"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us."
The Bible is filled with promises from God, but His Word isn’t the only testimony to His existence and to His care. All of creation shouts that God loves us and cares for us; only those who are deceived have chosen to believe there is no God nor that He is loving and good.
"For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools." (Romans 1:20-22 NKJV).
Notice the progression that Paul lists in this passage from Romans:
• His invisible attributes are clearly seen in creation; we can understood those attributes by the things that are made (by creation around us)
• Everyone at one time knew God
• Unbelievers didn’t glorify Him nor were thankful; they became futile in their hearts.
• Their hearts were darkened, and they became fools
At one time in everyone’s life, there is a knowledge of God. Atheists aren’t born; they’re made. Now one might argue that young children also believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, but those are fictional characters about whom adults teach children. But everyone is born knowing there is a Creator and that He is good. The very existence of all of creation, knit together and working continuously to support life, is evidence of a loving God.
"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" (Psalm 8:3-4 NKJV).
Joseph Seiss wrote a book, The Gospel in the Stars, that carefully and clearly shows the story of the life of Jesus Christ in the constellations. Even in the heavens, we can see that God exists and has revealed clearly who He is to everyone.
Two things happen to those who become unbelievers. First, they don’t glorify God nor are they thankful for what He has done. Second, they became futile in their hearts. The KJV says: "they became vain in their imaginations." The core of the meaning appears to be that they became self-centered or self-absorbed in their discussions, reasoning, and thought. In other words, once they began to think more about themselves than about God, all that they were thinking about became futile and without purpose. Instead of focusing on God and what He has done for them, they became absorbed in their own importance, their own issues, and their own thoughts. They actually placed their wisdom above God’s! Then to justify something so foolish, they turn from God, often becoming atheists or agnostics, saying there is no God. "The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity" (Psalm 53:1a NKJV).
These are the unbelievers to whom we are preaching the good news, those who no longer glorify God nor are thankful for what He has done. They are futile in their thinking, foolish and self-centered. No amount of arguing on their terms will change their minds. And yet, many spend hours, days, even lifetimes obsessing about trying to convince unbelievers that they are wrong and the Bible is right. This isn’t the way to witness:
"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself." (1 Timothy 6:3-5 NKJV).
Notice what Paul does say has value:
• wholesome words, even the words of the Lord Jesus Christ
• to the doctrine which accords with godliness
How do we define "godliness?" That is the fruit of the Spirit lived out in our lives even as the Lord Jesus Christ lived, being willing to go nonjudgmentally out into a world of sinners, to eat and fellowship with them, showing them love and giving sacrificially. It is by this kind of life that unbelievers will begin to turn to us and say, "What must I do to be saved?" It is through our own lives, living where our yes means yes, living as if we truly did believe that God’s promises are all true, it is through this kind of life that we can become again a revitalized (revivaled) Church!
© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
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