Now sometimes when you read law from the Bible, especially the old testament, there are a lot of "you statements". You have done this, you haven't done that, you've failed to be faithful, etc. Now when we read Paul's letter (Romans is a letter written by Paul to the Romans) it's all they and them. Well that's not us, so we must be okay. It's a lot more comfortable when we see someone else getting accused of something. Hey as long as the blames not on us. It's like when people witness a crime, and not wanting to get involved they look away or pass on the other side of the road (sound familiar, think of the Good Samaritan - See Luke 10:25). Anyway, we like it when we're not in spot light. But before we just discard this passage as being directed at someone else and not for us, let's remember that ALL of God's scripture speaks to each of us.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.
I like this section because in a sense it's using simple logic to support the existence of God. First we know that God gets really angry (wrath) with ALL evil and ungodly behavior. Paul is not saying that God only gets mad at those who believe in Him who break the law, but it's ALL evil, all ungodly behavior. We might think, well it's not fair to be mad at someone if they don't know God. I mean how can they be expected to know the ways of God if they don't even know God? Ignorance is never an excuse! But you may say, but God's eternal power and divine nature (his very presence) are invisible so how could they know. Well this is where Paul uses logic to support his faith and to support God.
It's like most religions of primitive cultures, typically even if polytheistic (believing in multiple gods) they often believe in one ultimate creator, the maker of all things. There is almost always one god who is more powerful and dominant above the others. We see this amazing and divine creation all around us, and that's how we inherently know there must be a creator god. I heard recently that it's human nature to want to believe in things. We want to believe in each other, in ourselves, in love, in dreams coming true, all these things we want to believe in. So it's actually pretty natural to believe in a creator. Even if we don't know God, we deep down know he's there. Look at the miracle of the human body, the oceans, the rain forests, the cosmos, etc. All lead us to at least consider, there's something out there bigger than me. We know him to be God!
Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
For me, all wisdom comes from the Lord God Almighty! And indeed it is very wise to worship and love our creator, as he has first loved us, (before we were even born - see Jeremiah 1:5). And do you know how much God loves us? He loves us enough to let us choose to love him or not! That's pretty awesome, of course God who is all powerful could force us to love him, but then it's not really genuine love. Instead he has created us in his image, thus allowing us to make choices, just as God can make choices. I believe that God can make a choice, based on the choices we make. In relation to the reading, people abandoned their love and worship for God and gave it over to earthly things (the creation, not the creator). This was their choice. God simply allowed them to do as they chose.
Truth is mentioned twice here, so it's obviously worth repeating. What is that truth? That God created us, this world, the galaxy and even the universe. The truth is that God is the ONLY god. He alone is worthy of praise, worship, honor and glory, now and always! Amen? Amen!
Prayer:
Dear Creator God, you have made me and shaped me. You alone have control and yet God you love me enough to let me make my own choices. I want to choose you, but I am so often guilty of following lies. You alone are my truth, my way, and my salvation. Give the guidance of your Holy Spirit to know you and to know the truth. Amen
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