On the Suppressing of the Truth (Romans 1:18-19)
Romans 1:18-19 (ESV)
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them."
Recently I got into a rather uncomfortable conversation with a fellow religious studies major. It actually began by discussing Freud's insane views on the origins of religion, which my 580 class was to read for the following class time. I will not go into great detail at this time... but Freud's view as to the origin of religion itself has NO historical basis whatsoever. It is just nuts.
However the conversation somehow got much more uncomfortable. My classmate, Ben, charged me with not understanding people. This is somewhat puzzling... as I am a person actually. But when Ben asked me "what is the number one reason people become atheists," I answered truthfully and honestly: They are suppressing the knowledge of God. Ben practically dropped his jaw and stared at me. He asked me what I thought would happen if I told that to an atheist, perhaps a Pastafarian when they protest on campus. I recognized that they would punch me and deny it. OBVIOUSLY if they are suppressing the knowledge of YHWH, they are NOT going to ADMIT they are suppressing that knowledge!! They claim their IS no God... how could they SUPPRESS what they do not believe even EXISTS?
So will the atheist deny that he is suppressing the knowledge of God? Totally. And.... why exactly should I trust the testimony of an atheist as to whether or not he suppresses the knowledge of God over the testimony of that very living God? I cannot exegete the person's personal experience. Am I saying there are not other factors that contribute to someone's unbelief? As far as basic belief in deity (which is NOT the same as belief and trust in Christ to save from sins)? Sure... there may be conventional notions of that person being "hurt" by legalism or religion, etc. (Which is not a very compelling argument... I'm not going to NOT use an iPod just because there are a lot of Apple fanboy nuts who are jerks who insult my Windows 7-loving ways!) However, ULTIMATELY they are indeed engaged in a constant and fairly draining sin.
It must be exhausting for someone to be constantly suppressing the knowledge of God... whether you suppose it is ingrained somehow within us in some God-shaped hole, as Augustine wrote of... or you want to categorize it biblically and recognize the heavens and the sky proclaim God's majestic handiwork. Yet as you read on in Romans 1, that is just what they did... they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped ANYTHING else they could to help them suppress the guilty knowledge they have of their sin and of the existence of the true living God. Even looking around today, we see little difference. The unregenerate believer worships a functional savior rather than repenting and worshiping YHWH, maker of heaven and earth. Whether they worship technology, relationships, sex, substances, or their job... their idols are in place to blot out the truth of their sin and of the truth of God's existence.
Praise God for his love and is mercy... Christian, even when we were actively denying the very existence of God, he died for us. And nonChristian, though you are currently suppressing the knowledge of God, you need to know that he died to pay for sins - he actually atoned for sins on the cross, paying the fine for everyone who turns from their sin (repentance) and places their trust in Christ's finished work (death on the cross, burial, and resurrection) to save from sin and God's holiness.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them."
Recently I got into a rather uncomfortable conversation with a fellow religious studies major. It actually began by discussing Freud's insane views on the origins of religion, which my 580 class was to read for the following class time. I will not go into great detail at this time... but Freud's view as to the origin of religion itself has NO historical basis whatsoever. It is just nuts.
However the conversation somehow got much more uncomfortable. My classmate, Ben, charged me with not understanding people. This is somewhat puzzling... as I am a person actually. But when Ben asked me "what is the number one reason people become atheists," I answered truthfully and honestly: They are suppressing the knowledge of God. Ben practically dropped his jaw and stared at me. He asked me what I thought would happen if I told that to an atheist, perhaps a Pastafarian when they protest on campus. I recognized that they would punch me and deny it. OBVIOUSLY if they are suppressing the knowledge of YHWH, they are NOT going to ADMIT they are suppressing that knowledge!! They claim their IS no God... how could they SUPPRESS what they do not believe even EXISTS?
So will the atheist deny that he is suppressing the knowledge of God? Totally. And.... why exactly should I trust the testimony of an atheist as to whether or not he suppresses the knowledge of God over the testimony of that very living God? I cannot exegete the person's personal experience. Am I saying there are not other factors that contribute to someone's unbelief? As far as basic belief in deity (which is NOT the same as belief and trust in Christ to save from sins)? Sure... there may be conventional notions of that person being "hurt" by legalism or religion, etc. (Which is not a very compelling argument... I'm not going to NOT use an iPod just because there are a lot of Apple fanboy nuts who are jerks who insult my Windows 7-loving ways!) However, ULTIMATELY they are indeed engaged in a constant and fairly draining sin.
It must be exhausting for someone to be constantly suppressing the knowledge of God... whether you suppose it is ingrained somehow within us in some God-shaped hole, as Augustine wrote of... or you want to categorize it biblically and recognize the heavens and the sky proclaim God's majestic handiwork. Yet as you read on in Romans 1, that is just what they did... they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped ANYTHING else they could to help them suppress the guilty knowledge they have of their sin and of the existence of the true living God. Even looking around today, we see little difference. The unregenerate believer worships a functional savior rather than repenting and worshiping YHWH, maker of heaven and earth. Whether they worship technology, relationships, sex, substances, or their job... their idols are in place to blot out the truth of their sin and of the truth of God's existence.
Praise God for his love and is mercy... Christian, even when we were actively denying the very existence of God, he died for us. And nonChristian, though you are currently suppressing the knowledge of God, you need to know that he died to pay for sins - he actually atoned for sins on the cross, paying the fine for everyone who turns from their sin (repentance) and places their trust in Christ's finished work (death on the cross, burial, and resurrection) to save from sin and God's holiness.
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