Devotional
In Romans 1 we read of a similar situation as we now see around us in the world today.
Is this describing you?
Then you need to repent most urgently!
Romans 1:21-32
²¹Even 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.
²²Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³and 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.
²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
²⁵For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
²⁶For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, ²⁷and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
²⁸And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; ³²and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
²¹Even 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.
In the world today there is hardly anyone who doesn’t know of God, or Jesus.
▪︎ But many, or should I say most, are not honoring Him as God.
▪︎ But many, or should I say most, are not thankful to Him for their life, and everything He gave.
▪︎ But many, or should I say most, have followed their own ideas, instead of Him and His word, and so they became futile in their speculations, and so their foolish heart became darkened.
Do you belong to these people? Than you need to repent now, and not delay, for the moment you breathe your last breath, or on the moment the Christ returns, it will be too late for you for all eternity!
²²Professing to be wise, they became fools,
There are lots and lots of people who think that they’re wise.
▪︎ They have made up theories themselves,
▪︎ They have accepted theories of others, and follow them, instead of following that which God teaches us in His word.
They think they are wise, but by following their foolish ways, they in the end will be lost for all eternity.
Do you belong to these people? Than you need to repent now, and not delay, for the moment you breathe your last breath, or on the moment the Christ returns, it will be too late for you for all eternity!
²³and 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 are lots and lots of people who are following idols.
Maybe not handmade idols in the form of statues anymore, although many are still bowing towards statues in Roman Catholic Churches, but the idols they follow are man made as well.
▪︎ They have idols like singers, dancers, movie stars.
▪︎ They have idols like a football team, or any kind of other sports team, or sportsman.
▪︎ They have material idols like a car, a house, or money.
▪︎ They have immaterial idols like a position at their work, etc. etc.
Do you belong to these people? Than you need to repent now, and not delay, for the moment you breathe your last breath, or on the moment the Christ returns, it will be too late for you for all eternity!
²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
Society is now leading us to believe that people who follow the impure lusts of their hearts, are born like that. And partially they are right, for we are all born in sin, and we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But this doesn’t mean that we have to dishonor, and ignore God.
The Bible tells us in not to misunderstand words: that ²⁶For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, ²⁷and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. ²⁸And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind.
God has given people over to the impure lusts of their hearts, because they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image, or theory that they made to be their idol.
Do you belong to these people? Than you need to repent now, it is not yet too late, but don’t delay, for the moment you breathe your last breath, or on the moment the Christ returns, it will be too late for you for all eternity!
²⁵For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.
▪︎ But many, or should I say most, have followed their own ideas and their own theories, or theories that other people taught them, instead of Him
▪︎ But many, or should I say most, are following some idol, and serve the creature rather than the Creator.
Do you belong to these people? Than you need to repent now, it is not yet too late, but don’t delay, for the moment you breathe your last breath, or on the moment the Christ returns, it will be too late for you for all eternity!
²⁸And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; ³²and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Is this speaking of you?
●Are you doing those things which are not proper?
Are you filled with unrighteousness and wickedness?
Are you a gossip, a slanderous person?
Are you a hater of God?
Are you an inventor of evil?
Are you disobedient to your parents?
Do you have greed, evil, envy, strife, deceit, and malice in your heart?
Do you have thoughts of murder?
Do you live an insolent, arrogant, boastful life?
Do other people see you as one who has no understanding?
Do other people see you as one who is untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful?
You know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, but still you don’t only do these things, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
If these things describe you, than you need now, most urgently to repent of these things, and turn back to God! It is not yet too late, but don’t delay, for the moment you breathe your last breath, or on the moment the Christ returns, it will be too late for you for all eternity!
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