#DailyDevotion Mankind Is Condemned Because It Doesn’t Trust God As He Revealed Himself In Nature

January 8th

Read Rom 1:18–32

Rom 1:18-21  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  (19)  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  (20)  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  (21)  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ..28  And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done…32  Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

 

While this may sound like all law after such good news, it is.  But it is in service to the universal love of God towards mankind.  Paul here is setting up the proposition that there is no one who has an excuse for not worshipping God as God.  He tells us that God’s wrath lies on mankind because their unrighteousness suppresses the truth.  In other words their unbelief is what condemns them.  Jesus says the same thing in John 3:18, 19.

 

God’s invisible qualities have been made known to all people everywhere at all times.  I know you won’t like this but it is true.  Mankind is condemned because they don’t even believe in the God that is revealed to them in nature.  It doesn’t matter they grew up in the Congo, the Amazon, India or China or even Brooklyn.  What can be known of God, i.e. his invisible qualities, are made manifest in nature.  Mankind as a whole has rejected in unbelief God who has revealed himself in the Cosmos.

 

We had become darkened in our thinking and so God hands us over to our reprobate mind.  We become involved in sexual sin, homosexuality, and the like.  If that wasn’t bad enough, Paul says, “They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,  (30)  slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,  (31)  foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” Rom 1:29-31

 

And if that is not bad enough we give our approval knowing these things are evil.  What a wretched creature we are that rejects our Creator and hates him.

 

Thank God he does not leave us there.  We still have verses 1-17 which tells us about the love of God in Christ Jesus which saves us from this wretched state through his sacrificial death and glorious resurrection.

 

Lord God heavenly Father, forgive us for worshipping creation and not recognizing you as our creator.  Grant us such faith in your Son Jesus Christ that we may turn from trusting in the things of creation to trusting you for all our needs. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.