Late Night ~ Early Morning Thoughts

I began studying the book of Romans this morning-- it's just after 3 am, and I couldn't sleep. I've been so-- grieved-- I guess is the word-- over the state of our fallen world. I simply cannot comprehend WHY so many people can deny the existence of God! They have no reverence for Him-- even some people who profess Christ express no desire to live for Him! Year by year, decade by decade, our world continues to sink even deeper in degradation. The increase of people who have the audacity to deny, shake their fists and spit into the face of the very One Who created them and sustains their lives grieves me. Fellow sisters and brothers that live for themselves and ignore or water down the Word of God for the sake of being labeled "intolerant" grieves me.

The first chapter in Romans deals with the ways of fallen man. Even though this was written in the era of the decadence of the Roman Empire, it reads like today's newspaper.

"Because that, when they knew God,

they glorified him not as God,

neither were thankful;

but their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

and changed the glory of the incorruptible God

into an image made like to corruptible man....

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness

through the lusts of their own hearts,

to dishonour their own bodies between themselves;

Who changed the truth of God into a lie,

and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,

who is blessed forever, Amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections;

for even their women did change the natural use

into that which is against nature:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,

burned in their lust one toward another;

men with men working that which is unseemly,

and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,

God gave them over to a reprobate mind,

to do those things which are not convenient;

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,

wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;

full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity;

whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud,

boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

without understanding, covenant breakers,

without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful;

Who knowing the judgment of God,

that they which commit such things are worthy of death,

not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

Whew! That's quite the eye-opener, isn't it? Scripture is crystal clear about God's attitude towards sin. He simply does not tolerate it! He's too holy and pure to look past it. In fact, verse 18 of Romans 1 says "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness."

I don't say this gloatingly or with an attitude of "Well, they'll get what's coming to them." We're all made of the same stuff! Mankind is both a religious sinner (ungodly) and a moral sinner (unrighteous). The unrighteous man lives as if there were no will of God revealed, and the ungodly man lives as if there were no God at all. God's wrath is against both the ungodly and the unrighteous.

Those ungodly, unrighteous men hold-- or suppress-- or deny--the truth of God's righteousness.
Verses 19-20 clearly show that these men deny the existence of God, even though God has:

1. Revealed Himself in nature.
Psalm 19:1 states: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shewth his handywork." Think about it-- the "vastness of space declares the magnitude of God! The energy of a thousand suns is but a token of His divine energy! The perfect timing of the planetary movement declares His precision! And yet, the multifaceted declaration of the heavens only begins to show the great glory of God! The firmament displays the most visible evidence of God's presence in the universe!"

This gives man the ability to draw the conclusion that there is a Supreme Creator-- therefore man has been given sufficient knowledge of God to make him responsible to God! Only men made in the image of God posses a wonder-- an awe-- a "basic idea of God and His righteousness." They are, in fact, "without excuse".

Which brings us to the next verse and the next witness of God's existence-- "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God."
2. God reveals Himself to man's conscience.
God has planted in the heart of every human being the knowledge that there is a righteous God. Even though the ungodly, unrighteous man know that there IS a God that deserves to be glorified, they willfully choose not to do so. They are more than willing to accept the good things of nature from the hand of God, but are not thankful for them.

Because they want to deny the proof of God's existence, these men develop a reasoning process, or philosophy of what they want to choose to believe. However, these philosophies only plunge them deeper in darkness. They exult their human reasoning over the wisdom of God, which is foolish. This is why they have to create a god that suits them. They have, in fact, "devised their own concept of divinity, and have placed it above the one true God." Since they have suppressed the truth God has revealed in nature and in their own conscience, God has given them over to a reprobate (undiscerning) mind. Although Scripture tells us that "God isn't willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance", He knows that not everyone wants to.

How it must grieve Him to give them over to a reprobate mind-- allowing them to continue in their sin! "The effects of their (Not God's!) abandonment result solely from the corruption of the human heart; this cannot be blamed on God."

This depraved world is quite aware of God's displeasure of their sin. This is why they both flaunt and excuse it. "Even though they are fully cognizant of the consequences of their sin, they continue to defy the Lord God of heaven and take great pleasure in keeping company with those that do the same."

Now here's where I get blown away-- yet God still loves them! Psalm 103 has to be my favorite passage in the Bible. Check this out:

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger,

and plenteous in mercy.

He will not always chide;

neither will he keep his anger forever.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins;

nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as the heaven is high above the earth,

so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

As far as the east is from the west,

so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Like as a father pitieth his children,

so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

For he knoweth our frame;

he remembereth that we are dust.

As for man, his days are as grass;

as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone;

and the place therof shall know it no more.

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting

to everlasting upon them that fear him,

and his righteousness unto children's children;

To such as keep his covenant, and

to those that remember his commandments to do them.

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens;

and his kingdom ruleth over all!

Notice a theme there? To receive God's mercy, grace and forgiveness, one must be willing to acknowledge God for who He IS and admit his need for a Savior. It amazes me how simple it is!

Not only does the simplicity amaze me, but what amazes and humbles me most is to realize that God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to become sin for us! So that-- when we trust in Him as our Savior-- we might obtain the righteousness of God!

It's humanly impossible to understand that kind of love-- that kind of mercy-- that kind of grace--that kind of redemption-- yet I'll thankfully, humbly and joyfully embrace it wholeheartedly!

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!"

I praise you, my Jesus! My Redeemer, my Deliverer, my Savior and King!