LIVING FOR TRUTH OR SUPPRESSING TRUTH BY WICKEDNESS
LIVING FOR TRUTH OR SUPPRESSING TRUTH BY WICKEDNESS
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. —Psalm 19:1-4
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For 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 people are without excuse. —Romans 1:18-20
As I stand on the shore of the ocean, on the shore of the universe, I feel so small… and I am. Pondering this I also seek to comprehend, at least a little, the immensity of our God who has created all this. I am now looking at the sea shell collection we have from just walking on the beaches in Florida these last few days on the Gulf Coast side. Such a variety of size, shape and color. How is it possible that people can deny the existence of God when there is such a vast assortment of life in the oceans? Or, just think of the enormous quantities of water. How’d that happen? Did it happen all by itself? No way… our Creator created it (Genesis chapter 1). Only God’s Word has the answers to why life and everything exists. Pondering the ocean from its shores or the universe on its shore—God is astounding. And to think He loved me, you and the people of this world that He sent Jesus so we could be in the right relationship with Him through His Son (John 3:16; 20:31; Romans 3:23; 10:13). For those who do not know Him, it is up to them to call on His Name or not. Just remember, those who call on Jesus will be saved from sin, Satan and hell. Those who do not call on Him are in their sin— which they will be judged for, are in bondage to Satan (II Timothy 2:25-26), and will be thrown in the lake of fire along with Satan and all his followers (Revelation 20:1-15).
God’s evidence is in the night sky and all of creation. Design in creation screams out that there is a Creator and that there is purpose for all this. How is it that there are those who believe this all happened by itself? That is such nonsense! The reason people don’t want to believe in God’s existence is because they “suppress the truth by their wickedness.” There you have it. Instead of desiring to live righteously for God, they want to live wickedly for themselves, but they don’t even realize they are not in control but are “ensnared by Satan and held captive to do his will” (II Timothy 2:26). Satan blinds people so they will not believe— that is his will—
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. —II Corinthians 4:3-6
I am so grateful that God shines His light into people’s hearts/minds so they can come to a point of knowing who Jesus is. He did that for me… otherwise I would still be blind, bound and battered by Satan— and headed for hell. If you have not called on Jesus, will you? Or, will you be a captive of Satan to do his will, suppressing the Truth by your wickedness. Dear Father, thank You for drawing me to Jesus. I would have no eternal hope without You doing so. May You be pleased to do so with those reading this who have not called on Jesus. They have no excuse not to do so. Draw them, please, by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of You Son Jesus. So may it be! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9elcbyTG53s