Idol or the Golden Calf

Romans 1:18-25. Paul was writing to new Christians living in a non-Christian world.

It was common to make graven images or idols.

Paul may also have been thinking of the time when Aaron made the golden calf at Israel’s request when they rebelled against God. God had forbidden His people to make molten idols. In Egypt, people made molten idols to worship, so the Israelites asked Aaron to make one.

Romans was written approximately AD57 and was Paul’s sixth letter.

Background Reading:

God’s Wrath against Sinful Humanity

1:18 For God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and wickedness of those who in their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God himself has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him. Instead, their thoughts turned to worthless things, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Though claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images that looked like mortal human beings, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

24 For this reason, God delivered them to sexual impurity as they followed the lusts of their hearts and dishonored their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged God’s truth for a lie and worshipped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Romans 1:18–25


Other slides in this module: