Thesis: To teach the hearers about the great visibility of the invisible God, and the implications thereof.
Text: Rom 1:19-20
Rom 1:19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Rom 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Introduction,
Today we live in an age that for a large part is one of unbelief concerning the things of God which are declared in His word, yet that’s not altogether true, while there are many that don’t believe in God’s truths, yet as in the days of Elijah (1 Ki 19:10), and also as in the days of Paul (Rom 11:4), the same could be said about these days, that there are at least 7,000 that have not “bowed the knee to Baal.” (7,000 is likely a figure of speech that denotes a good amount)
In other words there was a good amount of faithful followers of God in Elijah’s time, in Paul’s time, and also in our time, even though that might not seem to be the case with all the “ism’s” we see being propagated inside and outside of the various churches.
We need to remember that just because someone is given the designation “church of Christ” doesn’t necessarily mean that the congregation under contemplation is subject to Christ’s rule (Eph 1:22-23), we can consider any congregation that has a scriptural name (such as church of God, assembly of God, assembly of Christ, the church at their house, the church in God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, the church of the living God, the church of the firstborn ones, the church at Ephesus, Laodicea, Corinth or where ever, and so on), any congregation that is called by one of these biblical names and believes and practices the clear teachings of the NT, thereby making itself subject to King Jesus’ rule, and therefore has a lamp-stand given directly from Christ (Rev 2-3), they shine forth the NT truths found in the gospel unto the salvation of mankind, and are Christ’s church without being called a “church of Christ.”
One of the primary prerequisites to being a biblical Christian is being a believer in God (Heb 11:6).
Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
And one must also believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Who died for our sins, Who was raised from the dead, Who ascended into Heaven, Who is our Forerunner, Who we have a living hope of following (1 Cor 15:1-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess 4:16-18; 1 Cor 15:51-52; 23)
1Co 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
1Co 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Act 1:9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
Act 1:10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
Act 1:11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
1Th 4:17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1Co 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Yet, there are many that attempt to bring reproach upon some of the primary truths concerning God and Christ, and yet, claim to be faithful unto God, basically this is an impossibility, but none the less that is what we see taking place among many that claim to call upon the name of the Lord today.
Therefore in this lesson we will see how this short text shoots down much of the so called “wisdom of men” and how it brings forth in glorious fashion God’s wonderful divine qualities which are seen in creation, and specifically we will look at . . .
1) THE INSIVIBLE GOD, (Rom 1:20a)
2) THE WITNESSES , (Rom 1:20b)
3) THE RESULTS, (Rom 1:20c)
I. THE INSIVIBLE GOD (Rom 1:20a)
Rom 1:20a For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, (Godhead)
(v 20a) “His invisible attributes” or “the invisible things of Him” would be reference to “even His everlasting (eternal) power and divinity (divine nature),” this does not imply that the Godhead consists of some attributes that are visible, it just states the facts, God is invisible, as the scriptures plainly teach (John 1:18; 4:24; Col 1:15; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:16; Heb 11:27).
1Ti 1:17 To the King of the ages (eternal), immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Heb 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
We need to keep in mind that man does possess some traits of God, for we have been made in His image, after His likeness (Gen 1:26), for He is our Creator and in this manner our Father (Acts 17:29), oftentimes a child’s looks are likened unto his parent’s, but God is a Spirit (John 4:24).
And a Spirit being is not likened to a human being physically speaking, as confirmed by the Lord when He appeared to the apostles after His resurrection (look at Luke 24:36-39).
Luk 24:36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"
Luk 24:37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.
Luk 24:38 And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
Luk 24:39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
Therefore humans aren’t a spirit, but do possess a spirit, a soul, and a body as affirmed in (1 Thess 5:23).
1Th 5:23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the beginning of creation (approximately 6,000 – 7,000 years ago), God created the body of the first human from the dust of the earth as affirmed in (Gen 2:7a)
Gen 2:7a And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, (ASV)
At that time God gave life to that created body, this animating force within a person is referred to as a soul (Gen 2:7b).
Gen 2:7b and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (ASV)
It is important to remember that the word “soul” is very contextual, it can refer to the life force within a person, the spirit of a person, or a person in general, but when used in conjunction with the word “spirit” as in 1 Thess 5:23, it is a reference to the animating force within humans, which comes from one’s spirit (Jn 6:63).
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.
And we can infer that at that same time God in the creation account, or in our case, at the time of our procreation (conception), God gave and gives each person a spirit (Eccl 12:7).
Ecc 12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Based on Jubilees 2:2 the spirits of all things in Heaven and on earth were created on the first day along with the angelic beings.
Jub 2:2. For on the first day He created the heavens which are above and the earth and the waters and all the spirits which serve before him −the angels of the presence, and the angels of sanctification, and the angels [of the spirit of fire and the angels] of the spirit of the winds, and the angels of the spirit of the clouds, and of darkness, and of snow and of hail and of hoar frost, and the angels of the voices and of the thunder and of the lightning, and the angels of the spirits of cold and of heat, and of winter and of spring and of autumn and of summer and of all the spirits of his creatures which are in the heavens and on the earth, (He created) the abysses and the darkness, eventide (and night), and the light, dawn and day, which He hath prepared in the knowledge of his heart.
Therefore based upon this passage we (our spirits) actually have been in existence since the beginning of time (creation).
The spirit of a person is that tool which God uses to keep track of our very heart and thoughts (Pro 20:27).
Pro 20:27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts.
And is that part of a person which continues to endure beyond this life (Mt 10:28; Lk 12:4-5; 2 Cor 4:16-5:1)
Mat 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul (/spirit not animating force). Rather fear him who can destroy (lose; Wycliffe NT) both soul (/spirit not animating force) and body in hell.
Luk 12:4 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
2Co 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
2Co 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
2Co 4:18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient (temporal), but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2Co 5:1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (a reference to our spirit).
Thus just as the spirit of a person goes back to God Who gave it at “physical death” (Eccl 12:7; Ja 2:26) which in turn He (through the agency of angels) puts into the Hadean realm (one of the heavenly places) until the Last Day (Luke 16:22-23), it only follows that at the point of “physical life” the spirit is given to an individual within its mother’s womb at the moment of conception (Zech 12:1b?)
Zec 12:1 A declaration: a message from the LORD to Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who frames the spirit of man within himself, declares, (ISV)
Thus seeing that man “has” a spirit, and God “is” a Spirit, the two are likened in this manner, that is why the Hebrew writer calls God the “Father of spirits” (Heb 12:9-10)
Heb 12:9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
Heb 12:10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
Man while alive has a soul (that life force within him), and Jehovah is “the living God”, therefore we are also likened unto Him is this manner (2 Cor 6:16b).
2Co 6:16b for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (ASV)
Also man has been given reasoning capabilities by God which enable him to overcome problems and dominate, while God’s mental capabilities are without compare, yet He also is able to reason and dominate, and He expects us to reason with Him, in this manner we are also similar to Him (Isa 1:18-20).
Isa 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Isa 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
Isa 1:20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
Also when conceived and born into this world we are pure and sinless (Ps 106:37-38; Mk 10:13-15; Ezek 18:20; 28:15; Rom 14:12), like unto God, yet in our loving and imitating the world around us we fall into sin, and when we become accountable (Num 14:29-31; Deut 1:39), we separate ourselves from God because of sin (Ex 32:33; Isa 59:2), this is the part of the Divine image that we are able to regain through the renewal of the Holy Spirit by the means of the gospel (Col 3:9-10).
Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
Col 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Therefore in these categories we are made in the image of the eternal Godhead (Gen 1:26-27).
Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Yet God has no physical body, remember Jesus said (Luke 24:39).
Luk 24:39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
No person “has ever seen” God as affirmed in John 1:18, and no one in their physical, bodily state “can see” the full glory of God (1 Tim 6:16).
1Ti 6:16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
Even though Moses was given a slight glimpse of it in Ex 33:17-23 (turn there).
Exo 33:17 And the LORD said to Moses, "This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name."
Exo 33:18 Moses said, "Please show me your glory."
Exo 33:19 And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD (Jehovah).' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
Exo 33:20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live."
Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock,
Exo 33:22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
Exo 33:23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen."
But God has manifested Himself in a variety of ways throughout time (the burning bush that wasn’t consumed, in various dreams and visions, and so forth); these are referred to as “Theophanies,” which refers to visual manifestations that God brought about in order that man can behold Him with human eyes.
The patriarch Job knew that the only way he would ever actually see God, would be after his spirit left his body at physical death (Ja 2:26; Job 19:26).
Jas 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Job 19:26 And after my skin, even this body, is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God; (ASV)
But when Jesus Christ was upon this earth, He declared the invisible God to mankind (John 1:18),
Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (ASV)
If God had a physical body and lived upon this earth, He would have looked, lived, and taught just like Jesus Christ did (John 14:7-10).
Joh 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
Joh 14:8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."
Joh 14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Joh 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
At the end of time, as we know it, the redeemed with their incorruptible spiritual bodies (1 Cor 15:42-44) and the senses given unto it by God, will be with and actually see God (Rev 22:1-4),
Rev 22:1 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
Rev 22:2 in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall serve him;
Rev 22:4 and they shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads.
Yet God is described for us in figurative terms in Ezek 1:26-28; Rev 4:2-3 in order to give us hope and an idea of what God would look like if we could see Him in this body (turn to Ezek 1:26-28)
Eze 1:26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance.
Eze 1:27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
Eze 1:28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
Look at Rev 4:2-3.
Rev 4:2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.
Rev 4:3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
But we don’t know what God actually looks like, that is why it is written (1 Jn 3:2)
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
But for now we see God by faith, as did Moses (Heb 11:26-27),
Heb 11:26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
Heb 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
And faith comes from God’s word (Rom 10:17), that sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17), and that word is living and active (Heb 4:12) in the hearts of those that believe, in that it molds their lives, thoughts, speech and actions (John 6:63; 8:31-32).
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that give life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.
Joh 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
Joh 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Remember when Jesus Christ was upon this earth, He showed us the invisible God (John 1:18; 14:9), Paul describes Him (Christ) thusly (Col 1:15) . . .
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of (over) all creation.
And those that do God’s will upon this earth, by faith, those who imitate Jesus (1 Cor 11:1), according to the powerful gospel of Christ (Rom 1:16), being led by the Spirit (Rom 8:14), these also manifest “THE INVISIBLE GOD,” even His everlasting power and divinity to others by these visible attributes, Jesus said (Mt 5:16) . . .
Mat 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
II. THE WITNESSES (Rom 1:20b).
A. (Rom 1:20b)
Rom 1:20b (For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature), have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.
This teaches us that God’s created universe has been observed, perceived by mankind since the beginning of time as we know it, it couldn’t have been seen nor perceived by simple life forms which are not able to perform such complex functions (as asserted by evolutionists and theistic evolutionists) from which they believe man evolved.
The fact of man being in existence from the beginning of creation is further substantiated by the statement of our Lord in Mk 10:6 where He dealt with the topic of marriage, divorce and remarriage.
Mar 10:6 But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.'
From the beginning of the creation, man and woman as we know them today, have been in existence; this is true, or we have a deceiving Saviour, thus Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22 which basically state that Christ committed no sin are not true.
Therefore Christ couldn’t have been that perfect sacrifice, as stated in 2 Cor 5:21 . . .
2Co 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin (a sin offering) who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
He couldn’t be made to be sin (a sin sacrifice) for us if He had His owns sins, thus if Christ lied, we are still in our sins, as would also be the case if Christ wasn’t literally bodily resurrected (1 Cor 15:17).
1Co 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
And if Christ did lie, we are also “yet in our sins.”
But of course we that believe the bible is inspired of God don’t entertain such foolishness, Christ never lied, Christ never sinned, the bible is the living and active word of God, Who cannot lie (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18).
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2Pe 1:21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Tit 1:2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
Heb 6:18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
The point I am attempting to make is that one cannot believe in evolution, and believe in the bible, the two just cant be properly harmonized, yet man today, in his attempt to be accepted by the modern scholars of the day, in order that that he wont be looked down upon by the scientific community, have tried to squeeze the unprovable theories of non-believing men into the infallible word of God.
These that do such have to realize that they need to make a choice, the ways of the world, or the faith of Christ, the two are not compatible (John 15:19; Ja 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 Cor 1:18, 25).
Joh 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Jas 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
1Jn 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
And note that these perceptions (in Rom 1:20) were directed towards “the things that are made,” (Isa 40:26), which didn’t evolve, but God through the means of His powerful word made them out of nothing as seen in the Genesis account, for it is written in (Heb 11:3).
Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. (ASV)
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.
The intricacy of the design found throughout creation demands that there be a Designer (Ps 19:1).
Psa 19:1 The heavens are declaring the glory of God, and their expanse shows the work of his hands. (ISV)
That complex design is also found in the human body, as affirmed by the inspired David (Ps 139:13-14).
Psa 139:13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
Psa 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
No matter how much junk one throws off the edge of a cliff, there is no way that a Volkswagen is going to appear at the bottom of said cliff (Heb 3:4).
Heb 3:4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)
But that is basically what followers of such fallacies (as theistic evolution) have to believe (they have enough faith to believe in such unprovable theories, why then can’t they have enough faith to believe in what is provable and without a doubt the truth concerning the things of God (Rom 10:17).
Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Therefore what is seen in creation, which we commonly refer to as “general revelation” (that is in contrast to “special revelation”; i.e. God’s word) shows forth God’s power and thereby “WITNESSES” to the fact of the existence of the Godhead and His power, even though God is invisible to the human eye (Ex 33:20; Job 19:26; John 1:18; Col 1:15; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:16; Heb 11:27).
III. THE RESULTS (Rom 1:20c)
A. (v 1:20c)
Rom 1:20c So they are without excuse.
In our context, the specifics that are being brought forth is that since creation, demands a Creator, and these designs have been witnessed by mankind since the beginning of creation, there is no excuse for individuals to think they can devise and believe in their own gods made with their own hands, seeing that God is constantly bearing witness to His goodness and power by that which He gives us day after day, as affirmed by Paul in Acts 14:17.
Act 14:17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."
The foolishness of idolatry is brought forth by Isaiah in Isa 44:14-20 (turn there) . . .
Isa 44:14 He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it.
Isa 44:15 Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.
Isa 44:16 Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, "Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!"
Isa 44:17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!"
Isa 44:18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.
Isa 44:19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?"
Isa 44:20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?" (Carved idols were often small and handheld)
These works of their hands weren’t the true God, rather they shut their own eyes and hearts to the truth, why? Because the truth wasn’t pleasing to them, they had a different agenda, they wanted gods which would cater to their wills and lusts, not a God that desires submission to His will and self control of one’s unlawful desires.
The same it true today in differing degrees . . .
i. There are those that have nothing to do with Christian religion at all (as far as it is depicted in the bible), and believe themselves to be in a right relationship with God, while they don’t even know Him or His ways, these indeed have formed their own god (Jn 17:3; 1 John 2:3).
Joh 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
1Jn 2:3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
ii. There are the religions of men who have formed gods of their concoctions, who are nothing like the God we read of in the bible, there are those who have concocted a god of their idea of love, who would not punish his creatures for disobedience for an eternity, yet our Lord states (Mt 25:46) . . .
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into ETERNAL PUNISHMENT: but the righteous into eternal life.
iii. There are those that believe that their god don’t care how he is worshipped, yet it is written (John 4:24) . . .
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him MUST worship in spirit and truth.
iv. There are those that believe that their god brought forth His son, had him die on a cross, raised him from the dead, seated him at his right hand in heaven, but failed to put a clear and concise plan for salvation in order that a person can reap the benefits thereof, thus they concoct their own, but Jesus said (Mk 16:16a) . . .
Mar 16:16a Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,
v. There are those that believe that their god gave them authority to change the once and for all delivered faith (Jude 3) to suit them, and put God’s word in their charge, not the standard that has charge over them (Mt 28:18; Eph 1:22; John 12:48; Jude 3).
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth has been given to ME.
Eph 1:22 And he put ALL THINGS under his feet and gave him as head over ALL THINGS to the church,
Joh 12:48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; THE WORD that I have spoken WILL JUDGE HIM ON THE LAST DAY.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to CONTEND FOR THE FAITH THAT WAS ONCE FOR ALL (TIME) DELIVERED to the saints.
vi. There are those that state their god has no authoritative orders (chains), for he does not discriminate against women (1 Cor 11:3; Eph 6:1)
1Co 11:3 But I want you to understand that the HEAD of every man is Christ, the HEAD of a wife is her husband, and the HEAD of Christ is God.
Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
vii. There are those that believe their god condones the ways of the world being intermixed with the ways of their lives (1 Pet 1:1516; 2 Cor 6:17; Ja 4:4)
1Pe 1:15 But because the God who called you is holy YOU MUST BE HOLY IN EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE.
1Pe 1:16 Scripture says, "Be holy, because I am holy."
2Co 6:17 Therefore go out from their midst, and BE SEPARATE FROM THEM, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; THEN WILL I WELCOME YOU,
2Co 6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."
Jas 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that FREINDSHIP WITH THE WORLD IS EMNITY WITH GOD? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
viii. There are those that state that practice of sodomy, relations outside of a scriptural marriage is approved of by their god (1 Cor 6:9-10)
1Co 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: NEITHER THE SEXUALLY IMMORAL, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, NOR MEN WHO PRACTICE HOMOSEXUALITY,
1Co 6:10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
ix. There are those that state that killing babies in their mother’s wombs is approved by their god, but God states (Rev 21:8)
Rev 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, AS FOR MURDERERS, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, THEIR PORTION WILL BE IN THE LAKE THAT BURNS WITH FIRE AND SULFUR, which is the second death."
The list goes on and on, but the truth is, they likewise are “without excuse,” like these in our text, just because their gods weren’t formed with “their hands”, but rather with “their minds”, does not make them any less idols than those that we read of in the bible
There is but one Godhead, and He is “over all, and through all, and in all” (Eph 4:6);
i. He exercises His authority “over all” through Jesus Christ and His gospel.
ii. His creative wonders are seen “through all” mankind and the rest of Jehovah’s creation.
iii. And He searches the hearts of all, He knows what is “in all” (John 2:25), the spirit He puts in an individual searches our innermost secrets (Pro 20:27), all things are as they are laid open and bare before the all-seeing eyes of God (Heb 4:13).
But there will be many, on That Day, who will still attempt to give an excuse, even though we are told that we are “without excuse” Jesus said (Mt 7:22).
Mat 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
(Mt 7:23).
Mat 7:23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of (who practice) lawlessness.'
We must be hearers AND doers of God’s word (Ja 1:22), this proves that we are God’s children and not Satan’s, Jesus said (Mt 7:24-27) . . .
Mat 7:24 "Therefore, everyone who listens to these messages of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock.
Mat 7:25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock.
Mat 7:26 "Everyone who keeps on hearing these messages of mine and never puts them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
Mat 7:27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and battered that house, and it collapsed, and its collapse was total."
What are some of those words? (John 5:24; Luke 13:3; Mt 10:32; Mk 16:16; John 3:5 8:31-32) . . .
Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever HEARS my word and BELIEVES him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Luk 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you REPENT, you will all likewise perish.
Mat 10:32 Every one therefore who shall CONFESS me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
Mar 16:16A Who ever believes and is BAPTIZED (IMMERSED) will be saved;
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, EXCEPT one be born of water and the Spirit, HE CANNOT enter into the kingdom of God!
Joh 8:31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, IF YOU ABIDE IN MY WORD, then are you truly my disciples;
Joh 8:32 and you shall know THE TRUTH, and THE TRUTH shall make you free.
Let us all be freed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.