Romans 1:28
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
-John Hannah
I still remember that late night in my Pensacola apartment. I couldn’t sleep, so I went into my study, turned on the computer, and began reading some sermons on Revelation that I had been sent.
As I pondered the future wrath of God upon unbelievers, I backed away from my desk and fell facedown on the floor, thanking the holy God that He had spared me from His wrath.
Since that night, I’ve pondered some terrifying questions:
- What if God had not intervened?
- What if He had not wooed me with His grace and turned my heart toward Him?
- What if He had left my eternity up to me?
In the context of today’s passage, Paul tells us that God’s wrath is presently being revealed against unbelievers (Rom. 1:18).
But how? It certainly does not appear that way. As a matter of fact, it seems that ungodly people are getting away with more and more sin, while God remains silent.
But according to Paul, God’s refusal to intervene is divine retribution.
In Romans 1:28 and in its context, Paul writes that God “gave over” certain people to what they wanted to do, rather than stopping them. The term for “gave over” speaks of a transfer from one authority to another, i.e., those who did not think it “proper” (dokimazo) to acknowledge God, were “delivered over” to an “improper” (adokimos) way of thinking that would only make things worse for them.
To paraphrase:
“Because God’s authority was stupid to them, He put them under the authority of moral stupidity, which led to increasing moral decline.”
But who are “they?” Adam and Eve? Cain? Lamech? Noah’s generation? The Babelites? The Israelites bowing to a golden calf? Israel in the time of Judges? Israel and Judah before the captivity?
There is some discussion here, but let us not miss the application:
“They” were and are anyone who rushes headlong into sin and continues to get away with it. Such people are not escaping God’s wrath, but are under it, as long as they continue to get away with it at present, piling up wrath for themselves in the future (Romans 2:5).
Sobering, isn’t it?
Apart from God’s grace, sinners will sprint toward hell, feasting on their own desires and turning their backs on the Creator and Sustainer.
It is this thought that put me on my face that night in Pensacola, as I realized just how deep my plight was before Christ.
I was once running hard away from God.
I had been seeking my own way.
I was under the authority of myself . . . and I was not a good boss.
But then one day, grace came calling and slammed on the brakes, before I went off the cliff.
dddd
If you are living in the grace of Christ Jesus, I hope that today’s thoughts are doing to you what they once did to me, and that your heart bursts in gratefulness toward Heaven.
If you are under your own authority, though, I pray that He will have mercy on your soul. I pray that He will not let you do what you want, but that by His Spirit, He will intervene, turn you around, and open your heart to treasure the gospel.
Do you read WORLD magazine? It is a bi-weekly newsmagazine that is written and edited by Christians; it is like TIME or NEWSWEEK, but reports on news and other events through a Christian worldview. It is my favorite (nearly only) magazine, and I enjoy blogging on its webzine.
Anyway, on the blogs, most of the visitors are Christian, but some are not. Often the discussion/argument is about “If There Is A God, Why Would He Allow Suffering/Tragedies, etc?” My participation in these discussions is usually rather weak. But lately, I have had the vague fluttering of an understanding hovering at the edge of my mind. It is like a shadow that I see out of the corner of my eye, but when I turn to look directly at it, disappears.
The thought is not clear to me so I know I cannot explain it well here. But this is the start of it: People ask, why is there suffering or even sin in this world? If God is omnipotent, why doesn’t He stop it? Of course, my response is usually that He is allowing men to exercise free choice, and the world to experience the consequences of sin. This answer usually does not convince, however, because most people consider at least some of the victims (ie children) to be innocent and not deserving of such consequences.
Lately, I have begun to wonder something quite different from what others are asking; I have wondered, “Why Does God Allow Joy?” or, “Why Is There Any Happiness (or Blessings or Any Good Thing, Joyful Occasion, Event, etc) in This World?” Now, I know, believe, and have faith that the simplest answer is: God loves us. And wants us to enjoy His creation.
But a less simple understanding of this truth seems to me to lie deeper…….I am wanting to explain to these people (on the blogs) that, if it were NOT for God, or if God did NOT exist, if God did NOT intervene at times, if He were NOT WITH US, then OUR WORLD WOULD BE utter chaos, completely unjust, absolutely dark and saturated with sin. Every thought of every person would be futile, vile, debased. People would be cruel continually, they would be everything God declares they would be in verses 29-32 of Romans chapter one.
My point (I think) is, since there is some GOODNESS and JOY, etc in this world, that is a kind of proof that God exists. If there were no good thing at all, THEN people would have the “correct” expectation that there is no God.
I can’t quite wrap my mind around this idea well enough to explain it to others……. Trying to exlain how the absence of something is proof of an existence…….Maybe I am on the wrong track…..
Yes, Shelley. I think you’re on to something.
It’s funny that when we say, “Acts of God,” it is usually a reference to disaster, but we don’t attribute such acts to the fact that we made it through the night; that we arose today, alive; that the sun came out or much needed rain fell; that we have wonderful friendships; that we ate three square meals yesterday, and likely will today.
I think the theological term for this is “common grace.” Jesus speaks of it when he says that God causes rain to fall and sun to shine on righteous and unrighteous.
And yet the unrighteous are spiritually dead, separated from God, and what awaits them (without repentance) is “eternal death,” which is separation from God AND from everything good. No food, no shelter, no friends, no sunshine, no laughter.
As for those of us who have escaped such horror by God’s “saving grace,” we are left with nothing but sheer joy!