Hello friend!

In February, the music industry celebrated the best in modern music at The Grammys award show. In general, it seems award shows are losing their appeal, as it was one of the poorest-rated Grammys in recent history. But it is not the ratings that drew attention the following day. Two artists performed a song live on television called “Unholy.” The song celebrates the so-called freedom of not having to hide secrets and living out in the open. This is a ballad to two people in an adulterous relationship while the family members at home have no idea what is happening around them. One of the artists dressed in red to portray himself as Satan. The world celebrated the song by awarding it a Grammy for “best duo” and praising it as the first music award given to a transgender artist. I don’t watch award shows and was not part of the 12.6 million people who tuned in to the show. When I read about it the next day, the first thing that came to my mind was Romans 1. If you have been reading our letters over the last few months, we have shared Paul’s heart for the Gospel and the power found in the Gospel. Romans 1 closes with some hard truths that we see celebrated in our culture today.

Here are four things we need to pay attention to in Romans 1:18-32.

1. Man knew God (v. 18–20)

The wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth. Paul tells us that God has revealed Himself to men in two ways. First, God made Himself known to man within themselves or what we might call our conscience. God also made Himself known through creation. One scholar wrote, “Man did not begin with ignorance and work his way up to intelligence; he began with the blazing revelation of the power and wisdom from God but turned their back on it.” Since God has revealed Himself in this way, man is without excuse, even those who have never heard the Gospel.

2. Man did not honour God (v. 21–23)

Man knew about God, but they did not place God in a position of honour in their lives. This is the root of all sin in a person’s life — not giving God the worth He is due. One of the keys in this section is they knew God, but they did not KNOW God in the sense that they understood the Gospel. The difference is head knowledge versus knowledge that leads to transformation. We see this in today’s world as man defends and rationalizes their sin into acceptance. They profess to be wise but really are foolish. Paul says not honouring God is the entrance to the gate that leads to a path full of idolatry.