Posted on 07/21/2010 9:35:16 AM PDT by pastorbillrandles
The Ungodly Make Three Exchanges…pt 1 Posted on July 21, 2010 by billrandles
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things…
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen…
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; (Romans 1)
In our previous post we discussed the fact that Romans 1 is a Divine analysis of the psychology of godlessness. The godless man is conflicted because he is suppressing the Truth that he already instinctively knows, about God, creation, sin and the inevitability of judgment.This is unrighteousness and the wrath of God is daily being revealed against it.
Paul describes the exchanges that are the necessary outcome of this truth suppression. The word in the text , ‘change’ is more accurately rendered ‘exchange’. Truth, we are told in proverbs 23, can be bought, sold or bartered, but there are definite consequences to such transactions.
“Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom and instruction and understanding.(Prov 23:23)
The first ‘exchange’ that man makes when he suppresses truth, is the exchange of the “Glory” of the incorruptible God- for a mere corruptible image, of man, beasts,and even lower creatures. This is a reference to man’s sense of himself, his identity.
In what sense did humanity ever have ‘the glory’ of God ? Just the fact that Man is” made in the Image of God” elevates him into the glory Paul is speaking of here. Glory here is dignity, the idea that humanity is special, and that just being a human being invests every individual with a kind of sanctity.
When man suppresses the truth about God, as the benevolent,personal creator , He rejects the specialness of man. If I believe that every man is a bearer of the Image of God, regardless of how productive, healthy, beautiful, handicapped, intelligent, they are, each individual is worthy of respect. This is what fallen man is said to have ‘traded off’ in his willful rejection of truth.
What did we receive in the swap? An Image like unto corruptible man (humanism- man as the measure of all things), birds,beasts, and creeping things,(evolution,man is a highly evolved animal,a creature of instinct).
This is the new ‘dignity’ of man that we have bartered away the Image of God for. This is the meaning of the coarsening of our civilization, because if Man is just a highly evolved animal, why should human life be dignified above any other kind of life?
It’s the story of the human race, from the beginning until now, although for our purposes it is being graphically played out for us in the degeneration of our western civilization. We have seen this rejection of the ‘Glory’ God conferred upon man, in our lifetime.
The willful acceptance of Darwinism, has resulted in the previously unthinkable cheapening of human life. Darwin’s disciples, first the Nazi’s, then the World wide Communist attempts at Utopia, basically had the theory on the value of human life,that ”you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette”. Stalin is quoted as saying, “the death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic!” Finally in our own previously christian nation, the holocaust of Abortion, euthanasia and Zero population growth all testify to what Proverbs told us centuries ago, in the person of the Wisdom of God, “All those who hate me love death!”.
Our generation has become coarse, crude and even bestial because of secularism, the abandonment of God is the abandonment of humanity itself. Without the belief that man is truly a bearer of the Image of God, by what rationalization are there “inalienable rights endowed by our Creator”? Why bear a downs syndrome child, why preserve an elderly, sick relative? What do we do about those who are unproductive, expensive, inconvenient? These are serious considerations in the brave new world of exchanged Truth. to be continued…
The Apostle Paul is arguing that the sin of Adam has come upon all mankind since all die. Mankind adds their sins on top of it, but none are sinless save the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ was not born of the seed of Men, but the seed of a woman (the Virgin Mary): Galatians 4:4 "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law"
The default state of man without Christ, shows as it does in Romans 1, but even more so in Romans 3 (the beginning of the Roman Road): Man does not seek God, he does not understand God, and he does no good before God by default.
Thus all mankind is in need of a Savior to save them from their depraved state. Only a sinless one could do it. Who is the only Savior? - The Lord Jesus Christ. Put your faith upon him and him alone for he alone saves from death, hell and the grave. Call upon him while he is near. Call today.
Romans 1: 18-23 is a very short passage. Whenever I read those verses, I am struck by the quick, short trip to the bottom, like the drop of a broken elevator, when we turn our backs on God.
Years ago, I heard a pastor say, “We sow to the wind, and THEN we pray for a crop failure.” I think that is where we are today.
A few decades ago, I spent an hour a week prayer-walking around the local abortion clinic. After a few months of this, the burden of my prayer came into focus. I was charged to ask the Lord to raise up Christian artists -- people who would set the pace, set the standard of excellence, in every worthy artistic endeavor.
The only way to overcome the culture of death is to celebrate life. Winsomely, vigorously, joyously.
And this is why eschatology matters. A commitment to the victory of Satan and evil sabotages morale and motivation for excellence.
Speaking of Ephesus, I was just there is a spot where you can know you are standing where the Apostle Paul stood. When you stand there, you can hear your own voice bounce off the stone wall and everyone in the ampetheater of 14 thousand could hear you perfectely. My wife, way up says she could hear me whisper. The extent and depth of sin are topics discussed at theological schools all the time. The fact that mankind, as it says in Romans 3, Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 (the repeated Psalms) state the same thing. Mankind, dead in trespasses and sin "does not understand God", "does no good before God" and "does not seek God". And not only that but this is confirmed by the phrase "no not one".
Believing sin is only learned is very insufficient. It is inherited and learned by all mankind and the only remedy is the Grace of God and his love for folks like us on the cross. Your in Christ, SR.
I agree brother, and hope that you didn’t in any way get from the article that I deny original sin. Definitely by the Offense of the one mans , the many were constituted as sinners...Thank God for the obedience of the second man!Shalom and thank you for the comments.
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