article by site founder, Constance Rice
How can mere mortal humans even come close to understanding an eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent, holy God? It is only as we acknowledge Him as the Creator of the universe and all life and recognize that He is the ultimate source of all truth, wisdom, love, and goodness that we can even come close to understanding Him. Since His mind is infinite and ours is finite, there is no way we can fully understand Him and His ways. Fortunately for us though, He has chosen to reveal Himself through what He has made so that all will know that He exists. Atheism is foolish because it denies what has been obvious to all of mankind from the beginning – that there is a Creator. In the book of Romans, there are harsh words for those who deny His existence and rebel against Him. We see the results in our present culture.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 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, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
Romans 1:18-32
Not only has God revealed Himself in what He has made (general revelation), but He has also revealed Himself through His Word, the Bible (special revelation). Men were chosen by God to write what He wanted through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We are each responsible for whether or not we read what God has revealed to us (which teaches us who God is, who we are, how to live, gives us needed discernment so we are not deceived. and provides prophecies for what is to come so we will understand what is going on and have the assurance of good prevailing over evil in the end). Sadly, American Christians as a whole do not take this seriously even though most families have multiple Bibles sitting in their homes. Not knowing Scripture makes us vulnerable to believing Satan’s lies and being deceived. It also can cause us to be fearful and anxious when events happen that are out of our control. The result is that we may seem no different from those the world who do not know Jesus, which not only negates our witness for the Lord, but can block God’s blessings in our own lives.
“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:
‘Awake, you who sleep,
Ephesians 5
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light’.“
We’re not sure when Satan first rebelled against God, but we do know there has been an epic spiritual battle between good and evil since God created the first humans, Adam and Eve. Satan deceived them then and he and the fallen angels who follow him still try to deceive as many as possible to this day. How does he do this? He uses the gift of free will that God gave humans – humans are capable of choosing to follow God’s way or to try to live out of their own wisdom. Unfortunately, when people reject God’s ways, they make themselves (many times unknowingly) vulnerable to being used by the existing evil forces. Thus, man is capable of great evil, as we have seen numerous times in history. We see those influences at work now.
- Doubting the truth of God’s Word – Satan used this with Adam & Eve and it remains his primary tool because it’s effective.
“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
Genesis 3:1
- Doubting God’s goodness and blaming Him for the evil perpetuated by Satan and his demonic realm.
“For I proclaim the name of the Lord: Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
Deuteronomy 32:3-4
For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.”
- People thinking that their wisdom and ways are better than the One who created them.
“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”
James 1:16-18
- Believing lies about themselves that lead to condemnation instead of responding to God’s conviction of sin in their lives that lead instead to restoration.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Romans 8:1-8
Lifting up pride as a virtue when it destroys relationships and separates us from our Creator instead of seeking Him with a humble heart and choosing to trust in Him for salvation and to be in fellowship with Him.
“And He said, ‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man’.”
Jesus’ words in Mark 7:20-23
Blaming other people (or groups of people) for things that are wrong in our lives instead of choosing to trust God, recognizing that everyone on this planet is struggling in some way and that God uses trials in our lives to grow us, cause us to draw closer to Him, humble us, or empower us to come beside someone else going through a similar struggle. He doesn’t waste any pain.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Jesus’ words to His apostles before leaving for heaven John 16:33
Not learning from previous history, setting the stage for the repeat of horrific events. Communism can begin with socialist promises to deceive people into voting for a change in government, but the result was that in only one century, 100 million people were killed by their own governments (link to chart below by ResearchGate found here).
- Another issue is not recognizing that no system of government is perfect, but that the system put in place by America’s founding fathers improved the lives of its citizens more than any other previous system. The biblical foundation was a big part of its design and pulling away from the biblical foundation of our nation opened the door for more corruption, which is what we’ve seen in recent years. The answer is not to move toward tyranny, but to return to the biblical foundation that gained God’s blessings rather than His judgment as He pulls His protection from a rebellious nation.
- Believing that sexual immorality is freedom when the opposite is true. This lie directly contradicts God’s ways and brings with it increases in disease, broken relationships, abortion, fatherless homes, men who avoid responsibility, women full of pain & resentment, and harms the culture at large.
“Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ‘the two’, He says, ‘shall become one flesh’. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
1 Corinthians 13b-20
Believing that our identity is found in anyone or anything other than our Creator – sadly, this has been a brilliant strategy of the enemy and most effective in separating people from God and bringing conflict within families. The article, “Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You” by Brittany Yesudasanfor CRU may be helpful to read.
We can understand God because He chose to reveal Himself to us both through His Creation and through His Word, the Bible. However, we can never fully understand Him this side of heaven (frankly, this gives me more peace since I need Him to be bigger than me), He has given us all we need to know so we can trust His plan, adjust our beliefs to His, and seek Him with all of our heart, mind, strength, and soul. We can trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation and study the Bible to learn how we can give glory to and serve our awesome Lord and Savior. We also can have access to His peace and even joy in the midst of life’s challenges, knowing that God is sovereign and will make all things right for those who love and obey Him. That is our life adventure. It seems that when things are really difficult, God reveals even more of Himself to those who lean in to Him for help – which allows us to understand Him and His love for us even more. For those who think their sin is too much, God offers hope and mercy if we turn from our sins and turn to Him. His plan is way better than ours. After all, He created us and knows what we need and what will bring us fulfillment. To Him be the glory!
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
Isaiah 55:6-7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him;
And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
© Constance Rice 2023
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