Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Today's Situation Predicted

Since the creation of the world God's attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds and four-footed animals and creaping things. Therefore God gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchange the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what was against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And eve as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting, being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evilmindedness. They are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:20-32)

We may already be in the pit according to this description. It is at least where we are heading. What are mere attitudes now will turn into full blown actions shortly. The ancient writer also said, "Evil men and imposters will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." It has been a steady progression downward from the time of Adam's sin until now.

2 comments:

Patrick O'Shea said...

In verse 20 Paul says a person should be able to reason out the existence of God by looking around at the visible world. This contradicts Job 11:7-9,
"7 “Can you solve the mysteries of God?
Can you discover everything about the Almighty?
8 Such knowledge is higher than the heavens—
and who are you?
It is deeper than the underworld
what do you know?
9 It is broader than the earth
and wider than the sea."

So can a person reason out God's existence or not?

Then in verse 22 Paul calls people fools but according to Matthew 5:22 "Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire". So did Paul go to hell?

It appears that in verse 26 if you get God mad at you he'll turn you gay!

Then why didn't you include Romans 2:1-3,"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?"

It's easy to quote the bible selectively.

JTA said...

One of the amazing things about God is how simple it is to understand Him as Paul is explaining, yet how deep He is so that we would never be able to understand everything about Him. We can see that He exists and has provided a beautiful environment in which we can live (even though the creation is marred and degraded by sin it is still an awesome place to live, which makes us wonder how it was befor sin when God said it was "good" which by God's standards would have been perfect). Creation shows that God exists, but we will never know everything there is to know about Him.

God doesn't make someone homosexual, but when people get away from God, the tendency is to become more and more degraded. They participate in these activities because they choose to do so. They harden their hearts more and more to God and He lets them go their own way, and they spirale downward into debased activities.

Paul was describing a state into which people put themselves. Jesus was talking about calling a person a derogatory name showing how one might despise them.

Yes, Romans 2:1-3 is appropriate (as is all of scripture). The point here is that our salvation is nothing we can brag about because it is provided totally by Jesus through His sacrifice on the cross in payment of our sins. We don't deserve it, but we can accept it, and we have nothing in ourselves to make us any better than even these who refuse to acknowledge God except that those who are saved from their sins have accepted Him and His offer of salvation.