I remember the day my son Shepard was born. Dr. Strobel and I were standing there at my wife’s side passing time, hammering out and resolving a whole throng of theological issues. I do recall my wife interrupting a few times whining about something. (I’m sure her recall of that day is altogether different.) But little Shepard came! I’ll never forget that moment. I stood there, Dr. Strobel sang the Doxology, and what I wanted to do more than anything else was worship, just worship because I saw what God can do. I was Without Excuse.
You can argue about a lot of things, but you cannont argue about the birth of a child. Anybody who has ever witnessed the birth of a child knows there is a God. There is no other way. There is no other answer. There is nothing else you can say.
You can argue about a lot of things, but you cannont argue about the birth of a child. Anybody who has ever witnessed the birth of a child knows there is a God. There is no other way. There is no other answer. There is nothing else you can say.
Romans 1:20 says, “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
So basically, the atheists in this world (and sadly, a lot of religious people too) are lying to themselves! That’s what Paul is saying here. Every single human being has witnessed God’s eternal power simply by existing on earth! God has put Himself on display. You don’t have to have much of a brain to understand that there is a God. Science can come up with and create many things, but it has yet to create something from nothing. A farmer can plant a seed, but he can’t make the seed grow. And how about an ocean tide? A sunset? Falling leaves? Migrating Geese? A Minnesota snow storm? These are the things that only God can do. By virtue of simply living on planet earth and having a conscience, we are Without Excuse!
Even those in far-off cultures who have never had an opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ are Without Excuse. They too have received clear witness of the existence and character of GOD from nothing else but observing creation. They may be spiritually dead, but they are Without Excuse when it comes to understanding God’s power and nature. Here’s the key: A person needs to respond. If a person responds to God’s natural revelation, God will provide a means for that person to hear the Gospel. Remember the Ethiopian Eunich (Acts 8:26-39)? How about Cornelius (Acts 10:1-48). They were “good” men, but they were both spiritually lost…. until they responded.
So basically, the atheists in this world (and sadly, a lot of religious people too) are lying to themselves! That’s what Paul is saying here. Every single human being has witnessed God’s eternal power simply by existing on earth! God has put Himself on display. You don’t have to have much of a brain to understand that there is a God. Science can come up with and create many things, but it has yet to create something from nothing. A farmer can plant a seed, but he can’t make the seed grow. And how about an ocean tide? A sunset? Falling leaves? Migrating Geese? A Minnesota snow storm? These are the things that only God can do. By virtue of simply living on planet earth and having a conscience, we are Without Excuse!
Even those in far-off cultures who have never had an opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ are Without Excuse. They too have received clear witness of the existence and character of GOD from nothing else but observing creation. They may be spiritually dead, but they are Without Excuse when it comes to understanding God’s power and nature. Here’s the key: A person needs to respond. If a person responds to God’s natural revelation, God will provide a means for that person to hear the Gospel. Remember the Ethiopian Eunich (Acts 8:26-39)? How about Cornelius (Acts 10:1-48). They were “good” men, but they were both spiritually lost…. until they responded.
And if we don’t respond? Romans 1:21 say, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish heart was darkened.” There ya’ have it! Paul revealed the secret to the Romans and it’s ours for today: Reject the clearly identifiable light God gives – and it leads to greater darkness and depravity. Read the rest of Romans Chapter 1 to see exactly how. We really are Without Excuse.
-Pastor Mark
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