Romans Part 05

Having introduced the gospel as the power of God unto salvation and the revelation of God's righteousness, Paul now presents the contrasting reality in verse 18: 

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." 

Paul does not shy away from the wrath of God. While God is merciful, loving, and patient, He is also a God of justice. Because He is perfectly just, He must also be a God of wrath against sin. His wrath is revealed against "all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men," with particular emphasis on those who "suppress the truth in unrighteousness."

The word suppress means to hold down, restrain, hinder, or conceal the truth. These individuals possess knowledge of the truth yet deliberately push it down because they desire to continue in unrighteousness. Their problem is not merely ignorance but willful rejection. They resist what God has made plain because they refuse to submit to Him.  

Paul explains why mankind is without excuse: 

"Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them." 

God has revealed Himself through His creation. His invisible attributes are clearly seen through the things He has made. Creation itself bears witness to a Creator. While creation does not reveal every detail of God's plan of salvation, it clearly demonstrates God's eternal power and divine nature, leaving mankind without excuse.

The Scriptures consistently point to creation as evidence of God. Psalm 19 declares that the heavens proclaim the glory and greatness of God. Hebrews 11:3 reminds us that the visible world was made from things not seen, displaying the greatness and creative power of God. Paul's emphasis on God's eternal power and divine nature demonstrates that creation reveals both His limitless power and His divine character. A knowledge of God brings order and peace because it acknowledges the One who designed and sustains all things.

The evidence of creation can be illustrated by something as simple as a plastic cup. If we can examine a simple manufactured object and immediately recognize that it had a designer, then how much more should we recognize design in a tree, a flower, the human body, or even the simplest forms of life? Creation displays an intricacy and complexity far beyond anything human engineers have ever produced. Every aspect of the natural world points beyond itself to an intelligent Creator.

Paul then explains mankind's tragic response to this revelation: 

"Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful." 

This statement appears to refer broadly to mankind's awareness that there is a Creator rather than to converted individuals who later abandoned the faith. There were certainly those in ancient times, particularly following the Flood, who knew of the true God. Ecclesiastes also teaches that God has placed eternity in man's heart, giving humanity an awareness that there is something greater than itself. Throughout history and across cultures, mankind has generally recognized that there is a power beyond human existence.

Yet mankind failed to respond appropriately. They neither glorified God nor gave Him thanks. Their failure was not simply intellectual. It was moral and spiritual. Thankfulness, worship, and obedience belong together. If we truly acknowledge that our blessings come from God and glorify Him as Creator, then we will naturally strive to obey Him. Conversely, disobedience and ingratitude often go hand in hand.

As a result, 

"their thoughts became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened." 

Futile means vain, empty, and without lasting purpose. Instead of worshiping the true God, mankind turned to idolatry. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Psalm 14:1 states, 

"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" 

Pride lies at the root of this rebellion. Just as Satan's rebellion began with the desire to exalt himself above God, human beings often become convinced that their own wisdom surpasses God's revelation.

This serves as an important warning even in our study of Scripture. We must be careful about what we think we know. Rather than going beyond what God has revealed, we must simply accept what Scripture says and avoid claiming more than it does.

Paul concludes this section by describing the downward progression into idolatry. Mankind exchanged 

"the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things." 

In the ancient world, idolatry often took the form of carved images and statues. Today, idolatry may not always involve physical idols, but it can still consist of worshiping people, ideas, philosophies, governments, wealth, pleasure, science, or creation itself. Whenever the creation is honored above the Creator, idolatry is taking place. Serving the creation rather than the Creator remains one of mankind's greatest spiritual dangers.

UYA Team | uya@ucg.org  

United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.