Romans 1:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

NIV: They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

NASB: For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

CSB: They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.

NLT: They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

KJV: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

NKJV: who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Paul began this section in Romans 1:18 by declaring that God's wrath is being revealed against humanity's ungodliness and unrighteousness. However, all of the verses since that one have simply described humanity's rejection of God as creator, provider, and Lord.

Only in the previous verse is God described as taking action against humanity for our sinfulness. That action comes in the form of inaction: of God simply getting out of the way and letting us do as we please. At first glance, that action doesn't sound like a punishment. He is said to have given us up to our sexual lusts. In other words, apparently God stopped restraining the human impulse to control our sexual desires. To our modern ears, in our confused thinking, that almost sounds like a good thing.

The result, though, is untold amounts of misery as we have expressed our unchecked sexual desire in all its forms both with and against one another for generation after generation. We may not connect the pain with those actions, but God seems to do so. He seems to view allowing us to fully indulge in our sinful desires as a consequence unto itself.

And why did He do it? Paul writes that it was God's direct response to two things. First, unrighteous, pagan humanity traded the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:21–22). It seems Paul is saying we traded the truth that God is the creator for the lie that all of creation arrived in some other way.

Second, we began worshiping and serving the creatures God made instead of the One who made them all (Romans 1:23). God takes idol worship personally. The first two of his Ten Commandments to Israel are that they should have no other gods before him and not worship or serve any image of any created thing (Exodus 20:3-6).

Paul, apparently wanting to distance himself even from the idea of setting God aside to worship nature, concludes this sentence by saying that the creator is blessed forever!

Romans 1:18–32 describes why God rightfully condemns humanity and some of what He has done about it. Humanity's fall is pictured as a downward progression. It starts with rejecting God as creator, refusing to see what can be known about Him by what He has made. We also reject that He is our provider and stop giving Him thanks. We worship His creation instead of Him. Finally, God acts by giving us over to the unchecked expression of our corrupt sexual desires and all other kinds of sin. In part, He expresses His wrath by giving us what we want and condemning us to suffer the painful consequences.

Romans 1 introduces Paul and his purpose in writing this letter to the Christians in Rome. As servant and apostle of Jesus, Paul's mission in life is to preach the gospel of Jesus to all people groups, both Jews and Gentiles. He hopes to do so in Rome soon. Paul is not ashamed of the gospel. It is God's power for the salvation of all people by faith in Christ. We need to be saved because God is angry with us. Because of our sin, humanity has rejected Him as creator and provider. We worship created things, instead. In response, God has given us over to indulge in all kinds of sinful practices that lead to misery now and His angry judgment later.

Romans 1 begins with Paul's introduction of himself and his mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. After telling the Christians in Rome that he is eager to come see them and preach the gospel there, Paul declares that the gospel is God's power to save everyone who believes in Jesus. We need to be saved, because our sin has earned God's wrath. As a whole, humanity has rejected God as creator and provider. We worship creation instead of Him. In response, He has given us over to the full indulgence of our sinful desires. We are guilty and deserve His judgment.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.