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NASB | John 5:28 "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 5:28 "Do not be surprised at this; for a time is coming when all those who are in the tombs will hear His voice, |
Subject: God's fair standards to judge evildoers |
Bible Note: EdB, RESPONSE PART 2 Now, with regards to Romans chapter 1. I can think of nothing but to walk you through it. Romans 1:18 says, "the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth" Please note that beginning of this section is showing what the wrath of God is being displayed against. God is angry about men "who suppress the truth." Now it says that they do so in unrighteousness but the people who are the object of his wrath are those who "suppress the truth." Now Paul explains what he is talking about... Romans 1:19 and says, "BECAUSE that which is known about God is evident within them for God made it evident to them" So Paul begins to explain what he means by those who "suppress the truth" whom God is wrathful towards. He says concerning them that that which is known about God is evident within them. Now he will explain that statment. Please note the words beginning the verses evidencing each verse as the grounds for the previous one. Romans 1:20 "FOR since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE" Now lets follow the chain links. God is angry at those who "suppress the turth." Why? Because that which is known about God is known to them. How? Because it is evident in creation to everyman without special revelation. So God makes himself known in creation. Men in their wickedness reject what is evident, and therefore God is angry. Now be careful because this is where I think you go wrong. They are not being judged on whether they reject Christ. Christ is not revealed from nature. A coming messiah is not revealed from nature. Simply certain turths, not all truths, about God our revealed from nature. And God is wrathful that sinful men have turned from those truths. What we are going to discover in this passage is that at the conclusion men are sufficiently guilty to be sent to hell having never heard of Christ. Now verse 21b where it declares them without excuse is a bit of a watershed moment in this passage. 21b declares them "without excuse." That is the point of what he has been saying so far. But note the starting word of verse 21 and you will see he is giving a second ground for why they are without excuse. So first they are without excuse because ENOUGH truth is evident that hey are accountable for it and second Paul is going to explain that the second grounds of their lack of excuse is how they handled what turth they were given. Romans 1:21b-23 "so that they are without excuse. FOR even though they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise they became fools and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man, and of birds, and four footed animals, and crawling creatures." All right it says what about them? They have no excuse because... 1. They knew God and inspite of this... 2. They did not honor him, nor give thanks 3. They became futile in their speculations. In other words they ignored what was revealed by God about themselves, and began to imagine who and what God was from their own sinful imaginations. They did not deny that there was a God, they created their own versions of God. This is not about Atheism, it is about idolatry and false ideas of who God is. 4. They exchanged the truth revealed for an image in some other form, what that form was doesnt matter. So do you see what its saying? God's wrath is against all mankind who have not yet had written revelation brought to them and this wrath is just because they have sinned against the natural revelation which they have been given by producing their own false ideas of who God is. They are guilty enough for Hell...and they will be judged so by God. Paul is purposely locking those who have never heard the gospel up as guilty before God on this basis so that beginning in chapter three he can began declaring the gospel as their only hope. There is much more in Romans 1:18-32 but this is sufficient. In Christ, Beja |