THE MOST DAMNING TEXT IN THE BIBLE

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262 - THE MOST DAMNING TEXT IN THE BIBLE

November 17, 1963

Henry F. Kulp

 

 

Romans 2: 1 - 6 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

In the opening part of the book of Romans, Paul shows what happened to the Gentiles at the time of the Tower of Babel, and he shows that God gave them up, because man made a definite decision against God. 

Romans 1: 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

And here it tells us, even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, and a good rendering of that would be—THEY RESOLVED AGAINST POSSESSING THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. The Greek tells us that they examined, they proved, they scrutinized. The idea is that they did not think God worthy to be kept in their knowledge. They had come to such a high opinion of themselves, that they have a low opinion of God. That is the story of the fall of Lucifer all over again. 

 

1/ Then he lists the things that men do by their very nature. These things naturally come out of the reprobate mind that they now have. Remember, this list is divine—it is from God. It is a perfect description of man. If you read this to a Chinese, and if this Chinese man is honest, he will say, that is all about us. If you go to London, to Paris, to Berlin, to Moscow, to Washington, this is true of all the race. You think about the sex craze of our day—it is normal—God says so. This is what a reprobate mind produces—a sex-crazed society.     

 

2/ Notice the word covetousness. It could be translated greediness. When we see people who are grasping, itching for more, wishing to take more than they can use, more than is rightfully theirs this is a picture of the human heart. Then the word, maliciousness. It means a desire to injure. All you have to do is look at the sports of the day, and I love sports, but there is a desire to injure. Then among the frail people—the women and the men who don’t go in for the robust sport, there is a desire to injure—not physically, but in some other way—by a sharp tongue, by a sharp business deal. Actually, the thought here is a vicious disposition. Then notice, murder is spoken of as just one of the ordinary things. Not put above the others. And murder, you know, is a very ordinary thing. Men are being killed today without much thought. The first man born into the world was a murderer. Cain killed his brother. 

 

3/ Notice the word, whisperer. Why put that in with murder and all these other terrible sins? God does. It is named right with it. And the lexicons translate this word as SECRET SLANDER, or TO SPEAK IN ONES EAR. I wonder if you ever recognized that the Hebrew word that means the murmuring of a snake charmer is translated in the Septuagint by the verb of our word, whisperer. Let it be remembered, that God almighty has thus stamped with the name of snakebite. Then we have the word, backbiters—this goes beyond whispering. That was secret. This is open slander. There are some who are not content to whisper into the ear of the listener, but who will publicly flaunt false charges against their fellow man. Then notice, disobedient to parents—this is listed right in here, isn’t it? It is just as great a sin as some of these other things that have been mentioned here. Then notice the word, implacable, and it is a word that means you can’t do anything to satisfy a man. That is the condition today. No satisfying men. If they have a time of plenty, they want more. Then notice, unmerciful, and you know that is true—positive cruelty—that is the mark of the present age.

 

4/ But praise God; Jesus Christ is the answer to this awful heart and mind condition. No wonder we need a Saviour when we are like this. 

 

5/ Romans 1: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

As I read through the Bible, I read many damning texts, but I come to this one, I’m convinced, and so are most Bible students that this is the most damning in the Bible. It teaches us, first of all, that men have an inner knowledge from God of the reality of sin. Secondly, man has a consciousness that God must take and judge sin, Thirdly, that men persists in the ways of sin in spite of the warning of their conscience. Fourthly, that men come to the place of the public approval of sin and even applaud it in others. The verb that is translated, have pleasure in, is rendered in many different ways by the various translators, and one of the good translations is but applaud those that do them. The final step of the sinner is that he approves of sin in others. Actually, the thought is applauding and encouraging others to sin. We have an outstanding instances of the public applause of unrighteousness. There are those, for example who speak in favor of national lotteries, who approve of state supported gambling, and there is tolerance of those who earn their money and living by wicked means. There is the idea that the liquor dealer can be a respectable citizen, and what about the actor or actress out in Hollywood, as they flaunt all the decencies of moral code? This is the whole world, this is all mankind, this is not just a segment—this is all. This is the lost race. I want to give you two Scriptures to think about in conjunction with what Paul says here. The first one I John 5: 19 And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness, or the wicked one. I want to notice the word whole—it is not simply the world—the there is a special emphasis there—every word God uses has a meaning and for emphasis, God has put the word, whole—the world is wicked. 

 

6/ I John 2: 2 And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

Notice the same emphasis—not only the world, but the whole world, precluding any ideas that Christ died for some and not for others. Precluding the idea that some can be saved and others cannot be saved. When Jesus Christ died, He died for the sins of the whole world—every Chinaman, every man in India, everyone in Africa, everyone in South America—everyone. Christ died for you because all are sinners. So there are two things to see here—all men are sinners, the whole world is in sin, and secondly, Christ died for sin.   

 

7/ Then we have another verse that I would like to leave with you. 

II Corinthians 4: 4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The whole world is lost, the whole world is in sin, but the whole world does not believe on Jesus Christ, does not recognize that Jesus Christ is the answer to their sin, and it is the devil’s business to keep them ignorant of that fact. There are millions in our nation today who are not saved, but they do not know that Christ alone can save; they are trying to save themselves with their own works.

 

8/ Romans 2: 1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

Actually, in this portion of Scripture, three different types of people are mentioned. All are guilty of this list here in Romans 1, but starting with the second chapter, we have the man who hides his sin. He tries to keep it from breaking out. In the first chapter, this man just goes ahead and wickedly sins, with the thought, so what! This man in the second chapter is one who says he is good, and he is not. And what does he do? He stands out and criticizes and judges those who live in open sin. Then thirdly, we have the Jews who are a picture of the religious person. He is in religion, but he is just as bad as the man who tries to hide his sin.

 

9/ The chapter begins with the word, therefore, and I suppose it needs some explanation. As a rule, this word, refers to something that has gone on before—it acts as a hinge to draw a conclusion from a preceding promise, but in this instance, the word does not point backwards to the first chapter, but rather anticipates that which follows. It might well be translated for the following reason, thou art inexcusable, oh man, whosoever thou art that judgest. The key to the argument is the word, inexcusable. You are criticizing, but you are just as guilty as others. Do you recognize that according to Scripture, anyone who has ever criticized anything in anybody has thereby written his own condemnation? The thought is this—because you criticize, and you are able because you have a conscience. You now recognize in another, because you are aware of the existence of sin in yourself. Perhaps not in the same degree as you see it in others when you have recognized this sin in yourself, and thereby you are not excused, you are inexcusable.

 

10/ No individual has ever criticized another for lying without having shared in this sin of lying himself. The conscience that makes you aware of imperfections and sins in others finds written its guilt in self. 

 

11/ Let’s just take a few things. You say, you criticize somebody for being a murderer. Well, certainly you have never murdered. But certainly you have, and most likely you have—the word says that to hate is a murder, and you have done that. That is the seed, and the fruit is murder. And you may condemn someone for committing adultery, but just by a look you have committed adultery, Jesus Christ said so. For the very fact that one criticizes others shows that he, himself is guilty as the other person. Actually, every time you criticize and you gossip against the other person you are pointing out and pointing the finger back at yourself that you are guilty of this same sin. 

 

12/ In Verse 2 We can be sure that the judgment of God is according to truth. You commit these things, you try to hide them, you criticize them in others, but God says they will be brought out and you will be judged by them. 

 

13/ In Verse 3 Do you think you can escape the judgment of God? There is no escape. There are four chances of escape for a man who transgresses human law, but none of these escapes are available for the man who transgresses the Law of God. Let me give you the four possibilities of escape from human law. First of all, if a man commits a crime, it is possible that the offenses shall remain undiscovered. Secondly, it is possible that a criminal, even though his crime has been made known may escape beyond the bounds of jurisdiction that could punish him. Thirdly, it is possible that even though he is detected, and captured and brought to trial, there may be some breakdown in legal procedure, and he may thus go free. And the fourth and last possibility is that convicted prisoner may escape from prison, but these possibilities of escape from human law are no possibility at all in connection with the Law of God. 

 

14/  You will never be able to hide your sin from God, because He knows all about you. He knows every deed you have ever committed, He knows every thought you have ever had, and He keeps a record in Heaven of all that has been transgressed. Then it is absolutely impossible to escape from beyond the bounds of jurisdiction of God. 

Notice, Psalm 139: 1 - 9  O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

In the first part of this Psalm, if God knows all about us. Notice, Verse 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but lo, Lord, Thou knoweth it all together, and the Psalmist says, such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high, I cannot attain unto it. Then he talks about the second part—whither shall I go from Thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? Absolutely nowhere.

 

15/ Thirdly, there has been guilty men who have been brought to trial and because of some breakdown in legal procedure, they have escaped judgment, or because of some trickery of some lawyer. 

Numbers 14: 18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

Notice, where God says, He will by no means clear the guilty. And finally, there are those who have been guilty, were condemned and escaped from prison, but there is no way to escape from hell. 

Just think of Hades in Luke 16 that the rich man could not escape. It wasn’t even possible for him to leave that place and go back to earth and warn his brethren—there is no escape from God’s prison, a hell of fire and brimstone.

 

16/ There is no escape—but wait. There is a way of having your case settled out of court, but you must move fast—you must come to Christ now, for now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation—there is no second chance. 

Romans 8: 1 says, There is therefore now no condemnation, no judgment to them who are in Christ Jesus. This is because Jesus Christ has borne our judgment. 

AMEN

Ref: 11/17/1963/  262-THE MOST DAMNING TEXT IN THE BIBLE / 05/04/2022