In what ways does Romans 1:32 connect with other scriptures on God's justice? Setting the scene in Romans 1:32 “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32) God’s righteous decree—known yet resisted • Genesis 2:17 shows the decree at the dawn of human history: “for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.” • Romans 1:32 reminds us that people still “know” this decree deep down. • Ezekiel 18:4, 20 echoes it: “The soul who sins is the one who will die.” • God’s justice is therefore not arbitrary; it is declared, published, and understood. The penalty that fits the crime: death for sin • Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death.” • Galatians 6:7: “God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap.” • Revelation 20:12–15 portrays the same verdict carried out on the Day of Judgment. These passages reinforce Romans 1:32’s statement that sin’s outcome is death—physical, spiritual, and eternal if unrepented. Compounding guilt: doing evil and cheering it on • Proverbs 17:15: “Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.” • Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” • Psalm 50:18 notes the same heart posture: “When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.” Romans 1:32 shows that endorsing sin hardens the heart, multiplies accountability, and spreads corruption. Justice grounded in God’s own character • Deuteronomy 32:4: “All His ways are justice.” • Psalm 89:14: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.” Because His very nature is just, every judgment He renders (Romans 2:2) is perfectly true and right. Certainty and severity of final judgment • Nahum 1:3: “The LORD... will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.” • 2 Thessalonians 1:6–9 declares it “just” for God to repay those who afflict. • Hebrews 10:31 adds sobriety: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” These texts dovetail with Romans 1:32, assuring that divine justice will be carried out without fail. Key takeaways on God’s justice from Romans 1:32 and beyond • God’s moral standards are universally known and fixed. • Violating those standards merits death—a verdict repeated from Genesis to Revelation. • Approving sin is itself sinful and enlarges culpability. • Divine justice flows from God’s unchanging character; He cannot overlook guilt. • Final judgment will publicly confirm the fairness of every divine decree. Romans 1:32, therefore, is not an isolated warning. It harmonizes with the whole counsel of Scripture, painting one consistent portrait of a holy God who always judges righteously and calls every soul to reckon with His justice. |
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