Romans 1:18-23 — For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 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. 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.
There have been a lot of things said about “god.” History is rife with examples of cultural heresy and idolatry, from the pantheons of Mesopotamia and Babylon, to the modern skepticism that elevates self into divinity. A Christian will link these many perspectives to the above passage, recognizing in them the default defiance of God that forms the foundation of sinful nature. Consider now the deeper meaning in these falsehoods, both in what they tell us of the men who believe them and in how they differ from the truth.
Many early religious systems deified nature and the forces associated with it. I more easily recall the idols of ancient Egypt because they parallel with the plagues God afflicted the land with. The Nile River, one of the longest rivers in the world and likely a contributing factor to the empire that formed in the area, had its representation in the temples. Several idols were modeled after beasts such as cattle and birds; penultimate was their bird-headed personification of the Sun, called “Ra.” Finally, the Pharaoh himself was often considered divine as well.
Greek pantheon focused less on worshiping nature directly in favor of attributing its forces to authoritative entities. These characters were depicted with relatable human interests, and were similarly self-serving and corrupt; the licentiousness of “Zeus” infamously served as backstory for several tales in Greek mythology.
We may identify in these manifestations of worship an inherent awe in God’s creation, albeit corrupted by sin. There is also an emphasis on human influence, though to different degrees. It has been said that a society’s “gods” are often reflective of its people; for the Greeks, this meant deities that reflected their own desires. Also similar is the diverse hierarchy; a single idol may hold preeminence over the rest, but ultimately prescribed power and responsibility is divided amongst many. We might make a comparison to standard human governance, with its highest position often being but one part of true rule.
Contrastingly, God is neither a personification of the elements nor merely a force of order; “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:3) Transcendent over His creation, His character the standards of the universe, He is unchanging, eternal, and entirely self-sufficient. His love for mankind is not based upon their ability to serve Him, but found entirely within Himself, so that it is independent of external influence. Counterfeit constructs of divinity fall utterly short of the Supreme Sovereign they seek to replace.
Yet in our desperate desire for autonomy, we continually attempt to twist reality to suit our desires. Even some who have claimed to know Christ have demonstrated this tendency, as I hope to address next week.
Be attentive. TTT