NOTE: All comments in brackets [ ] or in parentheses ( ) as well as highlighted text (bolded and/or in blue) are from the author of this study.
Bible quotations are in maroon.
The verses of Romans 1:17-21 (cited below) have led many in God’s church to come to the conclusion that unconverted mankind can come to know God simply by looking at the wonders of nature such as a beautiful sunset, the awesome majesty and fearsome power of the sea, the incredible diversity of animal and plant life, the miracle of conception and birth, etc. Closely connected to this belief is the one that God is somehow desperately trying to reveal Himself to mankind through the awe inspiring beauty of the physical creation and that sometimes, we can see that some of the highly educated men come very close to admitting the existence of God as they marvel about certain aspects of God’s creation.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
For a long time, I also puzzled over the correct meaning of Rom 1: 17-21 and I kept thinking to myself that the above-mentioned commonly-held beliefs in God’s Church did not make much sense in light of what God had taught His Church through Mr. Armstrong (HWA). Mr. Armstrong on several occasions explained that God had cut mankind off from His Holy Spirit since the expulsion of Adam and Ever from the Garden of Eden which is the only way mankind can get to know the spiritual truth of God.
So, I decided to study into the matter to try to find out what it was that Paul was really saying to the Roman churches in Romans 1:17-21.
My findings are explained in the following pages of this document and show it is to grossly misunderstand these verses of Romans to believe that they are saying that unconverted mankind can come to know God simply by observation of God’s material creation and get to know Him to such an extent that they are without excuse for not admitting His existence and obeying Him.
As it is always the case, understanding the truth of a matter will require linking the dots of several applicable Scriptures that explain what Paul is saying. As Mr. Armstrong so very often explained, the Bible interprets itself but patience, steadfastness and work are required to pull together the threads of the applicable Scriptures that will make the meaning clear. And, it goes without saying, one must already fully know and understand what God taught His Church through Mr. Armstrong in order to do so; unfortunately, many don’t and even, won’t spend the time required to become proficient in the truth God gave His church through him.
What about you?
Rom 1:20-21 are the verses focused on to support the belief that God has made Himself known to men since the beginning of creation and that they are without excuse for not obeying Him.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
A too fast reading of Rom 1:20-21 and of the preceding verses has led almost everybody to think that God’s wrath (v. 18) is upon all mankind and this since the creation of the world (v. 20) because according to their understanding of these verses, God has revealed Himself in an unmistakable way to mankind by means of the incomparable glory of His physical creation (v. 20) which all can see. Therefore, according to this erroneous understanding of the Scriptures, mankind is without excuse (v. 20) for not obeying God and is under God’s wrath (v. 18) for being unwilling to obey Him God having made Himself known to them by the great beauty of His creation (v. 20).
Nothing could be further from the truth.
How can we know with certainty what Paul is talking about in these verses?
Administration of God’s Plan of Salvation
First we have to take a step back and consider what the Bible teaches about the world and God’s judgment of it during this present time of God’s administration of His great, master plan of salvation for mankind.
The Bible is clear that the whole world is deceived (Rev 12:9) and under the power of great delusion (2 Thess. 2:11) and that it is impossible for mankind or the world to obey God (Rom 8:7).
Rom 8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be
The world, the unconverted, is hostile to, and rejects the truth of God whenever in one way or another, it is exposed to it and, if one should persist in trying to show it to them, they become hostile.
It is impossible for mankind cut off from God since the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden to know the existence of an all-powerful, creator God that created the heavens and the earth and who rules over it.
1Co 2:14 But the natural [unconverted] man receiveth not [does not accept] the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. [are only knowable through the in-dwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit.]
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Mr. Armstrong taught that the Bible is not addressed to the world for the truth that it contains is SPIRIT‑ual and can only be known by revelation which requires one to have been called and chosen so as to have received a portion of God’s Holy Spirit which enables one to understand the spiritual truth of God which otherwise is a mystery and hidden to mankind. The Bible only talks about the nations of the world as they come in contact with the physical nation of Israel. Occasionally, it talks about the world but never to the world. The Bible was written for God’s Church. This is a very important point to keep in mind that will help us correctly understand the verses of Romans 1:17-21.
Why would Paul in a letter sent to the Roman churches which is made up of converted individuals (who are more or less zealous in their obedience to God as other verses show) start off early in his letter by seemingly speaking of those in the world having no excuse not to know God given He has manifested Himself to them in an unmistakable way through His material creation so that they are without excuse for not obeying Him and talk about God’s wrath being on those who hold the truth in unrighteousness? We know according to the Scriptures that the world is not now judged given it is entirely ignorant of and is cut off for the time being, from knowing the true God and the truth of God (1st Pet 4:17).
1st Pet 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
So, those in the world, the vast majority of mankind who has yet to be called, cannot, now or anciently, be coming under judgment or be under God’s wrath for disobedience to God. They have been blinded by God Himself for a special purpose preparatory to the establishment of His Kingdom i.e., mankind must experience the lesson of the error of its ways cut off from God.
The world does not know the truth of God; it does not and cannot know it now, nor did it know it anciently (since the beginning of creation (Rom 1:20)) and will not know it until some time after the 2nd Coming of Christ when salvation will be opened up to all mankind as stated in the book of Joel.
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
So what is the correct meaning of Romans 1:17-21?
Of what and to whom is Paul talking in verses 18 and 19 of Romans 1 which say that God has showed them that which may be know of Him and that the wrath of God is on those who hold the truth in unrighteousness?
Who are the ones to which God has shown what may be known of Him and, who are ungodly and unrighteous and, who hold the truth in unrighteousness?
Can the unconverted know the truth and can they be ungodly? Unrighteous?
As previously stated, man doesn’t know nor can he know the truth of God which is spiritual and knowable only by revelation which requires the in-dwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit i.e., one has to be a true member of God’s Church; not just someone physically attending services but someone who has kept alive the in-dwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit by maintaining their attitude of obedience to God in all things without exception.
Would the wrath of God (v. 1:18) be upon those in the world since they are in total ignorance of God’s truth and of the necessity of obeying Him and this, as purposed by God Himself?
Does the conversion or calling out process follow from the observation of a beautiful sunrise or sunset, or from looking at the awesome, vast expanse of sky with its countless billions of stars or through science discovering more and more of the incredible and seemingly limitless wonders of the universe and of the human body?
If it does, why are there so few converts as all can admire, and most people have done so at one time or another in their lives, and marvel at the wonders of nature in its myriad manifestations?
So many questions that deserve an answer.
The Great Creator God
The answer to the apparent contradictions between the truth of God given to His end-time Church by God through His specially chosen end-time Elijah who was to restore all things and the commonly held belief that God is revealing Himself to mankind through the wonders of the material universe, requires that we go back to a previous study of mine, written to clarify another Scripture of Paul.
This study is posted on this Web site ; simply click on the following hyperlink to view it: The Whole Creation Groaneth and Travaileth in Pain Together Until Now
If you have not already done so, I would encourage you to become familiar with its content.
For the sake of advancing this study, I will give a summary of the main points covered.
Romans 8:22-23 are the main Scriptures discussed.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The clarifications provided are to the effect that the “creation” of which Paul speaks in these verses is not the physical-material universe created by God but rather that the word “creation” here refers to God’s ongoing spiritual creation which are those whom God calls and who are undergoing a lifelong process of conversion. The Scriptures refer to Christians as being new creations in Christ (2 Cor’ns 5:17; Isa 43:7) and of being Christ’s workmanship (Eph 2:10). They are the creation that groans and travails waiting for the time when they will become glorified spirit beings and God’s born again sons. Groaning and travailing is not something that God’s physical-material creation can do as it is an inanimate object incapable of expressing such emotions.
There’s more to it than that and you will have to go through the study itself to get all the details if you haven’t already done so.
Now, pursuing with this current study.
God’s Ongoing SPIRIT-ual Creation
God is first and foremost “creator.” Creation identifies the one, true God. God created the heavens and the earth, and the physical creation is complete as per Gen 2:1:
“ Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.”
But God has not ceased creating. Mr. Armstrong taught that with the physical creation being complete, God is now working at creating perfect, holy, righteous character in the physical human beings He has created.
Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we [true Christians] are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
As we have learned, man was created incomplete, not physically speaking, but spiritually. For him to become complete, another spirit had to be added to his human spirit in order for him to be able to have a relationship with His Creator.
What follows are some wonderful Scriptures where this is explained and which I could not help myself from quoting in full, though only a part of them applies to the current topic (I Cor’ns 2:11-12):
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. [The spiritual things and truth of God cannot be perceived by means of man’s 5 physical senses which are limited to being able to perceive the physical-material world.]
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us [His called out ones] by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. [How does God reveal Himself and to whom does He reveal Himself to? By His Spirit AND only to us i.e., those whom He has called and who have repented and believed; NOT by observation of the wonders of the material universe created by God.]
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? [what makes it possible for a man to know and understand other men is the spirit of man which is in all men] even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. [In the same way that the spirit of man makes it possible for men to be able to know and understand the thoughts, aspirations, desires, goals, etc. of other men so does the Spirit of God make it possible for men to understand the thoughts, mind, plans and character of God which are otherwise totally, completely and wholly impossible for mankind to know.]
1Co 2:12 Now we [God’s called out ones who have repented and believed] have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man [the unconverted] receiveth not [does not accept, rejects and is hostile to] the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, [not only does he reject them it is impossible for him to know them] because they are spiritually discerned.[can only be known by those who have God’s Holy Spirit]
This last verse makes it clear that the only way men can get to know and understand the things of God; the only way that God manifests Himself to them is by placing a part of His Spirit with their human spirit.
The New Man MADE by God
So what is the state of a person in whom God has placed a part of His Holy Spirit?
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
[a new creation (see Eph 4:24 herunder); a SPIRIT-ual one; true believers are God’s spiritual creation; true believers are God’s Spirit-begotten yet-to- be- born sons; a new creation through the great miracle of God’s calling which for the first time makes it possible for the natural or carnal mind to be transformed (regenerated) to be able to know and understand the truth of God and not automatically reject it and be hostile to it]
old things are passed away;
[The old things are passed away; the old carnal-minded man died, the new man no longer thinks the same way, he no longer sees or understands the world in the same way. The true believer is a new creation, God’s spiritual creation, something made by God, a new creation that can understand God’s eternal power and Godhead so that they, God’s spiritual creation, are without excuse (Rom 1:19). The person has been transformed from his old self to a new self or man (the new man) whose eyes and ears have been opened for the first time to the awesome and wonderful truth of God which has been hidden from ages and from generations (see Col 1:26 quoted below)]
behold, all things are become new
[For the first time the called out one sees the world with new eyes and ears; he realizes the error of all he thought before about the world he thought he knew and understood in light of the awesome new knowledge and understanding given him. All becomes new in terms of what is this present world, why it is the way it is, what and why man, the purpose and destiny of man, the existence of an all-powerful Creator God working out here below His great plan of salvation for mankind, etc. ; he is a new creature or creation in Christ.]
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Col 1:26 Even the mystery [the truth of God] which hath been hid [from unconverted mankind] from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints [those called, chosen and remaining faithful]
There is a process of creation that is ongoing and it is a spiritual one. It begins with God’s Church but will continue until all human beings who either become members of God’s Kingdom or have their existence forever destroyed because of their having rejected their calling or having turned away from it, in the Lake of Fire which is the second death from which no resurrection is possible.
Therefore to summarize, true believers are a new creature or creation (2nd Cor’ns 5:17), are God’s workmanship (something made by God) created in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10) and; the believer is a new man which after God is created (Eph 4:24);
To Whom Will God Manifest Himself?
The next thing that needs to be clarified and established is to whom will God manifest Himself.
Jesus said He and His Father would manifest themselves to true believers (see verses from John 14 below).
Nowhere is it said in the Bible that they would manifest themselves to the unconverted by means of the great beauty of the material creation.
In the following verses of John, Christ Himself tells us to whom He and His Father would reveal themselves. Would Paul personally trained by Christ be teaching something different to the Roman churches?
The following verses clearly show to whom Christ and the Father would manifest themselves.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him [to he who has God’s commandments and keeps them i.e., His called out ones who have repented and believed.]
Joh 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, [1st John 5:3] he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Col 1:26 Even the mystery [the truth of God] which hath been hid [from unconverted mankind] from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:[NOT to the world but to God’s spiritual creation; a thing made by God; His saints.]
God will manifest Himself only to those whom He has called, who have repented and believe (have His commandments and keep them) and not to the world as it does not and cannot love God (Rom 8:7), is deceived (Rev 12:9) and, are unknowingly (are deceived) the servants of sin under Satan (See Rom 6:16 below). The love of God is that we keep His commandments (See 1 Jn 5:3 below) and it is to those keeping His commandments after their calling to whom God the Father and Christ will manifest themselves (See Col 1:26 below).
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
1 Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
With this information in mind, let’s now read through Rom 1:15-21.
Re-examining the Message of Romans 1
Keeping the foregoing explanations in mind, we can go back to the original question of determining what is the correct understanding of Romans 1:15-20 and especially of verses 18-19 and 20. Here we go.
Rom 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein [the Gospel of Christ] is the righteousness [spiritual truth] of God revealed from faith [from those who have been given the truth, us the apostles who received it from Christ] to faith [to those who are given to know the truth (See Math 13: 10-11) that we, us apostles, have from Christ and are giving to you i.e., God’s called and chosen ones]: as it is written, The just [those whose sins have been forgiven]
shall live by [in accordance with] faith. [the truth they have been given.]
This is very clearly addressed directly to the membership of the Roman churches; it is a warning and an admonition to them because some have not been living by the faith they had received as other Scriptures in Romans make clear. Paul here is talking to converted Christians and us today, in God’s church. And, why are God’s saints to endure in living according to the faith or truth they have been given?]
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed [by His Spirit to those called]
from heaven against all ungodliness
[i.e., on those truly converted Christians who are not following the truth given them. Please consider that the unconverted are not judged i.e., their salvation is not in play but they do suffer the consequences for their law breaking as the law affects both the converted and the unconverted; walking off the end of a 10 story building knowingly or unknowingly has the same effect for the converted and the unconverted; breaking God’s spiritual law, knowingly or unknowingly, leads to conflict and war between individuals, groups, nations, etc. but not to loss of salvation for the unconverted which at this time is the whole world save God’s saints.]
and unrighteousness
[those not rejecting all sin in their lives; those stopping to fight against certain sins in their lives; those compromising with sin; the world cannot be unrighteous not knowing what is righteousness. Of whom Paul is talking is made clear by what follows]
of men, who hold
[have been given to know the truth; who possess the truth; who are holders of the truth; those who have been called, repented and believed] the truth [of God]
in unrighteousness
[and return to their sinful ways; not trying to change them with God’s help. God’s wrath is upon those who have been given to know the truth and who return to a life of unrighteousness; God’s wrath is not on the unconverted; the world is not now under judgment; Paul is writing this to the Roman churches; he is addressing it to them; to those in the Roman churches called by God; he is not talking about or to people in the world; this should be clear by now.]
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them
[not by or through men seeing and marveling at the great beauty of God’s physical creation but to them, God’s S-P-I-R-I-T-ual creation];
for God hath shewed it unto them
[to His Spirit-begotten sons i.e., his saints NOT the world and He showed it to them by His SPIRIT that dwells in them after their conversion and which was “with them” during their conversion process.]
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
[God’s invisible characteristics, He being a spirit being and being beyond the capability of our human senses to perceive, have been manifested to those He has called out; those He has called out are God’s creation. As we have seen, they are God’s workmanship, a new creation in Christ, something made by God. “The invisible things of Him” can be understood by those things which He has made i.e., by those who are His spiritual creation to whom He has given His Holy Spirit. Paul is not saying that mankind from the creation of the world can, by observing the wonders of God’s physical creation, come to know and understand the true God, His character, His purpose for man, etc. Rather Paul is saying that God having clearly revealed Himself to them (His called out ones, those in the Roman churches then and us today), to the things He has made, to His spiritual creation, they are therefore without excuse for not obeying Him because they have been given to know the truth.]
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they
[the called out ones; God’s spiritual creation; the things He has made]
knew God, [were given to know the truth of God]
they glorified him not as God,
[they refused to humble themselves and obey Him]
neither were thankful ;
[they were not thankful to have received the truth; to have had their eyes and ears opened]
but became vain
[notice, it says they became vain, it didn’t happen all at once; it something that developed over time after their calling, repentance and belief.]
in their imaginations, [minds, inner thoughts] and their foolish heart was darkened. [and as a result of their rejecting God’s truth preferring to go back to their past beliefs, they lost the truth they had been given [their foolish heart was darkened]; and having lost it, they can never get it back.]
This verse explains what some in the Roman churches have done with their calling. It should be clear that not all who are called follow their calling by changing their ways to obey God in all things to the best of their abilities until the end of their natural physical lives.
Unfortunately, as we know from Mat 7: 13-14, it is the majority of those called and who become members of God’s Church that take the broad way that leads to destruction.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye [the newly-converted coming into God’s Church] in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many [of those coming into God’s Church] there be which go in thereat: [And why don’t they go in through the strait and narrow gate? The next verse tells us.]
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
[There are few of the newcomers into God’s Church who enter through the strait and narrow gate because it requires a whole lot more of them than what they are willing to put themselves through for the rest of their lives. So they compromise with the world maintaining some of their previous beliefs which they now know to have been false; they compromise with the world’s ways which does not demand that they keep on making an effort to change to God’s ways and convince themselves that all is fine. God says it is the broad way that leads to destruction.]
The true Christians that were in the Roman churches and who were no longer faithfully holding on to the truth they had received from Paul are the things made by God (true Christians are made by God; are God’s spiritual creation) who hold the truth in unrighteousness and on whom the wrath of God is revealed from heaven as is the case for all those who have been given to know the truth and turn away from it. Their fate is the second death in the Lake of Fire which is the wrath of God revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness. Only God’s called out ones can be ungodly; all the others are totally deceived and not under judgment.
So, Paul in Romans is addressing the converts in the Roman churches and is giving out a warning to some of the members specifically and to the whole membership generally about how some have treated their calling and is warning them of God’s wrath or judgment on those who have done so. It is a warning for them and us today, not to do as they have done and to take heed.
Spiritual Condition of Church across the Ages
At this juncture, to add to our understanding of what Paul was saying to the Roman churches, we need to understand that contrarily to the widely held belief that first century church converts were consumed with an intense desire to obey God, a careful reading of the epistles reveals quite a different picture if one should take the time to study into the matter. I will not go into a detailed explanation of why this is so but suffice it to say that first century converts and converts throughout the ages including ourselves have faced the same problems of having to deal with the impact of this present evil world, Satan’s broadcasting in our minds and the weakness of our flesh. Recent church history as well as past church history and, the epistles, clearly show that the ministry constantly had to correct their congregations and disfellowship members.
I will only mention the following Scriptures in support of this major understanding that gives us a very different perspective of what the epistles are talking about and of church members’ attitude toward the truth they had been given to know and understand.
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; [to the Church membership] be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. [WHY, WHY, WHY?]
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they [the members of the Church] will not endure sound doctrine; [will have had enough of being reproved, rebuked and exhorted] but after their own lusts [according to the evil that they want to do] shall they heap to themselves [seek out and follow] teachers, [teachers that will approve of the evil they want to do] having itching ears; [being eager to have others approve as good those evil things they wish to do and praise them.]
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away [a willful act; they don’t do this because they are deceived] their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. [and shall eagerly believe the lies being told them by those they have made teachers over them, that the evil that they do is good and that they are good people. As an aside, did anyone ever meet a former member of God’s true church who thinks he has lost his salvation by going back into the world or joining another church of his choosing? I haven’t.]
This has been occurring from the foundation of the one, true Church to our present days. The warning given to the 7 churches of Revelation 2-3 which is history and prophecy of the spiritual condition of the one, true churches across the ages up to the 2nd Coming of Christ is that one must overcome and endure unto the end to inherit salvation. As we can see from what is being told to each era church, there were always serious and widespread problems with obedience and holding on to the truth. Christ is not warning the churches for no reason. A fascinating study in itself that I would encourage all to undertake.
Let’s get back to our examination of Romans 1 and verse 22.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
[Refusing to humble themselves after their calling once God had manifested Himself to them through placing of His Holy Spirit with them they became fools (“they became’” a process occurring over time; it didn’t happen all at once); they went back to deciding good and evil for themselves. As a result they lost the truth they had been given and returned to their former lives in the world and gave themselves over to a host of sins as described in verse 22 and onward of Romans 1.]
This is being told to the members of God’s church and I will agree that at first look, it does seem a bit incredible that members of the true church would engage in the type of sins described in verses 22 -32. It may help to bring things more into perspective if one simply reflects on what occurred after the death of HWA and the destruction of the corporate body of God’s church. There was a wholesale abandonment of the truth and previous pillars of the church (ministers, leading men), at least from what one could visibly see, did such things as divorce their wives and remarry (even ministers did this); some former members declared themselves homosexuals and lesbians; some were openly fornicating or committing adultery; many were attacking the truth they had once accepted, and the list goes on as described in Romans 1:22-32.
The sinfulness being talked about in these verses describe what fallen Christians will do as well as what the world cut off from God has always done. Indeed, the fallen Christians go back into the world and act just like the world out of which they had been called and what Paul is describing in these verses is the fate of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. They were given to know the truth; they have rejected it, have gone back into the world and being under judgment, have lost their salvation. They will suffer the wrath of God, the second death.
In Conclusion
Hopefully, the foregoing explanations will be clear enough and should they not be, then I would suggest that this essay would be a good starting point for anyone so interested in doing so, to engage in a detailed study of the Scriptures to establish the truth of the matter discussed in the preceding pages.
All in God’s church are given the same command by God through Timothei.
2Ti 2:15 Study [the Scriptures] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman [one who works at studying] that needeth not to be ashamed,[for not knowing or correctly understanding the Scriptures as one should but instead] rightly dividing [having a correct understanding of] the word of truth [as a result of continuously studying it].
God's Spiritual Nation 