Turning away from ungodliness – Part 2

Key verse: Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,” (NKJV).

Text: Romans 1:18-32

Ungodliness means want or lack of reverence or piety toward God, which speaks of one’s attitude in the New Testament and also describes those living without regard for God. It is living in rebellion against God and His commandments. Ungodliness is anything that does not come from God; anything that is not pleasing to God and anything that is not acceptable to God. God does not take pleasure in unrighteousness. He is angry with all the wicked and evil things that ungodly people do against Him.

How do I know what is not pleasing and acceptable to God? I know this by reading the scriptures. The Bible says that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all sinful, ungodly, wicked and unrighteous people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

Things are happening and people are showing evidence of godlessness, lesbians, homosexuals and all types of perverted sexual relationships. These things should not be mentioned among God’s children let alone mentioned among ministers of God. There is no reason or excuse for it and it should not be mentioned at all. Some people are filled with unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. Because of these fruits of ungodliness, God gave them up to uncleanness; He removed His Hands and they walked into uncleanness in their lusts to dishonour their own bodies among themselves (Romans 1:24).

God will give people over to reprobate minds when their lives are filled with unrighteousness, backbiting, pride, hatred, evil imaginations, disobedience, wickedness and sexual immorality. These are marks of those that God has given over to a debased mind (Romans 1:29-30). When a man lives in sin, he is blocking his way. You cannot afford to live in sin because the results are very dastardly. One of the worst results of living in sin is that God will not even listen to the voice of a sinner. The man born blind told the religious leaders in John 9:31, that we know that God does not hear the prayers of sinners. He rather listens to anyone that does His will. Sin creates a barrier between God and man.

How does Prophet Isaiah describe it in Isaiah 59:1-6? Sin prevents God from hearing our prayers. This makes His Hands short and blocks His ears to our prayers, even if we pray jumping up and down, our prayers will not be heard.

How can you pray? Psalm 66:18 says that if you have sin in your heart, the Lord will not hear. There are millions of reasons we should keep ourselves straight and clean before God. Thank God we have the blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that cleanse us from all ungodliness. All we need is faith in God to bring us out from all forms of ungodliness and become the people God wants us to be and enjoy a relationship with Him. So, a man who knows he does not have Christ in his life should do something. The grace of God that gives salvation has appeared to all of us and taught us to say, “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).

• Today’s nugget: Our sin creates a barrier between us and God. Prayer: Lord, help me to turn away from all ungodliness. Prayerlines: 08054477940. E-mail: servantofgod111@yahoo.com. Rev. Pastor Ejikeme Ejim, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.