Tag: suppress truth
God gave them over!
Scripture reading for November 16: Romans 1-3
My wife and I have raised 5 children, each born with a sin-nature and self-focus. Part of the job of parenting is to set boundaries and not allow the children to have everything they want. Their own way could be dangerous and lead to injury or possibly death. As parents our goal was to instruct our children to make wise choices that would enable them to go through life with God’s blessing and favor. This meant teaching them to love the Lord Jesus and His Word.
In Romans, the Apostle Paul described God’s discipline of those who refuse to acknowledge Him and His righteous action to discipline their lives. God made Himself known to all men through nature. (Romans 1:20) When men, made in God’s image, refused to acknowledge the truth about God as Creator, they come under God’s wrath. God’s wrath is His holy anger against sin and rebellion. God’s wrath is something that is happening on a continual basis and also something experienced eternally by those who die in a lost state after the final judgment.
As a result of suppressing the truth about God that God revealed to them through nature, men become darkened in their hearts and their thinking becomes futile. They imagine themselves as the center of all things and think they are wise and intelligent. This foolish thinking leaves God out and puts man at the center. When man chooses this route, God’s response is to give them over to what they desire in their darkened hearts. “Have it your way!” might be another way to say it!
As a result of being given over to their desires, men exchange the truth of God for a lie and begin to worship created things rather than the creator. (Romans 1:25) Every kind of sin and wickedness flows into the life that suppressed or blocked out God’s truth. The sexual sins begin to predominate, degrading into fornication, homosexuality and lesbianism. Those ‘given over’ not only participate in this wickedness but encourage others who also practice this same kind of wickedness so as to normalize their choices! (Romans 1:32)
As we look at our nation and it’s spiritual state, we can see that God has given many people over to their own lusts and darkness. Much light is available, but men and women refuse light and choose darkness. God forces no one to follow truth, but offers truth to all. He wants none to perish and has made provision for all who will choose salvation. The power of the Gospel message offers righteousness by faith to all who will believe! (Romans 1:16-17) Lord, have mercy on our nation!
What is a ‘fool’?
Scripture reading for June 5: Psalms 13-18
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.” Psalm 14:1
The fool in Scripture is the one who denies the existence of God. Why would anyone want to deny that God exists? Hasn’t God placed eternity in the hearts of all men? (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Isn’t God evident to all through creation? (Psalm 19:2-4) The reason this kind of fool exists isn’t because of an intellectual problem. It is something much deeper than that!
According to Psalm 14, the reason the fool says that there is no God is because of corruption of character. These people are vile and do not do anything that would be considered ‘good’ in God’s sight. These people avoid seeking God so that they do not have to answer for their wicked deeds. They prefer their corruption and want no ‘God’ to interfere with their evil ways and thoughts. It is convenient to do away with God or any knowledge of Him, thinking this liberates them from responsibility and judgment.
The Apostle Paul describes the fool’s way of thinking in Romans 1:18-23. These people have known about God and His ways but have suppressed this truth in unrighteousness. Having suppressed truth, the lie of their own ‘godhood’ based on their own futile thinking darkens their hearts and souls. God allows them to follow their darkened understanding and worship creatures and creation rather than the creator.
The next step is sexual perversion. (Romans 1:24-27) When a person rejects God because of their wickedness, God allows that person to be deluded and go deeply into perversion and further depravity in the breaking of God’s laws. This results in all kinds of sexual sin, lying, greed, envy, malice, strife, and idolatry. This is where every ‘fool’ in Scripture ends up without the grace of God.
There is no excuse for staying a fool however, for God is always ready to save, heal and forgive. We must humble ourselves and admit that He exists and that He will reward and forgive those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) If you have been foolish in your words or attitudes about God, take time today and repent. God is faithful and just and will forgive you! (1st John 1:7-9)
God’s revelation to all men!
Scripture reading for June 14th: Romans 1
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Romans 1:18-20 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–His eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
Paul’s letter to the Romans is a revelation of the gospel message of righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus Christ. In these verses Paul clearly states that all men have had the opportunity to see and understand God’s eternal power and divine nature through God’s revelation though creation. Even though men have this revelation from God, Himself, they suppress this truth in unrighteousness. They purposely block out what God clearly has revealed. This willful suppression brings an ongoing revelation of God’s wrath upon them because sin brings death! This wrath is seen in God giving men over to their sinful desires. This willful exchange of truth for a lie leads to immorality with ever-increasing depravity.
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers realize that God has revealed Himself to all mankind through creation. They call people to account with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, revealing the only way to righteousness–through faith! “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4)