19because
that which is knowable of God is apparent in them, for God made [it] apparent
to them, 20for the invisible things of Him from [the] creation of
[the] world are clearly seen, being understood by the things made, even [the]
eternal power of Him and Godhead, so that they are inexcusable.
I’ve really enjoyed studying these two verses. There is actually
a lot going on in the Greek grammar to where there are significant decisions a
translator has to make. Commentators who look at the Greek of course offer
various opinions in each case and, if one compares different translations,
you’ll find they do differ, based on those grammatical decisions. This is
precisely why I had to learn Greek for myself and why I spend the time
diagramming the Greek sentences. I can’t stand people arguing such points and
me being left to hope I pick the person who got it right. Knowing the grammar,
at least I can look at the different issues, read the various arguments, ponder
the grammar myself, and then make decisions for myself what I honestly think is
correct. My translation above reflects my decisions. As usual, it reads a little
“wooden,” but that is because I’m trying to offer a translation which is as
literal as possible.
(For whatever it’s worth, I am not suggesting that my
translation above is “better” than anyone else’s. Translation from one language
to another is very difficult business. Languages don’t translate word for word
from one to another. What that means is that a translator has to constantly
fight the battle between trying to stay as close as he can to accurately
reflecting the exact words said while, on the other hand, clearly communicating
what the writer or speaker meant. My
“literal” translations are intended to reflect the exact words but one will
notice they are almost always “wooden,” by which I mean they don’t read very
smoothly in English. On the other end of the spectrum would be Bibles like the
NIV, where their goal very specifically was to produce a translation that was
readable and easy to understand. With that as the goal, I applaud them for a
job very well done. I will maintain vigorously that every generation in every
land speaking every language ought to be able to read a Bible they can
understand. I offer my literal translations only because I’m trying to keep
track myself of exactly what the Bible says – in the original – and then I can
hold my own opinions of what the writer meant.)
So … to the Word.
This passage is a total bombshell. We believe as Christians
that Jesus meant exactly what He said, when He said, “I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” We will insist it true
that “There is no other name under Heaven, given among men, whereby we must be
saved.” We believe “all have sinned” and all must be saved.
Then someone asks, “But what about the natives in the
jungle? They’ve never heard the Gospel!” This passage answers that question
quite bluntly: they are “without excuse.”
Can I say first of all this makes me really sad? What I mean
is that supposedly Christian people have been pondering this very question for
at least as long as I’ve been alive – yet the question is here answered clearly
in Romans 1:19,20. How can Christians be still asking a question the Bible
clearly answers? And this is what makes me sad – because they don’t know their
Bibles. Even the men who ought to be studying act as if they’ve never read these
verses. This, I fear, is one of the most Bible-ignorant generations of supposed
Christians that probably ever existed, and unfortunately it isn’t just the
people in the pews. It starts with the very highest leaders. Oh, well. I can’t
change the world, but I can change me – so I’ll study on. God help me.
The idea that people – even natives in the jungle – are inexcusably
condemned before God – is bombshell enough. Put that on Facebook and you’ll be
literally crucified – but what is really a bombshell today is why they’re inexcusable. Look at the
passage – it is because the invisible things of God, even His eternal power and
Godhead, are clearly seen…and where? In Creation. In the things made.
If there is one doctrine this world deeply hates, it is
Creation. The whole world and I fear the vast majority of professing Christians
are quite convinced this world came about by evolution. We’re sorry but this is
another very clearly answered question. “In the beginning, God created the
heavens and the earth.” In seven days, He created the entire universe.
Remember the last verse – “they suppress the truth in
unrighteousness”? What the passage before us tells us is that the very creation
itself is shouting to the world that God is real and that He is very powerful.
If we don’t want to believe what is so patently obvious, what do we have to do?
We have to contrive some kind of lie we’ll tell ourselves and each other—and
that is exactly what this world has done. “Evolution” is the big lie a wicked
generation contrived to push God out of their hearts and today they’ve told the
lie to themselves and each other so many times and in so many ways, they’ve
lost the ability to even question whether it was ever true to start with.
And basically if you challenge it – you’ll be the one
getting crucified.
Can I say the whole thing utterly offends me as a scientist?
I am an engineer. I know what science is…and I know what it isn’t. Real science
gathers evidence first, then decides what that evidence seems to prove.
Evolution decides first that it is true, then sets about to produce evidence to
support it. That is NOT science. I believe by
faith that God created the universe. That is not science. It is faith. Evolutionists
believe by faith in evolution. They
just won’t admit it, and that offends me as a scientist.
So what do we do about it? We should go to the Bible first
of all and let it tell us how we should respond to a world lying to themselves
and to each other. And what does it say? “Love God and love people.” Yes, that’s
right. It seems the natural reaction of our Bible-ignorant generation is to
jump on a pedestal and start shouting angrily that evolution is untrue and
people should believe in Creation. The problem is that, in God’s world, the
minute you forget to love, you’ve already failed. “Though I speak with the
tongues of men and angels and have not love … I am nothing.” We have to realize
that as much as it offends us that people believe such a ludicrous lie, as
unscientific as it is, their problem is not that they’re misinformed. They have
a spiritual problem. Their father is the devil, the father of lies. That is
what Paul is telling us here in Romans.
It’s not that we can’t ever discuss the issue with them.
There may actually be a time when it is appropriate, when it is actually something
we’re sure the Lord would want us to discuss with someone, but, once again, we
must check our hearts and make sure we speak out of love. Paul told Timothy, “The
servant of the Lord must not quarrel; instead, he should be kind to everyone …
in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of
the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of
the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (II Tim 2:24-26).
But even beyond the possible direct discussions of the
subject, you and I simply need to do what the Lord told us, and that is to “Be
imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love …”
(Eph 5:1,2). We need to be living the love of Christ all day every day in our
families, our workplaces, our communities, and, yes, even in our churches. As
for the passage before us in Romans, Paul is telling us what the world’s
problem is – that they are lying to themselves – but that is easy for us to see
because we’ve already let the Lord save us and open our eyes. As Paul goes on
through Romans, he doesn’t plan to tell us how to confront the problem of
evolution. He’s going to explain the Gospel. He’s telling us the problem, so he
can explain the solution, God’s solution, which is faith in Christ. That’s what
they need, and the Bible would tell us it will be love, your love, that will
break down the barrier of Satan’s lies to open their hearts to Christ.
As the heavens declare the glory of God, may you and I join
the angels in singing His praises, but may we never stop loving the people
deafened and blinded by Satan’s lies. It’s not really about creation vs.
evolution. It’s about Jesus.
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