Hi and welcome back. I’d like to thank you for your prayers.
Since my cataract surgery on Monday my eyesight isn’t quite there yet, but I can see well enough to do this podcast. So let’s just continue on with our study of Romans.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
So how was God’s wrath revealed against the ungodly?
There was the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the plagues of Egypt to name a few. All of these were supernatural acts of God.
So is the coronavirus evidence of God’s wrath upon sinful man?
In my opinion and I emphasize my opinion, the virus is a natural occurrence not a supernatural event. Covid is derived from other virus strains which makes it a totally natural occurrence. When God’s wrath is unleashed against man it is quick and it is without restraint. Again like the Egyptians when they experienced boils on their bodys. It was a supernatural event not a natural occurrence. That’s all I want to say about it. There is so much on the internet making claims one way or the other. I will leave the debate for others to draw their own conclusions.
Continuing on with Romans 1:18 we read, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Human beings, apart from God, use their lack of righteousness, their sinfulness, to suppress or hold back the truth about who God is.
Unbelievers today are not only suppressing the truth, they are manipulating the truth for their own sinful and political gain.
The proposed equality act is one such device. This bill would impose a distorted belief system on the church. Whether it be gay marriage, gender equality in the bathroom, or Christian hospitals being forced to use hormone therapy for those who don’t identify with their current gender. All of these things are a possibility if the bill passes. As Christians we have an obligation to make our voices heard in the political process to ensure this bill dies.
We read in, 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
If this doesn’t sum up the state of our country nothing will. Are we in the end times? I think so. How about you?
Let’s continue on with Romans 1:19-20 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.
I have talked about this before and it’s worth repeating again.
When you see a building, you know there was a builder. When you look at a painting and admire it, you know there was a painter. So, when you look at the trees, the sky, the sun, the moon and puppies and kittens, you have to believe there was a Creator. I say have to, because it is impossible for nothing to create anything at all. We have no excuse. To not believe in a Creator is foolish. Everything we see around us declares the power of almighty God. It is impossible to suppress the truth when the truth is self-evident.
Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Continuing on, Romans 1:21 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.
Why would individuals not honor God or give Him thanks?
The answer is easy, they refused to accept Him as the Creator. If God didn’t make it then why thank him for it? Why honor him for having met our needs? As a result of their distorted view they became futile in their thinking. If there wasn’t a Creator, then they have to come up with an alternate universe so to speak. So out of their futility comes The Big bang theory. Again, a theory that proclaims nothing created everything. Why do they fight the obvious? Isn’t it easier to believe that there is a God, then to believe that everything just exploded into existence?
If you buy into this fairy tale then your heart will become darkened.
Your life has no meaning. At the end of your life that’s all there is. What a depressing thought. You have no future. At the end of your life you just become part of the compost pile. You have no purpose. You go about your life, you work, you play, you do what makes you feel good. You live for you, and you have no accountability to your higher power.You have no moral compass. You have elevated yourself above the Creator and have made yourself god of your own little universe.
And again we read in, Romans 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Their wisdom is self-proclaimed. It is of their own making.
They take pride in their misguided knowledge and their arrogance blinds them to the truth. Only a fool would believe that they have all the answers to life’s mysteries.
Psalms 14:1 The fool says in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.
We’re going to end our study today with, Romans 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
The creation was valued and worshiped above the Creator.
Their false idols became something for them to cling to. Something tangible that they could see and touch. They couldn’t get beyond the creation; it was their stumbling block. Their reality was limited to their five senses. Anything beyond that was not logical and had no place in their lives. They had become slaves to the creation.
I think this would be a good place for us to stop. I hope you’re enjoying this study as much as I am. If you have any comments or suggestions feel free to contact me at https://perspectivefortoday.com/contact