbelievers. They simply do not have the ability to grasp the truth of God’s plan of salvation. Without the work of the Holy Spirit to convict, man will only see the gospel as foolishness, and consequently will not embrace salvation. The natural man does not recognize the importance of God in his life, and as such he does not regard obedience to God’s word as important.
Q1c. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “HOLD THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS”? WHAT IS GOD’S REACTION TO SUCH?
Romans 1:18-19, Matthew 13:44-50
It means to deliberately with-hold or suppress the proclamation of the truth by our unrighteous acts. Simply put, it means we are not living what we profess. “Holding the truth in unrighteousness” would be likened to finding the pearl of great price and then not selling all and possessing it. It is in the selling of all and becoming the possessor of the pearl of great price that the parable addresses, not just the finding. The world is waiting for us to move beyond, “Holding the truth in unrighteousness” to the Holding of truth Righteously.
To hold the truth in unrighteousness is, for selfish reasons, to refuse to obey the truth.
God’s reaction is that His wrath (something more than mere anger is a low degree; it implies an intense indignation) is revealed from heaven against all people who are ungodly, unrighteous and hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Q2. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION FOR GOD, AS OUTLINED IN THE FOLLOWING PASSAGES?
A) Romans 1:20-23, 25
-They do not honor God
-They are ungrateful/unthankful in their hearts.
-They give themselves to vain and foolish thinking.
-They glorify man-made objects and ideas instead of ascribing glory to God.
-They worship the creature instead of the Creator.
Psalm 106:20, Jeremiah 2:11
B) Romans 1:24, 26-27
-They dishonor their bodies even amongst themselves. Leviticus 18:22-23
-The women have sexual relationship with themselves (lesbians).
-The men also exchange the pleasure of women for the pleasure of fellow men (homosexuals).
C) Romans 1:28-31
-They have no regards for God.
-They are filled with the works of the flesh.
-They have unrighteousness in their hearts, filled with evil, covetous, and malicious thoughts.
-They are full of envy, lies, malice, strife, deceit etc.
Q3a. DISCUSS THE PHRASE, “THEREFORE GOD GAVE THEM UP…”
Romans 1:24, 26, 28
It means that instead of the Holy Spirit working to restrain men from engaging in sin and unrighteousness, God allowed men to engage in their sinful activities to the utmost.
This did not happen immediately. God is a God of patience. He is longsuffering. He strives with men and calls them to repentance. He withholds His righteous judgement for a long season. But finally, there comes a time when this judgement is withheld no more.
If you remember the cryptic words given by God in the days of Noah. The human race had turned away from the Lord. The human race, which had been created to serve and honor the Lord, had gone its own way.
Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless, his days shall be one hundred and twenty years” Genesis 6:3.
God’s Spirit had striven with men since the time of the fall in Eden, and it would continue to strive with men for a season. But there would be an end. The days of Noah have come and gone, yet the Spirit of God continues to strive with man. But He will not strive forever. When men continue to reject the God who has been revealed to them, then He will ultimately respond in judgement. Firstly, in verse 24, God gave them up because in verses 18-23, we have seen man turning away from God and refusing to worship Him, thus breaking the first three commandments. In the following verses, God gave man over and he went ahead to break the rest of the commandments (most of them are mentioned in these verses).
Secondly, in verse 26, God gave them up because in verse 25, they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator.
Thirdly, in verse 28, God gave them up because they did not acknowledge Him any longer in their lives.
Q3b. WHAT IMPORTANT LESSON CAN WE DERIVE FROM THIS?
2 Peter 2:4
There are a number of lessons we can learn from this:
- We must constantly acknowledge the mercies, goodness, presence and protection of God upon our lives.
- We must always acknowledge God in our decisions, plans and our dreams.
- We must know that our acknowledgement of God or the lack of it, attracts blessings or curses, respectively.
- We must know that God will not spare us if we continue in willful sin and refuse to repent.
Q4a. IN WHAT WAYS DO PEOPLE USUALLY MAKE A MOCKERY OF GOD’S KINDNESS, FORBEARANCE AND PATIENCE?
Romans 2:1-5
- Willfully committing sin and taking the grace of God for granted believing that He will always forgive. In every willful sin, there is contempt of the goodness of God.
- Living a life of hypocrisy which entails telling others to abstain from sin, while secretly living in in. Romans 2:21-22.
- Ascribing glory to themselves for the mercies of God that they enjoy.
Q4b. WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT OF SUCH ATTITUDE IF THEY REFUSE TO REPENT?
Romans 2:3-9, 3:23, John 3:36 They will not escape the judgement of God. God is impartial (2:11). God’s impartiality in judgement is seen in both Jew and Gentile alike are to be judged equally and fairly (2:12-16). The fact that God is impartial is demonstrated in the manner of His judgement. God has fully extended His grace to all men to repent or be damned.
Q5. HOW CAN A PERSON BE FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE?
John 6:53-56, 8:36, Romans 10:9-10, 1 John 5:11-13
To be saved and free from sin, one must first recognize that he is a sinner, and cannot save himself. It is for this purpose that Christ came and died for our sins on the cross. The individual has to receive Him as his personal Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit will convict the person of this need for salvation; confession is then made for true repentance, with a resolve not to go back to the old way of life. This believer then yields to the Holy Ghost and determines to obey and abide in the word of God to have eternal life.
Daily Living Application:
Sin deceives, defiles, deadens, and finally destroys. Living without God is a life of Regret, Depression and Death. However, God is loving and gracious. His desire is that all should come to repentance and be saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Accept Jesus Christ now, as the gift of God and be free.
Memory Verse:
1 John 5:12
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
Daily Devotional Guide:
Monday: Characteristics of people living without consideration for God.
Romans 1:20-23
Tuesday: Characteristics of people living without consideration for God.
Romans 1:24, 26-27
Wednesday: Characteristics of people living without consideration for God.
Romans 1:28-31
Thursday: Reflect on “therefore God gave them up…”
Romans 1:24, 26, 28
Friday: Ways people make mockery of God’s forbearance.
Romans 2:1-5
Saturday: Eternal life is God’s gift.
John 5:11-13, 6:53-56, 8:36