Romans 1:16-32

Romans 1:16 (ESV)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Unashamed of the Gospel
Have you ever felt embarrassed about living out your faith in public? Maybe when a conversation about religion comes up, you stay quiet because you feel like you don’t know enough about the Bible. Perhaps the thought of praying for someone makes your stomach drop, and you think, “I can’t pray like the pastor, why would they ask me?” Or when your favorite worship song begins, you hold back from singing because you feel self-conscious and don’t want anyone to hear how bad you think you sound. If any of these moments sound familiar, take heart, you’re not alone. Embarrassment is one of the biggest reasons believers struggle to live out their faith in public. It is not only the fear of what people might say, but even the fear of what they might be thinking.

The Apostle Paul stated boldly that he was not ashamed, meaning he was not embarrassed, dishonored, or intimidated by the opinions of others, whether spoken or unspoken. Paul understood that the gospel is not just good advice meant to help people improve their circumstances. The gospel is the power of God that lifts people out of the worst condition imaginable, slavery to sin. It is by His grace alone, through the cross of Christ, that anyone can come to faith, even the most hardened or broken sinner, and step into a new identity as God’s child, along with the hope and grace that flow from it.

The gospel of Christ is not meant to be compartmentalized or reserved only for church moments. It is meant to shape every part of life: how we build relationships, parent, love, work, and even enjoy our hobbies. And because you have received the power of God through the gospel, you don’t need to fear what others may think or say, because God rescued you, renewed you, and unashamedly called you His. Take one small step today. Speak when you would have stayed silent. Pray when you would have pulled away. Sing when you would have whispered. Let the gospel give you courage to live your faith openly, trusting that Christ walks with you in every step. Do not be ashamed.

Practice This:

Choose one small act today that intentionally puts your faith into the open. It doesn’t need to be dramatic or public. It could be praying out loud for a friend who shares a need, offering a word of encouragement rooted in Scripture, singing during worship without holding back, or simply mentioning God’s goodness in a natural conversation. Pick one step that pushes gently against your usual hesitation and trust that Christ will meet you in it.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the power of the gospel that rescued me, renewed me, and called me Your own. Help me to live with confidence in who You say I am. When fear or embarrassment rises, remind me that You are with me and that Your Spirit strengthens me. Give me courage to take small steps of faith today. Let my words, actions, and worship reflect the grace You have given me. Make me bold in love, steady in truth, and unashamed of the gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Romans 1:17 (NLT)
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."

Righteousness Revealed

There is a question many people wrestle with when it comes to faith in God: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Scripture gives a simple but sobering answer. Paul writes in Romans 3:10, “No one is righteous, not even one.” When we compare ourselves to others, it is easy to feel “good” or even “better” based on our accomplishments, intelligence, personality, or even social media approval. But no matter how we measure up against others, without Christ, no one is righteous.

To be righteous means to be in perfect moral right standing before God, having a flawless record of doing what is always right and good. When we compare ourselves to other flawed, imperfect people, we can convince ourselves that we are doing fine. But the righteousness of God is different. God is perfect, unchanging, and completely holy. When anyone measures their moral record against His, apart from saving faith, they fall short every single time. And when a person stands before a holy God with unrighteousness on their record, the consequence is eternal separation from Him. Scripture describes this as judgment, darkness, and ultimately hell. This is why our need for righteousness is so great.

Yet Paul boldly announces hope. A person is not left stuck in their guilt or defined by their sin. They can be declared righteous, not by working harder or outperforming another imperfect human being, but through faith in the finished work of Christ. The one Scripture describes as an enemy of God (Romans 5:10, Colossians 1:21), living in darkness (Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13), lost and separated from God (Luke 19:10, Ephesians 2:12), and condemned under sin (John 3:18), can be made right in His sight by grace alone through faith in Jesus.

Let this truth draw your heart to Christ, the only One who can make you righteous. Come to Him in faith and walk in the freedom He gives.

Practice this:

Set aside a quiet moment today to reflect honestly on where you tend to compare yourself to others. Maybe it’s your moral behavior, your church involvement, your kindness, your knowledge, or your past. Write down one area where comparison has made you feel either proud or discouraged. Then bring that specific area to God in prayer, confessing your need for His righteousness rather than your own. Ask Him to help you trust Christ’s finished work instead of measuring yourself by other people. Let this be a simple act of surrender and a reminder that your standing with God rests on grace alone.

Prayer:

Father, I come to You grateful for Your patience and Your grace. I know I fall short, and I know I cannot make myself right before You. Thank You for giving me what I could never earn through Jesus. Help me stop comparing myself to others and let me rest in the righteousness You provide. Shape my heart to trust You more, to walk humbly, and to live in the freedom of being Your child. Keep my eyes on Your goodness and remind me that my hope is in Christ alone. Amen.

Romans 1:18-20 (ESV)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

Truth Suppressed

Sometimes, the most minor things grab our attention more than we expect. You finish cleaning something, maybe the kitchen counter, the TV screen, the car you just washed, or even a favorite item you keep in good condition, and then you see it. A faint smudge. A set of fingerprints you didn’t notice before. It isn’t dramatic, but once you spot it, you can’t unsee it. You lean in, the light hits it just right, and there’s the unmistakable mark that someone has been there. Fingerprints are small, but they leave proof. They show touch, presence, and activity, even when the moment of contact happened quietly and out of sight.

Paul says something similar about God’s work in the world. Since the beginning of creation, God has left His fingerprints everywhere. His eternal power and divine nature shine through sunsets, mountain ranges, ocean depths, and the intricate design of the human body. His presence is imprinted in the order of nature, the beauty of creation, the longing of the human heart, and the unfolding story of history. Paul’s point is both sobering and straightforward. God has made Himself knowable. Humanity has seen His fingerprints all along, yet in unrighteousness, many have chosen to suppress what is plainly in front of them. No one can honestly claim they never noticed His touch.

Today, slow down and intentionally look for God’s fingerprints around you. Where do you see His power, His care, His creativity, or His kindness? Ask Him to open your eyes to the places He is already moving in your life, your relationships, and the world around you. And as you begin to recognize His unmistakable touch, let it draw you into humility, gratitude, worship, and a deeper trust in the God who continually makes Himself known.

Practice this:

Sometime today, intentionally step outside or pause wherever you are and identify three things that clearly display God’s fingerprints. It could be something in creation, something in the order of your day, or something in a person around you. Say them out loud or tell someone close to you. Let the act of naming them train your eyes to recognize God’s work more quickly and more often.

Prayer:

Lord, open my eyes to see Your fingerprints in the world around me. Help me notice Your power, Your beauty, and Your steady presence in places I often overlook. Teach me to respond with gratitude and trust as I recognize Your hand at work in creation and in my own life. Amen.

Romans 1:21-25 (ESV)
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 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.”

Pointing Your Worship

It seems like a universal moment in family life. A parent asks a child to grab something simple from the next room, a tool from the garage, or the remote on the living room table. Moments later, you hear the familiar words, “I can’t find it,” even though it’s sitting right in plain sight. Or the child proudly returns with something completely different from what you asked for. It may feel like laziness, but often it’s simply this: they were looking in the wrong place.

Looking in the wrong places isn’t something only children do. People everywhere, believer and non-believer alike, search for help, guidance, or meaning and end up turning to the wrong things. Someone who feels empty may try to satisfy it through success. Someone who craves peace may look for ways to numb whatever they’re wrestling with. And when things go well, the credit is often misplaced. They congratulate luck for blessings. They thank circumstances for joy. They praise themselves for gifts they never created. It’s giving credit where it isn’t due, and it reveals something deeper about the way we’re wired.

This is exactly what Paul describes in Romans 1. Humanity was made to worship in both word and deed. Every thought, every affection, every choice is meant to reflect the glory of God. Yet when our worship is directed anywhere else, it carries consequences. Paul writes that although people knew God, they refused to honor Him or give Him thanks. They turned from the glory of the immortal God and sought fulfillment in created things, directing their worship toward places that were never meant to hold it.

As you reflect on this passage, consider this simple question. Where is your worship being directed today? In your gratitude, desires, habits, and hopes, what or who is receiving the attention that belongs to God alone? May this moment help you realign your heart with the One who is worthy of it all.

Practice this:

Set aside ten quiet minutes today to intentionally slow your pace. Begin by taking a few deep breaths and inviting God to calm your mind. Then walk through these three steps.

1. Pause: Sit still for a moment and let the noise of the day settle. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the ways God has already been present, providing, guiding, and sustaining you.

2. Notice: Look over the last twenty-four hours and identify at least three moments where God showed His goodness. It may be a strength you didn’t have on your own, a provision you didn’t expect, a conversation that encouraged you, peace that steadied you, or a small joy that lifted your spirit. Pay attention to the details, these are the fingerprints of the Lord.

3. Name His Glory: Speak or write a simple sentence for each moment: “God, You did this.” This is where worship begins. Thank Him specifically. Give Him credit for what He alone made possible. Let gratitude rise as you acknowledge Him as the true Source behind every good thing.

Prayer:

Father, I come to You with open hands and a tired heart that too easily looks in the wrong places. You know how quickly I chase after things that cannot hold me, how easily my attention drifts toward what You created instead of toward You. Thank You for Your patience. Thank You for the quiet ways You keep drawing me back.

Help me slow down long enough to see Your goodness. Teach me to notice the gifts You place in my path and to recognize that every breath, every moment of strength, every joy comes from You. Pull my worship away from anything unworthy of it and set it firmly on You again.

Where my heart has grown dim, brighten it; where my thinking has wandered, steady it; meet me in the places where I have settled for less, and lift my eyes to Your glory.

You are the One who made me, sustains me, and saves me. Help me live today with a grateful spirit and a clear focus on You. Amen.

Romans 1:26-32 (ESV)
‘For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”

When God Gives Up

Have you ever had someone in your life who could be considered stubborn? No matter how many times you warned them or tried to guide them, they stayed committed to doing things their own way, even when their way was clearly the harder one. In moments like that, the challenge is knowing when to step back and let them learn from the reality of their own choices. It is not a lack of care. It is the recognition that some lessons settle into the heart only through experience. Often, the only thing that awakens a person is reaching the end of the path they were determined to follow.

Paul records a similar pattern in how God responds to a people who are determined to go their own way. His patience is deep. His mercy is long. His desire is always to draw people back. Yet there are moments when He allows people to have exactly what they keep choosing, even when it leads to harm. This is the heart of today’s passage. Three times in this chapter, Paul says, “God gave them up.” This does not mean God abandoned His character or withdrew His grace. It means He allowed people to experience the natural outcome of the desires they continually pursued. And eventually, the most sobering act was not God striking them down but God stepping aside. He allowed their chosen path to run its course.

The result of God giving them up was not happiness, peace, or even a sense of fulfillment. What they pursued only led deeper into emptiness. Their hearts became distorted. Their minds grew dark. Their choices unraveled into patterns of brokenness. Their communities are filled with envy, strife, deceit, malice, and harm. And the tragedy reached even further, because it was not only those who rejected God who suffered, but also those who cheered them on in their rebellion. Paul says the path ultimately leads toward death.

God still chooses to give up and not force people to respond to His grace; yet, He remains near enough to rescue. He gives up control, not compassion. He releases, but He does not reject.
He allows the fall, but He stands ready to lift up those who finally call out.

Practice this:

Set aside a quiet moment today to let the Lord search your heart. This practice is simple but deeply shaping.

1. Reflect: Ask God to show you any area where you have resisted His leading. Where have you insisted on doing things your own way, even when His way is clear? Where have you ignored His nudges, His warnings, or His invitations? Let the Holy Spirit reveal any stubbornness that has taken root in your heart. Pay attention to what He surfaces.

2. Repent: Where God brings conviction, respond with honesty. Repentance is not about condemnation. It is a return to the God who welcomes, restores, and heals. Offer a simple prayer, such as, “Lord, I have been stubborn here. Help me surrender this to You.” Trust that He meets confession with mercy.

3. Intercede:  Think of someone in your life who is stubbornly choosing their own path right now. Instead of frustration or judgment, bring them before the Lord. Pray for their heart to soften, for their mind to be opened, for their steps to be redirected toward life. Ask God to draw them back with His kindness and to protect them from the harm their choices may bring. 

Prayer:

Father, search my heart today and show me where I have been stubborn. Reveal the places where I keep choosing my own way instead of Yours. Give me the courage to confess what You uncover and the grace to turn back toward You with a willing spirit. Thank You for being patient with me, even when I resist Your leading.

I also lift up those in my life who are walking their own road right now. You know their struggles. You see their choices. You understand the wounds and desires that shape them. Be gentle with them, Lord. Soften what has grown hard. Open what has closed. Bring truth where lies have taken hold. Draw them back by Your kindness and protect them from the harm their path may bring.

Make my heart humble. Make my spirit teachable. Help me walk closely with You and reflect Your love toward those who are wandering. Amen.