Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; I. WHAT IS THAT TRUTH WHICH MEN HOLD PRISONER? Religious and practical truth which tends to the right ruling of the heart and life in obedience to the will of God. The truth is two fold. 1. The truth of natural religion, or the dictates of a natural conscience, agreeable to those common notices of good and evil left in man since the Hall. 2. The truth of revealed religion, which comprehends the whole truths of the law and of the gospel also. II. HOW MEN HOLD TRUTH PRISONER. 1. In others. (1) By putting truth into an ill name, casting reproach and disgrace upon it, on whatever pretences. (2) By resisting and opposing the truth. (3) By an authoritative shutting up of truth. This often follows as a judgment. 2. In themselves. This is what the text mainly aims at. It is kept prisoner — (1) With respect to others, when it is kept back from preventing sin in them. This is done two ways. (a) When it is restrained by undue silence. If the Lord call men to bring it forth, silence in that case is a bond laid on truth. "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words," etc. When is truth held prisoner by undue silence? (i) Negatively, not when one has no sufficient call to bring it forth. "There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." And in discerning these times there is much spiritual wisdom. Truth kept in silence, during the proper time of silence, is not kept prisoner, but entertained in its lodging suitable to its character. "A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards." Truth is too sacred a thing to bring forth just to make a show of, and far more to prostitute to men's lusts and humours. There is an unseasonable venting of truth, by which truth and holiness gain nothing, but lose much (1 Samuel 22:10). Our Lord forbids it. "Neither cast ye your pearls before swine."(ii) Positively, when the honour of Goal requires the bringing it forth (Mark 8:38). When the Lord's honour is at stake, truth is like a fire that will seek a vent, and get it in a tender soul. Thus speaks Jeremiah, "His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." And it exposes men to the wrath of God, to hold in truth in that case, for that is to sacrifice God's glory to men's own interests. Again, to hold it in when the good of our neighbour requires it to come forth, is to hold it prisoner, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him." Where there is any probable appearance of sin's being prevented in others, by means of the coming forth of truth, it is not to be held in, nor can it be so, without the guilt of imprisoning it. (b) When by words or actions, one holding in the truth, leads another into sin. This is to hold truth prisoner with a witness, shutting the prison door with double bars. (2) In themselves several ways. As by — (a) Neglecting, overlooking, and not adverting to it in the management of their hearts and lives. The light shines about them, but they take no notice of it to order their steps by it. This is put the Lord's candle in them, under a bushel. (b) Not obeying truth speaking to them in their consciences. (c) Going on in opposition to known truth, knowing the right and doing the wrong. "They are of those that rebel against the light."(d) By overcoming the truth in their war against it. Many a battle there is betwixt truth in the conscience and a man's lusts, till the man taking part with his lusts against the truth, convictions are murdered, the troublesome light in the soul is put out, and truth is taken and held prisoner, that it can no more disturb the man in the enjoyment of his lusts. III. TRUTH IS UNJUSTLY THUS TREATED, WRONGLY HELD PRISONER BY SINNERS. This is clear, for that — 1. It is God's messenger to men and His deputy in the soul, over which they have no power and authority. So that one cannot hold it prisoner but in unrighteousness, or in rebellion against the God of truth. 2. It is never guilty of any crime against men, that it should be so treated. Falsehood and lies are ever contrary to men's true interest, but the truth is never so. 3. It cannot be held prisoner but for an unrighteous cause, and in favour of some lust or other. 4. A just God will clear it, and set it free at the cost of those who hold it prisoner. "They shall know, saith the Lord, whose word shall stand, Mine or theirs." If truth prevail not to men's reformation, it will prevail to their destruction. IV. TO CONFIRM THE DOCTRINE. Consider — 1. A person's treating truth thus is rebellion against God, who is the God of truth and Lord of light. "If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." 2. It exposes men to severe temporal judgments. It was our first parents holding truth prisoner which brought in the flood of miseries on the world (see also 1 Peter 3:19, 20). 3. It exposes to spiritual judgments (Isaiah 6:8-10; Romans 1:21-23). 4. It exposes to eternal judgments.Conclusion: Consider — 1. The evil of it. (1) It is ingratitude to God of the deepest dye. (2) It is direct disobedience to God, a flying in the face of His orders. (3) It is a rising up against God in open rebellion and war. (4) It is working against our own interest in favour of Satan and our lusts.It is the putting out of the candle which God in compassion to our darkness has lighted unto us. It is like one travelling through a wilderness of pits, rising up against his guide, binding him and casting him into one of them. Like captives conspiring against their deliverers, or sick men against their physicians, to their own ruin. 2. The greatness of the hazard. (1) Men so doing grow worse and worse. (2) It brings on judicial blindness. (3) It brings on judicial hardness (Isaiah 6:10). (4) It provokes God to give up with men and to give them over to their own lusts. Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. (5) It paves the way to the unpardonable sin (Hebrews 6:1-8). (6) It is often punished with the prevailing of the spirit of error and delusion (Isaiah 66:3, 4). (7) It provokes God to remove the gospel from among a people, and to leave them in darkness (Revelation 2:5). (8) It will aggravate a person's torment in hell.It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. Remember the doom of the servant who knew his master's will, but did it not. As the sharpest vinegar comes of the most generous wine, so the most fierce wrath comes from the despising of truth revealed to one in the gospel. 3. Set truth free, loose its bands that it may reign freely in your hearts and lives. That is — (1) Resist not truth laid before you. (2) Slight not nor overlook truth in the conduct of your lives. (3) Submit to the truth, to the truth in the Word, and to truth in your conscience, as the ruler of your life. (a) It will set you at liberty. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (b) The way of truth is the way of holiness and happiness. (T. Boston, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; |
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