West Main

“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. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:20-21).

Can we know God separate and apart from the Bible? The previous words of the Apostle Paul from the letter to the Romans would seem to imply that we can. Yet, exactly who, how, and by what means are “they…without excuse” for not worshiping God? Paul appears to be describing the early history of humanity’s fall from worshiping God to worshiping idols and nature: “[They] exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles” (1:23).

The shift from God to idolatry is a conscious choice as Paul says, “They are without excuse;” “they knew God;” “God is plain to them;” “[God’s nature] is clearly perceived;” and “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (1:20, 21, 23). Now the question I like to ask is, “Does Paul’s depictions of people exchanging knowledge of God for idols apply to everyone in every time period or just to the early history of humanity?” In other words, does every single human being born go through this process of knowingly rejecting God for false gods? Are we all “without excuse” for not worshiping the One True God as revealed in the Bible?

Beyond a doubt, we must declare with Paul, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33). How God works in the hearts and minds of every single individual on the planet in every time period in human history is surely “above our pay grade,” so we need to be cautious in what we claim on behalf of God’s dealings with all of humanity.

Paul in Romans does indicate that there is an exponential darkening of the mind of humanity in history when he says, “they became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened;” “God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts;” “they became fools;” “they have become filled with every kind of wickedness;” and “they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (1:18-32). Society shortly after the Fall in the Garden of Eden does not take long to be darkened and lost to the presence and power of God. Children born into human society shortly after the Fall and after the flood are bereft of the knowledge and presence of God (See, Genesis 6:5-6; 11:4-7).

Paul teaches in Romans that only in the Gospel “is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (1:16-17). The power and presence of God revealed in the Gospel is why Paul was “so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome” (1:15).

While nature is a powerful testimony to the Glory of God for those who believe in the God of Revelation today, nature without the written Revelation of God is void and meaningless. As C.S. Lewis once wrote, “We must . . . leave the hills and woods and go back to our studies, to church, to our Bibles, to our knees. Otherwise the love of nature is beginning to turn into a nature religion” (The Four Loves). Today, we must love the Word of God in order to love the God of Nature.

– Terry