Suppressing Truth: The Consequences of Idolatry and Pride
Summary
In our exploration of Romans, we delve into the profound truth that God's wrath is revealed against humanity due to sin's nature—ungodliness and unrighteousness—and because humanity has deliberately suppressed the truth. God has made Himself known through creation, providence, and history, leaving humanity without excuse. Yet, in pride, wickedness, and spiritual blindness, people have resisted this truth. Humanity's pride leads them to profess wisdom, yet they become fools, delighting in sin and losing spiritual understanding.
The Apostle Paul outlines how humanity suppresses the truth. First, by not glorifying God as God, despite the clear evidence of His eternal power and divine nature in creation. Humanity fails to give God His rightful place, living instead for their own glory. Second, by being unthankful, taking God's mercies for granted, and failing to acknowledge His providence. Third, by not retaining God in their knowledge, essentially rejecting Him after testing and examining Him. This rejection is a deliberate choice, reflecting a heart that does not approve of God.
Furthermore, humanity has exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for images resembling corruptible man and creatures. This idolatry is a lie, a distortion of the truth about God, reducing His infinite majesty to comprehensible and controllable forms. This is evident in mythology, superstition, and idolatry, where the creature is worshiped more than the Creator. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that any attempt to represent God through images detracts from His glory.
In our modern context, this suppression of truth manifests in substituting personal ideas for God's revelation. We must approach Scripture with humility, seeking illumination from the Holy Spirit, and not allowing our prejudices to overshadow God's truth. The Apostle's spontaneous "Amen" in the text reminds us of the reverence due to God's name, urging us to worship and praise Him with godly fear.
Key Takeaways:
- Humanity's suppression of truth stems from pride, wickedness, and spiritual blindness. Despite God's revelation through creation, people resist acknowledging Him, leading to a life devoid of true wisdom and understanding. [01:25]
- The failure to glorify God and be thankful reflects a heart that takes God's mercies for granted. Recognizing God's providence in our lives should lead us to gratitude and worship, acknowledging Him as the source of every good gift. [05:49]
- Rejecting God after examining Him reveals a heart that does not approve of Him. This deliberate choice to set God aside is a profound spiritual tragedy, highlighting the need for humility and reverence in our approach to God. [07:23]
- Idolatry and mythology are lies that distort the truth about God. By creating gods in our image, we deny God's infinite majesty and glory, substituting our ideas for His revelation. This is a call to return to the truth of Scripture. [15:17]
- Approaching Scripture with humility and reverence is essential. We must seek the Holy Spirit's illumination, allowing God's revelation to shape our understanding, rather than imposing our ideas on His truth. [21:49]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:54] - The Wrath of God Revealed
[01:25] - Suppression of Truth
[02:33] - Attitude Towards God
[03:26] - Failure to Glorify God
[05:31] - Ingratitude and Unthankfulness
[07:08] - Rejecting God
[09:55] - Ignoring God's Judgment
[11:25] - Creating False Gods
[12:49] - Exchanging Truth for a Lie
[15:17] - Mythology and Idolatry
[18:10] - Reverence for God's Name
[20:12] - Creature Before Creator
[21:49] - Humility Before Scripture
[23:54] - Consequences of Suppressing Truth
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Romans 1:18-25
- Psalm 19:1-4
- Psalm 104
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Romans 1:18-25, how does Paul describe humanity's response to God's revelation through creation? [01:09]
2. What are the three reasons Paul gives for why humanity suppresses the truth about God? [01:41]
3. How does the sermon describe the way humanity has exchanged the glory of God for images? [12:31]
4. In Psalm 19:1-4, how is God's glory revealed through creation, and how does this relate to the sermon’s message about humanity's failure to glorify God? [04:22]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean for humanity to "profess wisdom" yet become fools, as described in Romans 1:22? How does this relate to the sermon’s discussion on pride and spiritual blindness? [01:58]
2. How does the sermon explain the concept of idolatry in the modern context, and what are some examples given? [12:49]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that humanity's rejection of God is a deliberate choice? How does this choice reflect a heart that does not approve of God? [07:23]
4. How does the sermon emphasize the importance of approaching Scripture with humility and reverence? What role does the Holy Spirit play in this process? [21:49]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you may have taken God's mercies for granted. How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude and thankfulness in your daily life? [05:49]
2. The sermon discusses the danger of substituting personal ideas for God's revelation. Are there areas in your life where you might be doing this? How can you align your understanding with Scripture? [21:49]
3. Consider the ways in which modern society creates "idols" that detract from God's glory. What are some "idols" in your life that you need to address? [15:17]
4. How can you ensure that you are not suppressing the truth about God in your own life? What steps can you take to acknowledge and glorify God more fully? [01:25]
5. The sermon highlights the importance of humility before Scripture. How can you practice this humility in your Bible study and prayer life? [21:49]
6. Think about a time when you may have resisted acknowledging God's presence or authority. What changes can you make to be more open to His guidance? [09:22]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of reverence and godly fear in your worship and daily interactions with God? [19:42]
Devotional
Day 1: Pride and Spiritual Blindness Lead to Foolishness
Humanity's suppression of truth stems from pride, wickedness, and spiritual blindness. Despite God's revelation through creation, people resist acknowledging Him, leading to a life devoid of true wisdom and understanding. This resistance is not due to a lack of evidence but a deliberate choice to ignore the truth. The Apostle Paul highlights that this suppression results in a distorted view of wisdom, where people, in their pride, claim to be wise but become fools. This foolishness is evident in the delight in sin and the loss of spiritual understanding. The call is to recognize this pride and seek true wisdom that comes from acknowledging God. [01:25]
Romans 1:21-22 (ESV): "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself resisting God's truth due to pride? How can you begin to seek His wisdom today?
Day 2: Gratitude as a Response to God's Providence
The failure to glorify God and be thankful reflects a heart that takes God's mercies for granted. Recognizing God's providence in our lives should lead us to gratitude and worship, acknowledging Him as the source of every good gift. This gratitude is not just a feeling but an active response to God's continuous provision and care. By being thankful, we align our hearts with God's will and open ourselves to His blessings. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that ingratitude is a sign of spiritual blindness, and cultivating a heart of thankfulness is essential for spiritual growth. [05:49]
James 1:17 (ESV): "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
Reflection: What are three specific things you can thank God for today, acknowledging His providence in your life?
Day 3: The Tragedy of Rejecting God
Rejecting God after examining Him reveals a heart that does not approve of Him. This deliberate choice to set God aside is a profound spiritual tragedy, highlighting the need for humility and reverence in our approach to God. The Apostle Paul points out that this rejection is not due to a lack of evidence but a willful decision to ignore God's truth. It is a call to examine our hearts and ensure that we are not rejecting God in any area of our lives. By embracing humility, we open ourselves to God's transformative power and wisdom. [07:23]
Hebrews 3:12 (ESV): "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God."
Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you have been rejecting God's guidance? How can you invite Him into that area today?
Day 4: The Danger of Idolatry and Mythology
Idolatry and mythology are lies that distort the truth about God. By creating gods in our image, we deny God's infinite majesty and glory, substituting our ideas for His revelation. This is a call to return to the truth of Scripture, where God's true nature is revealed. The Apostle Paul warns against the dangers of idolatry, which leads to a distorted understanding of God and a life that is not aligned with His will. By recognizing and rejecting these false images, we can embrace the fullness of God's glory and majesty. [15:17]
Isaiah 44:20 (ESV): "He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'"
Reflection: Are there any "idols" or false beliefs you have been holding onto? How can you replace them with the truth of God's Word today?
Day 5: Humility Before Scripture
Approaching Scripture with humility and reverence is essential. We must seek the Holy Spirit's illumination, allowing God's revelation to shape our understanding, rather than imposing our ideas on His truth. The Apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of humility in our approach to God's Word, recognizing that our understanding is limited and that we need the Holy Spirit to guide us. By approaching Scripture with an open heart, we allow God to transform our minds and align our lives with His will. [21:49]
Psalm 119:18 (ESV): "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law."
Reflection: How can you intentionally approach your Bible reading with humility this week, allowing God to speak to you through His Word?
Quotes
In our exploration of Romans, we delve into the profound truth that God's wrath is revealed against humanity due to sin's nature—ungodliness and unrighteousness—and because humanity has deliberately suppressed the truth. God has made Himself known through creation, providence, and history, leaving humanity without excuse. Yet, in pride, wickedness, and spiritual blindness, people have resisted this truth. Humanity's pride leads them to profess wisdom, yet they become fools, delighting in sin and losing spiritual understanding. [00:00:39]
The Apostle Paul outlines how humanity suppresses the truth. First, by not glorifying God as God, despite the clear evidence of His eternal power and divine nature in creation. Humanity fails to give God His rightful place, living instead for their own glory. Second, by being unthankful, taking God's mercies for granted, and failing to acknowledge His providence. Third, by not retaining God in their knowledge, essentially rejecting Him after testing and examining Him. This rejection is a deliberate choice, reflecting a heart that does not approve of God. [00:02:33]
Furthermore, humanity has exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for images resembling corruptible man and creatures. This idolatry is a lie, a distortion of the truth about God, reducing His infinite majesty to comprehensible and controllable forms. This is evident in mythology, superstition, and idolatry, where the creature is worshiped more than the Creator. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that any attempt to represent God through images detracts from His glory. [00:12:49]
In our modern context, this suppression of truth manifests in substituting personal ideas for God's revelation. We must approach Scripture with humility, seeking illumination from the Holy Spirit, and not allowing our prejudices to overshadow God's truth. The Apostle's spontaneous "Amen" in the text reminds us of the reverence due to God's name, urging us to worship and praise Him with godly fear. [00:21:49]
Humanity's suppression of truth stems from pride, wickedness, and spiritual blindness. Despite God's revelation through creation, people resist acknowledging Him, leading to a life devoid of true wisdom and understanding. [00:01:25]
The failure to glorify God and be thankful reflects a heart that takes God's mercies for granted. Recognizing God's providence in our lives should lead us to gratitude and worship, acknowledging Him as the source of every good gift. [00:05:49]
Rejecting God after examining Him reveals a heart that does not approve of Him. This deliberate choice to set God aside is a profound spiritual tragedy, highlighting the need for humility and reverence in our approach to God. [00:07:23]
Idolatry and mythology are lies that distort the truth about God. By creating gods in our image, we deny God's infinite majesty and glory, substituting our ideas for His revelation. This is a call to return to the truth of Scripture. [00:15:17]
Approaching Scripture with humility and reverence is essential. We must seek the Holy Spirit's illumination, allowing God's revelation to shape our understanding, rather than imposing our ideas on His truth. [00:21:49]
The Apostle Paul wrote this remember 1900 years ago but you see what a perfect description it is of mankind this evening how interesting to have a discussion about religion and to talk about God should God do this or shouldn't he do that and what I think about God they examined God and reject him they did not like to retain him in their knowledge what an appalling State what a terrible condition that is the state of men kind in sin they did not think it worth their while to retain God in their knowledge they deliberately put him on one side and it is still what men does in sin. [00:09:55]
They change the truth of God he says into a lie what he means is that they have turned what is the truth about God into something that they think is the truth which is actually not truth in other words it is a lie what's he referring to well he's referring if you like to mythology All Greek mythology and other mythologies and so on with their talk about Gods all that's the thing the Apostle has got in his mind here and in addition to that superstitions and all the various forms of idolatry and of course in doing all this you see they have been putting the creature before the Creator himself. [00:15:17]
Let us I say therefore always approach the word of God with reverence and with humility let us never come to it or read it without praying to be illuminated by the holy spirit let us come to learn not to have our own prejudices confirmed or to turn something down let us come I say with open mouth let us receive the word lest in our modern fashion we may be guilty of this very thing with which the Apostle charges those people of ancient time and above all I say let us ever as we think of him and talk about him remember who he is and what he is we forget that sometimes don't we. [00:21:49]
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