Senseless, or, ‘without understanding,’ as the word is translated in Romans 1:31. Men often justify their neglect of God by alleging that He has no need of their service, and that it cannot be profitable to Him; but we here see that He is to be glorified for His perfections, and thanked for His blessings. That many of the philosophers of Greece and Rome had a knowledge of one God, there can be no doubt. Romans 1:21 Context. Rückert, however, who is followed by Tholuck, considering that the apostle's object is to show that the heathen wickedly oppose the truth, as stated in Romans 1:18; and that this proof consists of two parts — first, the heathen had the knowledge of the truth, Romans 1:19, Romans 1:20; and secondly, that they did not act according to it, Romans 1:21-23; assumes that the connection is rather with the last clause of Romans 1:18, and that something is implied here which is not expressed, and that the logical reference of διότι is to this omitted thought. They glorified him not as God - They did not “honor” him as God. Here are three degrees of ungodliness and of punishment: the first is described, Romans 1:21-24; the second, Romans 1:25-27; the third, in Romans 1:28, and following verses. Though this was not sufficient to save them, yet it was sufficient to save them without excuse. What was Paul’s prayer in behalf of the nation of Israel (Romans 10:1)? Some acknowledge God's being, but denied his providence; others owned his providence, but confined it, in its exercise to secondary causes. Ephesians 4:18.) They didn"t hold God in the high esteem that He deserves. Romans 1:19 declared that the light was really put within them. The soul which turns away from the knowledge of God is active in the turning away, but passive in the resultant descent into vanity and darkness, such a defector from the light becoming, in time, sub-human; because that part of his brain with which he should honor and glorify God becomes atrophied, hardened, insensible. Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Now viewing scripture range from the book of Romans chapter 1:18 through chapter 1:21... Romans Chapter 1. All people should take this to heart; because forsaking worship or neglecting the giving of thanks might be compared to the pebble cast loose from the top of a mountain that becomes a roaring avalanche to crush a city or a civilization beneath it. They had some natural notices of God implanted and imprinted in their minds, and such an additional knowledge of his being and attribute, as might be gained by an attentive study in the book of the creatures; but they rebelled against this light, and thereby contracted an aggravated guilt. The word καρδία, heart stands for the whole soul. Mr. Locke illustrates the next clause by the stupid folly and vanity of their idolatry. Take up and read!”b. Paul here marks what ought to be the true and just knowledge of God, namely, that knowledge which leads men to serve and worship Him in a manner agreeable to His sovereign will, and worthy of His holy character. When the youngster sat down at the table, he bowed his head and waited for someone to give thanks for the meal. In the form of the first aorist passive ἐσκοτίσθη, was darkened (as well as in the preceding aorist ἐματαιώθησαν), there is expressed the conviction of a divine dispensation, though still under the form of a natural law, whose penal application has fallen on them. What is important is what does the Word of God say concerning the matter. Glorified him not; did not honor and obey him as God. in contrast with this, Galatians 4:8 [when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which] by nature are no Gods.— θεὸν, God). Others acknowledged but one God, as Plato, Aristotle, &c.; but then they either denied his providence, as the Peripatetics, or tied him to second or inferior causes, as the Stoics. He plainly testifies here, that God has presented to the minds of all the means of knowing him, having so manifested himself by his works, that they must necessarily see what of themselves they seek not to know — that there is some God; for the world does not by chance exist, nor could it have proceeded from itself. Ин. in a bad sense: they became vain (idle, foolish) in their speculations. As Paul points out in Romans 1, people are enslaved to a “debased mind” (Rom. They stood not to their own principles (as, that there is one God only, that this God is to be worshipped, &c.), but were atheists by night that worshipped the sun, and atheists by day that worshipped the moon, as Cyril saith wittily. Peace with God Through Faith. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. but became vain — (compare Jeremiah 2:5). A very few, such as Plato and Aristotle, acknowledged one Supreme Being; but even these deprived him of his providence. The case is unhappily the same under any, even the clearest dispensation. Romans 1:21-23 NLT. Ver. became vain. a. They neither thought nor spoke honourably of him; nor did they where they thought their great wisdom lay: darkness is natural to Because, knowing God — For the wiser heathens did know that there was one supreme God; yet from low and base considerations they conformed to the idolatry of the vulgar. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. Because; either this must be referred to the words immediately foregoing, and then it is a reason why the Gentiles are inexcusable. Thus in the present instance, in Romans 1:19, Romans 1:20, he proved that the heathen had a knowledge of God which rendered them inexcusable, and then the fact that they were without excuse, is proved by showing that they did not act in accordance with the truth. Martyr and Clem. Bright flags of the nations of the world fly in the breezes off the river; the most prominent is the blue and white UN flag, its two white reeds of oliv… Learn thence, That the knowledge which we have of God and his attributes, if it do not engage us to honour, glorify, and worship him, suitable to his adorable perfections, it is vain and useless in God's account, and will but expose us to a more dreadful condemnation. То есть, Он так доказывает делами Свое существование, что люди с необходимостью видят то, чего по собственной воле не доискиваются, а именно: что есть некий Бог, ибо мир никак не мог возникнуть ни случайно, ни сам по себе. William Sanday and Rev. In this sense the word φασκειν is used by the best Greek writers. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. The word rendered "imaginations" is mostly used in a bad sense, and here refers to men's proud and restless dissatisfaction with the simple verities regarding God, which are "manifest in them," their cravings after something more satisfactory, and the thoughts, reasonings, or speculations to which these gave rise. It was confined to the philosophers; and not improbably one design of the mysteries celebrated throughout Greece was to keep up the knowledge of the one true God. διαλογισμοις, in their reasonings, disputations, discourses upon serious deliberation. True knowledge of God was not seen as convenient. He would have been thus raised from light to light; it would have been that way of knowing God by wisdom of which Paul speaks, 1 Corinthians 1:21. 21. The Epistle To The Romans 3 Called To Be Saints Romans 1:7 INTRODUCTION 1. What a terrible instance have we of this in the writings of Lucretius! They did not combine the facts which were patent to their observation. Yet the knowledge of this great truth was not communicated to the people. Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible. not adhere to him as the one and only God, nor honour him as the Now the heathens, though in their speculations they might speak of God in a certain way consistent with some of His attributes, as His unity, spirituality, power, wisdom, and goodness, yet never reduced this to practice. Paul’s letter to the *Romans. For the highest task of the understanding is to assert God freely, as He asserts Himself in His revelation. That a Creator God exists is evident. This is the culmination of the process: not worshipping and thanking God, although they knew Him, they became vain in their reasonings; this made their heart senseless, and thus it was darkened, deprived of the truth which it might have had (formerly had) from the light of nature. And by that knowledge and love of the Holy One, man’s whole nature was regulated in harmony with itself and with God. 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. (see Burton’s Moods and Tenses, § 411). We apply it to denote the affections. Isaiah 52:11 exactly as in LXX. Instead of opening himself to the action of the light, man withdrew from it his heart and will; instead of developing the truth, he quenched it. There may be here, besides, a reference to the knowledge of God which He communicated in the first promise after the fall, and again after the flood, but which, not liking to retain God in their knowledge, and being haters of God, mankind had lost. Итак, всякий имеющий представление о Боге уже должен восхвалять Его за вечность, премудрость, благость, праведность. The fact which renders them inexcusable is now stated. Romans 1:20. Was darkened. , in accordance with the conception of a judicial act, expresses the Divine purpose—that their bodies might be dishonoured among them. 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