Paul is an apostle set apart for the gospel of God. His apostleship exists to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of Christ’s name among all nations, including those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. He’s writing to those in Rome that God loved and called to be saints (holy/set-apart ones). He gives thanks to God through Jesus Christ for them. He mentions them always in his prayers. He longs for their mutual encouragement. He is under obligation to preach the gospel to Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish, and is eager to preach the gospel to those who are in Rome. He’s not ashamed of the gospel, it’s the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. God’s wrath is against all ungodliness and those who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. What can be known about God is plain and no one is without excuse. They knew God, but didn’t honor him as God or give thanks, their hearts were darkened, became fools, exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of creatures. God gave them up to impurity, they worshiped the creature rather than the Creator. God gave them up to dishonorable passions, one example was homosexuality. Because they didn’t acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They are filled with unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice, envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossip, slander, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. They knew that for doing these things they deserve to die. They not only do these things, but give approval to those who practice them.
Praise God for the gospel. That though we are all sinners there is hope of salvation through faith alone in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone. All are without excuse. In our sin our hearts are naturally inclined to worship what God has created instead of Him alone. Praise God that He has caused His gospel to go out and open closed eyes and soften hard hearts. Praise God that He has given the gift of faith and repentance to His people. Beware of the oppression of sin. And cling to the powerful light of Christ to overcome the darkness that our hearts too often embrace.