THE ACTIVE WILLFUL NEGLECT OF GOD’S TRUTH LEADS TO EMPTY SPECULATION
Romans 1:21
January 24, 2010 Pastor/Teacher Charles E. Whisnant
BECAUSE 1360 THAT, WHEN THEY KNEW 1097 GOD, THEY GLORIFIED 1392 HIM NOT AS GOD, NEITHER WERE THANKFUL2168; BUT BECAME VAIN 3154 IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS 1261, AND THEIR FOOLISH801 HEART2588 WAS DARKENED 4654
Romans 1:21 For even though they knew (AAPMPN) God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened (3SAPI).
“Two things never live up to their billing: the circus and sin.”
“It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into nothing. Murder is no better than lies if lying does the trick.”—C. S. Lewis
“The punishment of sin is sin.”—Augustine
The basis for God’s wrath against the Gentiles and the fact that they are without excuse is that they suppress the truth about God and have exchanged the glory of God for idols (1:18-23)
The basis for God’s wrath against the Gentiles is that although they knew God, and claimed to be wise, they neither glorified him nor gave thanks to him, but instead they became futile in their thinking, darkened in their foolish heart, and exchanged the glory of God for idolatry (1:21-23).
THEY KNEW
· God has given mankind the means to know personally the existence of God and to know His divine attributes. Men have knowledge of God’s being and character. Acts 17:27.
THEY DID NOT GLORIFY HIM AS GOD
· About the worst thing you can say about a man is a man who is not thankful to God.
· They give the glory to another, they did not praise Him, or magnify Him, they did not place Him into the position of power and immense honor that He truly deserved.
· They made a choice of their will. They made a deliberate choice not (absolute cancellation) to honor or glorify Him.
· Mankind is to respond to the Truth given. Truth demands a response. The response? To glorify Him as the Great Creator.
· It’s the main thing for a man: to glorify God: I Corin. 10:31; Romans 11:36; Psa. 73:15-28 1 Chronicles 16:24-29
