Introduction

In Romans 1:18 and following Paul begins a discussion of the wrath of God against wicked men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The apostle proves that all men are without excuse because they suppress the truth about the living God revealed unto them. In verse 21 and following Paul will further explain verses 18 through 20. The connection between the suppression of the knowledge of God, ungodliness and unrighteousness and God’s wrath will receive clarification and amplification. In verse 21 to 31 Paul will show that the suppression of the knowledge of God involves replacement. Instead of glorifying God they became futile in their thoughts (v. 21). They exchanged the glory of God for idols (v. 23); the truth of God for the lie (v. 25); the knowledge of God for a debased mind (v. 28 ). In rejecting God, wisdom is replaced with foolishness and true worship and service with rank idolatry. Man is a religious being who cannot exist in a vacuum. His rejection of God involves a turning toward foolishness and idolatry. Those people who reject God are epistemologically, ethically and religiously bankrupt.

Paul not only describes the manner in which people suppress the truth about God but also the consequences. Three times Paul makes a direct connection between the rejection of God and God’s retribution against those who reject the truth: “Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness” (v. 24); “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions” (v. 26 ); “God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting” (v. 28 ). “In Paul’s exposition of the outworking of the wrath of God, he develops the same logical process of deterioration, according to the principle he has established in verses 18-20. That is, the general pattern of his argument recurs in verses 21-24, 25-27 and 28-31 repeated with horrifying emphasis.”] The climax to Paul’s argumentation comes in verse 32 where he says that those who practice such things are worthy of death. All men are guilty and deserve God’s sentence of condemnation against them.

As we study this section of Scripture we will consider the following: (1) the foolishness of man; (2) the idolatry of man; and (3) the judgment upon man. All of these things are intimately connected in Paul’s argument. An understanding of these things will reveal man’s dire predicament apart from Christ.

The Foolishness of Man

Paul teaches that all men have knowledge of the true God and because of this knowledge they should glorify God. That is, they ought to render to God the honor that He deserves because of who He is. Also, all men should thank Him for all the benefits of this life, even our very existence, which all come from Him. The apostle teaches that everyone has a moral obligation to worship and serve the living and true God who exists. But what do men do? They reject God. They turn away from Him and create idols: false worldviews, erroneous philosophies and satanic religions. What is involved in this rejection of God? It involves a darkening of the heart of man. Paul will use different terms and expressions to describe the corruption of the human mind: “ Their foolish hearts were darkened” (v. 21); “they became fools” (v. 22 ), “they became futile in their thoughts” (v. 21); and “God gave them over to a debased mind” (v. 28 ).

Paul teaches that idolatry and all sin begins in the human heart or mind. An examination of the words and phrases related to this corruption will help us understand unsaved man’s hostility toward God and his self-imposed blindness to reality.

(1) The apostle says that men became “futile in their thoughts.” The word (Gk. Emaraiothesan) translated “vain” (KJV), “futile” (NKJV, NASB) or “futility” (NEB) has the sense of empty, useless, pointless. There is no true or useful content to autonomous human reasoning. It is a complete waste of time. In Scripture the word has a very negative connotation and refers to people, things or thoughts that are both foolish and wicked. The idols of the heathen are called vanities. Peter refers to “aimless conduct” (1 Pet. 1:18 ) which in context means unbiblical-corrupt conduct. Paul speaks of Gentiles who “walk, in the futility of their mind” (Eph. 4:17). That is, they are living in accordance with their blind and corrupt minds.

The word “thoughts” (dialogismois) translated as “thinking” (RSV, NIV), “imaginations” (KJV), “speculations” (NASB), “reasonings” (YLTB,[3] Lenski) and “argumentations” (J. B. Phillips) refers to the thoughts or thinking in man’s mind. Although the word is neutral in itself, here it is modified by the word “futile” and refers to evil, useless thoughts (i.e. thoughts that are made independently of God and revelation). The word is almost always used in a negative sense in the New Testament.

(2) Paul says that “their foolish hearts were darkened” (v. 21). The word “heart” (Gk. kardia) is the most comprehensive term for all our faculties whether feeling (Rom. 9:2), will (1 Cor. 4:5), intellect (Rom. 5:5).”[4] We should not confuse the term with its modern usage which focuses on the emotions. When Paul uses this term he identifies everything that makes man human. Therefore, when the apostle says that their hearts are darkened, he means that every aspect of man is darkened.

The word darkened (Gk. eokotisthe) is a rich term in Scripture and refers to more than blindness in this passage. In rejecting God, men have become blind or without knowledge of the truth and they have become corrupt, evil and depraved. The Bible connects man’s lack of knowledge of spiritual truth with the state of his heart and his ethical corruption. “And this is the condemnation that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (Jn. 3:19). When men reject God they not only suppress the truth concerning God and embrace idols, they also embrace autonomous ethics and make themselves the judge of what is right and wrong. They commit evil and call it good.

(3) The apostle identifies those who reject God as fools. They have “foolish hearts” (v. 21); “professing to be wise, they become fools” (v. 22). It is ironic that unbelievers think they are wise. They appeal to science, philosophy and human wisdom in their rejection of God. But in reality they are fools. Their theories, false religions, philosophies and viewpoints by which they reject God are utterly absurd, irrational and untenable. Yet in their flight from God and truth they proudly embrace nonsense.

The Greek verb emoranthesan translated “became fools” (from moros, a fool) has an ethical connotation. Hodge writes: “We find throughout the Scriptures the idea of foolishness and sin, of wisdom and piety, intimately connected. In the language of the Bible, a fool is an impious man; the wise are the pious, those who fear God; foolishness is sin; understanding is [true] religion. The folly and darkness of which the apostle here speaks are therefore expressive of want of divine knowledge, which is both the effect and cause of moral depravity.”[5] Once again, we find a biblical connection between knowledge and ethics. According to Scripture unbelievers are engaged in both intellectual and moral folly. The two go hand in hand. Thus, the Psalmist says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Ps. 14:1). On the flip side Solomon says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Pr. 1:7).

Because every created fact points to the true God, unbelievers must embrace the absurd or the ridiculous in order to suppress the truth. All their claims to wisdom are willful rejections of the truth in favor of the lie. All their theories are gross idols from their corrupt imagination. “[H]aving forsaken the truth of God, they turned to the vanity of their own reason, all the acuteness of which is fading and passes away like vapor. And thus their foolish mind, being involved in darkness, could understand nothing aright, but was carried away headlong, in various ways, into errors and delusions.”

In verse 28 Paul says, “God gave them over to a debased mind.” The Greek phrase “adokimon roun” is not easily reproduced in English and is translated in a number of different ways: depraved mind (NASB, NIV, John Stott), reprobate mind (KJV), base mind (RSV), depraved reason (NEB), worthless disposition (William Hendriksen), disapproved mind (YLTB), “a mind void of discernment” (F. L. Godet). The Greek word translated “debased” can be translated “disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Cor. 13:5; Tit. 1:16; the old KJV “reprobate”), “disapproved” (2 Tim. 3:8 ), “rejected” (Heb. 6:8 ). Paul is describing a mind that has failed the test by rejecting God and thus in turn is rejected or disapproved by God. The word reprobate best conveys the meaning in context because Paul is describing a mind that is rejected by God and abandoned or given over to its own depravity. “A reprobate mind is therefore not fit for any activity worthy of approbation or esteem.”[7] “Because they have rejected God as not worth reckoning with, God has delivered them into a condition in which their minds are fit only to be rejected as worthless, useless for their proper purpose, disreputable.”[8] Such a mind is thoroughly corrupt and is capable only of corrupt thought and depraved behavior.

In establishing the guilt of mankind Paul shows that man is not only guilty of sin but also is thoroughly sinful. Man is sinful and wicked. Regarding the darkened heart of man the apostle teaches the following.

First, the depraved state of man’s heart is a result of a willful act of rebellion. Men suffer under a self-imposed darkness. Men are haters of God (v. 30) from birth. Although we inherit our sinful nature from Adam, we are all personally responsible for the state of our heart and our personal rejection of God. “Sinfulness…describes unregenerate man’s rebellious nature….Everything that unregenerate man does or thinks is undergirded by rebellious inclinations against God, or motivations that are sinful.”

Second, the darkness of man’s heart is a result of a judicial act of God. Three times we are told that “God gave them up” (vv. 24, 26, 28 ), or more literally “God gave them over.” Some commentators believe that the giving them up is not a positive act on the part of God but simply means that He stops restraining them and leaves them to their own devices (e.g. Robert Haldane). Others even speak of this process of degradation as a natural process of cause and effect. In other words, God chooses not to interfere with their rebellion and its natural consequences. While it is important to preserve the truth that God is not the author of sin, we do not do justice to this section of Scripture by saying this abandonment is by a bare permission on the part of God. Hodge notes, that such an idea “removes no real difficulty. If God permits those who forsake him to sink into vice, he does it intelligently and intentionally. The language of the apostle, as well as the analogy of Scripture demands more than this. It is at least a judicial abandonment. It is as a punishment for their apostasy that God gives men up to the power of sin….He withdraws from the wicked the restraints of His providence and grace, and gives them over to the dominion of sin….What happens as consequences does not come by chance, but as designed; and the sequence is secured by His control.”[10] The punishment for sin is enslavement to the power of sin and eternal death.

Third, man’s blindness and corruption extends to every aspect of his being. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). “The imagination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21). “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Mt. 15:19).

In the early chapters of Romans Paul is not only establishing the fact that all men are sinners and guilty before God, he also is teaching man’s slavery to the power of sin. Men are not only guilty before God and deserving of death, they are also in a position of utter hopelessness. They do not have the power, strength or inner ability to repent, turn over a new leaf and start obeying God’s law. Man’s only hope is to look to Jesus Christ who saves from the guilt and the power of sin. To everyone who rejects man’s depravity we ask one simple question: “Can you go even one single day without committing sin?” “Can you stop your own mind from ever thinking impure thoughts?” The answer to these questions is obvious.

Fourth, the state of man’s heart explains the utter foolishness and idiocy that we find throughout the world. After discussing man’s rejection of God and the darkness of man’s heart, Paul describes man’s idolatry and immorality.

The Idolatry of Man

Thus far in Paul’s argumentation we have noted that: (a) all men are continually suppressing the truth about God. (b) They refuse to honor God as God and give Him the worship and service that He deserves. (c) As a result they have darkened, reprobate hearts that hate God and are enslaved to sin. The depraved state of man’s heart is a result of a judicial act of God.

In order to expand his teaching on the sinful, depraved condition of mankind Paul will elaborate further on man’s degenerate state and the religious and ethical perversions in which it resulted. The apostle first deals with idolatry which is both an act of suppression and a result of suppression and then turns his attention to immorality. There are a number of things to note about idolatry in connection with the suppression of the knowledge of the true God.

(1) Because of man’s nature (as an inherently religious being), when God is rejected substitutes are created to fill the void. All worldviews and philosophical systems that are not Christian are at bottom religious faith-systems. This observation is just as true of the animists who worship sticks as it is of the secular humanist who claims to be an agnostic and purely “scientific.” Every worldview has faith commitments to things or ideas that cannot be proved by direct observation. The atheistic naturists who dogmatically assert that man evolved from a primordial slime have never observed macro-evolution take place. In fact, the empirical evidence against macro-evolution is overwhelming and continues to grow. Men cling to absurd theories and ideas with a blind faith because they refuse to acknowledge the truth about God. “They exchanged the truth of God for the lie” (Rom. 1:25).

(2) Paul emphasizes the evil, abominable nature of idolatry by contrasting the incorruptibility of God with the corruptibility of man (Rom. 1:23). All forms of idolatry are a rejection of the creator-creature distinction. In rejecting the infinite, holy, perfect, immutable God of Scripture, men embrace that which is purely immanent, that which is created, fallen, decaying, changing and corruptible. In making this statement Paul is emphasizing the foolishness of idol worship (note that v. 23 is connected to verse 22 by the conjunction “and”). On the one side, Paul says, we have that which is holy, infinite, pure, just, righteous, all-powerful, all-knowing, unchanging, and full of goodness, mercy and truth. But on the other side we have fallen man: finite, sinful, depraved, filthy, unjust, and subject to death and decay. Only someone is totally spiritually blind and completely depraved would chose corruptible man and even beasts over Jehovah who is pure light in whom dwells no darkness (1 Jn. 1:15). Idolatry is madness, insanity, foolishness and blasphemy.

(3) In all forms of idolatry man himself is the god-maker. Thus, in every false system man is the ultimate source of meaning and ethics. While the believer defines God and the world according to the infallible Word of God and thus thinks God’s thoughts after Him, the unbeliever is in rebellion against God’s revelation (whether general or special) and thus puts an anti-God construction upon all reality. The unbeliever creates his own reality and his own god. Because the unbeliever’s staring point is apostate (i.e. the reprobate mind) he interprets reality in terms of an existence independent of God. For the unbeliever facts are not God-created and God-controlled facts but are brute facts that must receive organization and meaning only from man himself, independent of the Bible. Everything the unbeliever does is shaped by his ethical hostility to God.

In other words, in all forms of idolatry, ultimately it is man that is god over all gods. Man looks at the world and decides for himself what type of religion will meet his needs. Man observes reality and arbitrarily determines his own ethical standard. While he does all this he claims to be objective and scientific. He claims to have put behind him the superstitions of Christianity in order to bring forth an enlightened scientific age. But is the unbeliever really scientific and objective? No. As we have seen he views reality through the grid of hostility to God and his embrace of false gods, of a non-Christian worldview. For example, the man who claims to be a rationalist, who says that he will attain the truth only through reason or logic, always reasons in an anti-God direction. Why? First, he starts with apostate axioms, with anti-Christian presuppositions. He, even before observing reality, says the God of Scripture cannot exist. Second, in judging what is true or false or what is reasonable, anything that does not fit into his non-Christian presuppositions of reality (e.g. objective ethics, special revelation, miracles, creation ex nihilo, etc) is automatically deemed irrational no matter what the evidence says.

The same thing is true of the empiricist who says that he can determine the truth by looking at the facts around him, by organizing and analyzing “brute facts.” But once again the empiricist observes reality through the lens of his apostate presuppositions. He automatically discards any “fact” that does not fit into his paradigm. Further, he perverts the “facts” because he interprets them according to his apostate, God-hating starting point. Thus, modern science is not really scientific in any of the theoretical areas. It is deeply religious with a blind faith in a totally absurd, non-factual worldview (macro-evolution).

Isaiah pointed out the utter foolishness of idolatry by noting that men make and control their idols. “They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; they prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it and set it in its place, and it stands; from its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer nor save him out of his trouble” (Isa. 46:6-7). Paul warned us that all human philosophies are against the Lord Jesus Christ, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ” (Col. 2:8 ). There is a radical antithesis between believing and unbelieving thought.

(4) Paul teaches that the first two commandments which require us to believe in, serve and worship the true God alone are foundational to the whole moral law of God. In Romans 1, the root of all sin is exchanging the true God for false gods. This point is a continuation of verse 18 which places ungodliness before unrighteousness. In verses 23, 25 and 28 after discussing the true God Paul mentions the moral consequences of rejecting the Lord: “ Therefore God also gave them over to uncleanness” (v. 26); “God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (v. 28 ). Unbelief in the true God leads to sexual perversion, in particular homosexuality and lesbianism (vs. 24, 26, 27 ). It also leads to sinful vices of every sort (vs. 29-31 ).

Why does a rejection of the true God lead inexorably to moral degeneracy? The main reason is that laws are always theologically based. One’s ethical system will always be a mirror reflection of one’s concept of God or ultimate reality. If concepts of morality are to rest on some conviction of ultimacy one must have faith in a personal, infinite God who is holy, righteous and just and who will hold everyone accountable for their actions. The Greeks and Romans worshiped false gods that were immoral, arbitrary, perverse and violent. Thus, irrespective of their talk about love and virtue, their societies became ethical cesspools filled with all sorts of sexual perversion, violence and injustice. The ancient fertility cults of the Middle East and Africa worshiped gods obsessed with sex and thus ritual prostitution, fornication and adultery became integral aspects of these degenerate cultures.

The modern secular humanism so prominent in the world today is not any better than the superstitions of Rome, Greece or Canaan. Humanism denies the transcendent God who gives us moral absolutes; that is, laws that are non-negotiable and unchanging. The god of humanism is man. Therefore, the source of humanistic law is either: (a) whatever each individual decides (anarchism); (b) the determinations of an intellectual elite (e.g. socialism, Marxism and communism); (c) the opinions of the majority of society (democracy); or (d) a combination of two or more of the above. For example, in the United States there is fiat law from courts which function as an elite class. There is the direct determination of law by the masses via referendum. And there are the fiat laws created by elected representatives. (Since the early twentieth century America has shifted in large part from a constitutional republic to a participatory, semi-constitutional, fascist state. [Fascism is here being used in the sense of a state that leaves the means of production in private hands, yet heavily taxes and regulates the means of production to serve the Leviathan state]).


[url=http://www.reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/The%20Consequences%20of%20Rejecting%20God.htm]Source[/url]

If rejecting religion is the same as rejecting "god", then it is the best decision anybody will ever make. But i know that God isn't religion, so God cannot be rejected. Religion, on the other hand, can be rejected and rightly so too.

Jenwitemi: If rejecting religion is the same as rejecting "god", then it is the best decision anybody will ever make. But i know that God isn't religion, so God cannot be rejected. Religion, on the other hand, can be rejected and rightly so too.

If you think you can reject religion without rejecting God then you lack understanding of religion.

I take rejecting God to be as asinine as saying your ancestors (i.e your parents, grandparents etc) don't exist. Its lke refusing to be part of the chain of humanity and realizing after your death that there was always a chain.

I do? Make it clear to me, then? And before you start your clarification, please kindly tell me to which religion God belongs... with evidence that is non-biblical.

Uyi Iredia:

If you think you can reject religion without rejecting God then you lack understanding of religion.

i am the consequence of a hiding god.

The op (Frosbel) is a christian bigot and an ignoramus

1) Frosbel's ancestors did not accept the christian God if Frosbel is Nigerian. Nigeria has pagan traditional roots

2) There is no difference between a good atheist and a good christian.

3) Even if there is God, there is nothing good that God has done in a christian life that doesnt exist in an atheist life.

4) If God exists why did he use slavery and colonization to reveal himself (with the christian religion) to Nigerians?

logicboy: The op (Frosbel) is a christian bigot and an ignoramus

The former is quite true but not the later

1) Frosbel's ancestors did not accept the christian God if Frosbel is Nigerian. Nigeria has pagan traditional roots

And so dear Logicboy, why don't we return to practising the same things as our ancestors such as the mythical worship of a million 'gods' , child sacrifice , body mutilation etc.

Can we not at least thank the Missionaries for helping us come out of a 'dark age' mentality

2) There is no difference between a good atheist and a good christian.

actually there is.

There is no one who is truly good but God.

The Christian is directed by the Holy Spirit through faith and thus his boasting is not of himself but of Christ while the atheist harbours the false notion that he can attain to moral perfection by trusting in and depending on his fallible and frail humanity.


Goodness emanates from God and without our connecting to the source of this beautiful trait we will forever remain completely bad.

3) Even if there is God, there is nothing good that God has done in a christian life that doesnt exist in an atheist life.

And how do you measure goodness, certainly I hope not by material things.

Goodness consists of contentment, kindness, love, peace , gentleness , hope and Joy. These delicious fruits are the true intangible assets of a genuine Christian spirit.

4) If God exists why did he use slavery and colonization to reveal himself (with the christian religion) to Nigerians?

First of all your question is wrong.

Man started commercial and wicked slavery not God. Ask the Arabs , your African kings and the Westerners why they started Slavery, lol.

frosbel:

The former is quite true but not the later

Okay, no worries.

frosbel:
And so dear Logicboy, why don't we return to practising the same things as our ancestors such as the mythical worship of a million 'gods' , child sacrifice , body mutilation etc.

Can we not at least thank the Missionaries for helping us come out of a 'dark age' mentality

Is christianity any better? A mythical God that has a son that is himself and a mother who is a vrigin. Chrustianity is a myth as well. Furthermore christianity engages in child sacrifice as well. Where I am from in Nigeria, my ancestors were a barbaric tribe but didnt sacrifice children

Why should I tank the racist missionaries who enjoyed slave trade and thought their religion was better than ours?

Furthermore, Abraham's convenant is body mutilation. Circumstition

frosbel: actually there is.

No. There is no difference between a good atheist and a good christian other than the religion.

frosbel:
The Christian is directed by the Holy Spirit through faith and thus his boasting is not of himself but of Christ while the atheist harbours the false notion that he can attain to moral perfection by trusting in and depending on his fallible and frail humanity.

What morals do christians have? Stoning gay people? Burning witches? Placing women as under men? Keeping women silent in churches?

All these things are sanctioned in the bible

frosbel:
Goodness emanates from God and without our connecting to the source of this beautiful trait we will forever remain completely bad.

Are you saying that atheists are bad? Why do we need God to be good? Bill Gates doesnt believe in a christian God and yet, he donates millions to charity and is tackling malaria.

frosbel:
And how do you measure goodness, certainly I hope not by material things.

Goodness consists of contentment, kindness, love, peace , gentleness , hope and Joy. These delicious fruits are the true intangible assets to the human soul.

An atheist can have all of these fruits. You lose. Atheists can be good without god.

frosbel:
First of all your question is wrong.

Man started commercial and wicked slavery not God. Ask the Arabs , your African kings and the Westerners why they started Slavery, lol.

God condoned and regulated the slavery, according to leveticus and Paul in the New Testament