Idolatry is the Root and Essence of Sin

Idolatry is the Root and Essence of Sin
Romans 1:24-32

I. Humanity’s universal rejection of the revelation of God in nature (1:18-23)

• every person is being judged by God’s wrath
• every person knows about God
• every person turns away from God
• every person is “without excuse”
• God is fair to judge every person with his wrath

II. The divine reaction to humanity’s universal rejection of God’s revelation in
nature: God “gives them over” (1:24-32)

• God “gives them over” in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another (21-24)
• God “gives them over” to unnatural sexual lusts, unnatural burning desire, thus receiving in themselves the just penalty of their error (25-27)
• God “gives them over” to a depraved mind and societal sins of inhumanity against one another (8-31)
• Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them (32)