Romans Chapter 1

The following are an ongoing study which I am writing to help some people to go through the book of Romans. This is obviously a difficult book where one can spend a lifetime preaching from it and yet it is also a simple book that fundamentally preaches a simple message concerning faith and salvation in Jesus Christ. I hope you will find these short studies beneficial (for whoever who stumbles upon this):

Chapter 1:

We are creatures that are made by God. We have evidence and proof of this if we only pause and think about it (v.19-20). But the problem is, we do not pause except to dwell on our hurts, our emotions, our own self-pity/indulgence. Instead, we fill our whole lives with man-made things and achievements to the extent that the things that God has made is clouded by our own things. Nevertheless, all of Creation bears testimony to the One God who created all things (not only nature, but also our own lives. Have we not wondered the complexities that make up our lives?). By definition of Him being our Creator, God demands to be worshipped for He is the only one worthy of it. Because we disobey that clear command, we progress deeper into our sins (v.24-32). That is why the more stubborn a person is in their disobedience, the more sinful and blinded they become; they sit in a perpetual spiritual darkness that they are happy with (Luke 1:79a).

Lessons:

The problem with many who profess (call themselves) to be Christians is their inconsistency. At times, they are moved by much affection (feeling) that they confess that they are sinners before God. But as time goes on, we find that these 'professing Christians' begin to lose sight of their sin. They begin to find confidence in their achievements and their experience. In fact, they begin to accept that they are sinners and that it is OK to be one. Excuses are usually given when others point them to God and their need to really understand their spiritual condition.

Applications:

1. What are some of the things in the life of 'professing Christians' that take away their belief that God alone ought to be worshipped? 
2. Where do these 'distractions' come from? 
3. Do we secretly keep such distractions in our lives, especially during times when we ought to worship God?