Romans 1

Paul in the first chapter of Romans has given us a history of sin in the human race.  Why it came to be and how it has increased. Then he began to describe some of the sinful behavior of people.  He deals with idol worship, homosexuality, and a long list of other sins people have committed against God and then in verse 30 we can read (Romans 1:30)  They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.

All these actions that we weigh out as really bad sins committed by really wicked people and we get to feeling pretty good about ourselves, then Paul adds "disobey their parents."  It seems a little or a lot out of place.  It doesn't seem to fit in Paul's list of sins, "Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.  They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful."

  

Maybe Paul is trying to remind us of God's understanding that sin is despised by God in all forms.  Sin separates us from God whether it is idol worship, homosexuality or disobeying our parents.  

Maybe Paul is reminding us that all sin starts somewhere in the hearts of people and manifest itself in many different ways.  The heart of much of the sin in our lives is the issue of pride which does not allow us to be submissive to our parents or other authorities in our lives.  

Maybe Paul is making sure we all realize we need a redeemer!  No matter how large you think your sin is or how seemingly good of a person you think you are, you need a redeemer.  We all do! 

Thanks be to God through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be redeemed.