It's crazy because the same God that I pray to during my devotional time in my bedroom is the same God that someone in China could be standing up and risking their lives to worship! I mean, He is good at making Himself known, and it just dawned on me that the reason for this is because *He is sooo real.* The fact that the disciples would risk their lives to spread the news about a Jesus that died and never rose just doesn't make sense to me.
Scientists can say what they like, but Romans 1:19 tells us that all people know instinctively about God. They just know, and God doesn't leave us to build our faith off of shaky and questionable statements, but He gives us some hard- core evidence in His word. Even history and science itself can go some ways to helping "prove" God. But the point is, He doesn't need to be proven. Verse 4 says that Christ was shown to be God. He rose from the dead. I think its just interesting how God in a way "helps" us believe. He even gives us his scripture to back up our instinctive knowledge of Christ (verse 19-- God is manifest in us and has put this knowledge in our hearts).
A God that is real must want people to know about Him. I mean, I am just human and I don't like to be ignored, so how much more will an infinite, glorious, wonderful God allow Himself to be ignored? And by His very own creation nevertheless?? It just doesn't make sense. So this chapter just goes to show that God is very passionate about His own glory...because he is soo real. That's why we become passionate about His glory as well: because we have His Spirit. The spirit excites us about telling others about God.
God is real because He is so active. God is real because we see people so on fire for Him. God is real because there are people not only risking their lives to tell others about Him, but dying daily
and picking up their crosses to live for love. And God is real because He is love.
I think that a silent god (the gods of other religions and other things that people idolize), is no God at all. But our God is no silent God. He is constantly speaking. Not only that, but He "shows his anger from heaven against all people who prevent the truth from being known (verse 18)." ha! I'm pretty sure Jesus said that *he* was the way, the truth and the life. So God doesn't just sit back and let people prevent the truth (Jesus) from being known. He punishes. This is because He is love, and he doesn't want us, whom He loves so much, to miss out on His love.
Beyond my doubts that I occasionally have, I've always just sorta known that I know, that I know, that I know that Jesus is God. I just know. And Romans 1:20 tells me why. It says "From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see His invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God." That's just so beautifully laid out for us. In my opinion, it's the foundation of all faith.
God put it in us. He Himself. His Spirit does all this. I think sometimes we fool ourselves by thinking that its something we do-- believing. It's really not. It is God's spirit moving in us and convicting us of His truth, and His grace that allows us to believe. Only if we push it away is our doing.
So that leads us to the question of why some people don't believe. I mean, if God is so real, why don't people trust in this God ?? Obviously, He is making Himself known. Well, just as surely as we have questions, the word of God has answers! woo-whoo! haha. It says
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.
So that pretty much answers that question.
And in verse 28 it says "When they refused to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done."
The reason for this might be because love can't be forced. So God didn't want to force anything on them, and so He let them choose. Him or their sinful deeds and they chose their deeds. So he left them to it. What are yall thinkin? Do you agree? Or...?? Can you think of any other reasons why? Come on! Let's get a reall conversation started out of this. I know that if we were all together we'd have PLENTY of things to say about plenty of this, so let's get the most out of this.
Also, I think that another reason God cares so much about His glory is because he loves us sooo much. He wants us to know about Himself-- the only one who can fill our empty hearts. The one who fills and fulfills and gives us joy. And of course, everyone wants the people they love to find joy.
We all doubt it sometimes, but true faith flowers through and from doubt. I know something that science just doesn't. And while science is constantly changing with new discoveries and such, I have a God who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Apologetics(the study of defending Christianity) truly does sit at the feet of the Gospel. The Gospel is strong enough on its own.
** ROMANS 1:16 FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL ABOUT CHRIST. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD AT WORK..**
So that's it for now ladies and germs. God is real. Yes, science can go someways in proving God, but there is a point where we must just go off the word and have belief in what is unseen... and that's faith for ya! :)
... Even then... how unseen is God, really?
Hopefully God strengthened your faith as we started off Romans and, if not, write down the questions you have under comments. Questions, prayer requests, ANYTHING!!! JUST INTERACT!! Let's make this as lively as possible.
--Emnet
