You Have No More Excuses

I got through reading Romans 1:18-23 last week, but because I was busy (college exams, stress of life, etc.) I haven't been able to post anything. Like my previous post on Romans 1:1-17, the blog is going to be all of what God has spoken to me pertaining to this passage. Let's dig in!

Paul, writing to the church in Romans, had previously expressed why he was so excited to share the Gospel to unbelievers. In light of what he had expressed in those verses, Paul begins to go into detail about the spiritual condition of all human beings that had never responded to the truth of God's salvation. In verse sixteen, Paul states that those who believe in Jesus as Savior are counted as righteous. In contrast with this, Paul states that God's wrath is shown from heaven against all sinful, unrighteous people that suppress the truth. Wrath, meaning a deeply resentful indignation, is quite fitting for God to have against anyone with sin since He is holy and no sin is found with or near Him. For God to allow people to walk on the earth that He created, using the resources He has made only to esteem themselves is complete mockery against His very nature. Yes it is true that God is holy and full of love, but because of that He hates our sin.

Those that don't believe in Jesus, the unrighteous, suppress the truth of the Gospel because of their state of moral imperfection. They ignore any forms of God revealed to mankind, exalting the very things God created to bring glory to themselves. Everything about God's existence and nature can be perceived by the senses throughout creation (v.20). Because of God's display of His power and holiness to the whole universe, no one has any valid excuse to continue sinning, and this goes for believers and unbelievers alike. God even goes an extra step in sending His son, Jesus, to die for our sins, but yet many still reject Him. Personally, I believe that many believers can also, in some way or another, reject parts of the message of the Gospel preached by Jesus. I think all believers agree that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again, but what about Matthew 20:28:

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."

 If we, as believers, neglect verses such as this, in some respect we are rejecting part of the Gospel, and that's not good at all. 

Although people can visibly and psychologically grasp the truths of God, those who reject God don't glorify, or give the honor and praise that God deserves, towards Him. Instead of praising God as being Supreme, Lord of all, and Creator of the universe, they self-promote themselves, placing themselves in God's shoes trying to control their own lives. They take pride in themselves rather than being humbled to serve the Living God. Life doesn't work that way. Matthew 23:12 states:

"But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

There is only one true God, and He will not allow to try to place themselves in His position.

Because those who reject Jesus suppress the truth of God, God has allowed them to fulfill their passions and gave their minds over to become futile, or incapable of producing useful results. Their thoughts pertained nothing of God's truth. Have you ever had a friend that always came to you for advice but did exactly the opposite of what you to them to do? It wasn't like you didn't give them an opportunity to do the right thing, nor was it that you told your friend a lie to go out to do. God has done the same thing. Giving everyone the opportunity to listen, accept, and respond to the "advice" or truth that He freely and openly expresses, we, both believers and non-believers, have taken bits and pieces of His truth and created for ourselves idols. We have used the resources God has given us to glorify Him and taken them to glorify our selfish desires. When we worship creation rather than the Creator, we lose sight of the One who is higher and greater than the things that we are worshiping. 

Something to think on:

• How have you been glorifying yourself rather than glorifying God? Like I mentioned, it may or may not be that you have rejected God. You may actually be a believer in Jesus, but how have distorted or compromised the Gospel in order to fit your life's circumstances?
• How have you allowed your thoughts to become futile or useless? Are your thoughts spent on things that glorify God or yourself? 
• What idols have you made in your heart that you need to allow God to destroy?
• How have you lost sight of your true identity in God? Remember, there is no worse slavery than slavery to sin.