Romans 1:19-21 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has showed it to them.… I. WHAT IS IT TO GLORIFY GOD? 1. Negatively. (1) Not as if we made Him glorious (Exodus 15:11). (2) Nor as if we added anything to His glory. 2. Positively. (1) To acknowledge His glory (Psalm 19:1). (2) To admire it. (3) To live up to it. (4) To speak of it. II. WHAT IS IT TO GLORIFY GOD AS GOD? 1. To acknowledge Him to be God. (1) To be what He is in Himself — a Spirit, Almighty, all-wise, etc. (2) To be what He is to us. Our — (a) Maker (Genesis 1) (b) Preserver (Acts 7:28). (c) Governor (Psalm 75:6; Matthew 10:29, 30). (d) Redeemer (Psalm 47:41). 2. To fear Him as God. 3. To hope in Him (Psalm 27:1; Psalm 46:1, 2) as an all-wise, almighty, all-gracious and all-faithful God. 4. To rejoice in Him (Philippians 4:4) as reconciled in Christ, and a soul-satisfying God in Himself. 5. To desire Him as one without whom we cannot but be miserable, and in whom we cannot but be happy. 6. To love Him as the chief Lord in Himself (Luke 18:19), and as the fountain of goodness in His creatures. 7. To worship Him only, and in spirit and in truth. 8. To serve Him alone, in all things, so as to do all to His glory (Isaiah 42:8; 1 Corinthians 10:31). III. HOW DOES IT APPEAR TO BE A SIN NOT TO GLORIFY GOD AS GOD? 1. God here accuses the Gentiles of it, and blames them for it. 2. Not to glorify God as God is not to glorify Him at all. IV. WHO ARE GUILTY OF THIS SIN? 1. Such as do not acknowledge there is a God (Psalm 14:1). 2. Such as do not know the Lord they acknowledge. 3. Such as know Him, but do not glorify Him. 4. Such as glorify Him, as they think, but not as God and these are — (1) Such as have not right apprehensions of Him. (2) That have not right affections for Him. (3) That do not perform right worship and obedience to Him.Conclusion: 1. You know God; you know that He is an all-knowing and all-powerful God, that He is the chiefest Good, most merciful and gracious, and that He will bring all things into judgment, and yet you do not live up to this knowledge, and therefore do not glorify Him as God. 2. Examine whether you have not been guilty of this sin, humble yourselves for it, and then reform it. Consider — (1) The glory of God is the first thing that ought to be prayed for (Matthew 6:9). (2) Remissness in this is denounced (Malachi 2:2) and punished (Acts 12:23: Romans 1:24). (3) Unless you glorify God your religion is vain. (4) To glorify God is the glory of heaven. (5) Glorify God and God will glorify you (1 Samuel 2:30). (Bp. Beveridge.) Parallel Verses KJV: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.WEB: because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. |