Romans 1:18-32 Q & A

Romans 1:18-32

Answers to Questions to Go Deeper


  1. What is “For” there for (1:18a)?

It further explains the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel by faith alone in Christ.  This appears to begin a section of that runs all the way down through 3:20 that establishes that all of humanity is under the Just judgment of God and humanity is therefore in need of God’s righteousness in order to avoid His just wrath!

  1. Who’s wrath is it? (1:18a)

God’s wrath - It is God’s just (righteous) response to humanities’ rejection of Him. 

  1. Where does God’s wrath come from? (1:18b)

From heaven

  1. Who or what is it dispelled upon? (1:18c)

Against all ungodliness (irreverence) and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

  1. When is this wrath being revealed? (1:18b)

It is a present tense verb … it being revealed

  1. How are irreverent and unrighteous further described? (1:18d)

…who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…

  1. Why are these people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness ultimately responsible?(1:19)

because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

  1. Do these suppressors know God? (1:19a)

… that which is known about God is evident within them …

  1. How do they know God? (1:19c)

…because God made it evident to them!

  1. What did those who “knew God” fail to do? (1:21a) 

…. they did not honor (glorify) Him As God or give thanks …

  1. Instead of honor and thanks what did those who knew God do? (1:21b)

… But they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened!

  1. What do these darkened speculators profess? (1:22a)

… Professing to be wise, …

  1. Yet what did these professing “wise ones” become? (1:22b)

… they became fools!

  1. What did these fools exchange the glory of God of the incorruptible God for? (1:23a)

… for an image in the form of corruptible man, of birds, and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

  1. What is “therefore” there for? (1:24a)

In light of their rejection God, THEREFORE, God gave them over …

  1. In light of the context, what does “God giving them over” appear to be another description of? (esp. 1:18)

God’s presently revealed wrath for the suppression of truth in unrighteousness!

  1. What did “God give them over in”? (1:24b)

… the lusts of their hearts to impurity …

  1. What is the purpose of God giving them over in the lusts of their hearts? (1:24c)

… SO THAT their bodies would be dishonored among them.


  1. What three reasons again did God give them over to be dishonor among them? (1:25)

… For 

1.  they exchanged the truth of God for a lie 

2.  And worshiped the creature rather than the Creator

3.  and served the creature rather than the Creator…

  1. What does contemplating God’s Creator status provoke in Paul (1:25c)

A mini-doxology … The Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen!

Paul GLORIFYING God as the Creator unlike the lost who fail to glorify him (1:21) and unlike the lost who exchange the glory of God for idolatry (1:23)!

  1. For what reason did the next round of judgment come from God (1:26 … look back 1:25)?

Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and serve the creature rather than the Creator.  FOR THIS reason God gave them over …

  1. What did God give them over to? (1:26)

degrading passions - also translated dishonorable passions. The word plays are stunning … they didn’t honor or thank… they exchanged incorruptible for corruptible … they exchanged truth for a lie … they worshiped and served creation not Creator God … SO GOD gave them over to dishonorable passions…They Exchanged the natural (GOOD) function for unnatural (evil) function.  God gave them over to themselves (the creation).

  1. How is homosexual relationships described in this passage? (1:24, 26-27)

- Homosexuality is part of the development of verse 24 … A pursuit of the lusts of their hearts to impurity (uncleanness) (24a)

- … A pursuit that leads to being dishonored among themselves (24b)

- Verse 27 is also a development of verse 26 … Degrading or dishonorable passions

- Women exchanged the natural for the unnatural!  AGAINST nature … Against the CREATED ORDER of the CREATOR!  God made things with a natural order.  Rejection of His general revelation and failure to glorify and honor Him leads to being handed over to these Against nature ways!

- committing shameless (opposite of glorifying) acts

- AND receiving back in their own person the due penalty of their error (27f).

  1. What do the lost unbelievers not see fit to do? (1:28)

… to acknowledge God any longer … it can be translated more literally “to have God in knowledge” … 

  1. What is God’s wrathful response to their evil? (1:28b)

God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do these things which are not proper, … 

  1. What are the lost being filled with (being controlled by and being consumed with)? (1:29a)

… with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, … 

  1. What are the lost full of? (1:29b)

… full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, … 

  1. What are they identified as? (29c-30)

Gossipers, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents  

  1. Paul concludes with four negative adjectives to describe the lost, what are they? (1:31)

without … understanding, trustworthiness, love (concern for), mercy (towards others).

  1. The summary of the chapter is crucial in verse 32.  It is the summary of the condition of the lost of the world.  This is who they are and what they do as a pattern of their lives.  What do they KNOW (full knowledge)? (1:32a)

…the ordinance of God (the righteous requirement of God. Important to note this is one of the righteousness root words in Romans)!

  1. What is the righteous requirement of God? (1:32b)

… that those who practice such things are worthy of death, 

  1. What are the “such things” that are practiced? (1:32b)

It appears to be everything listed in 1:26-31.

  1. What do the lost people do ALTHOUGH they know the righteous requirement of God? (1:32c) 

… they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.



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