Suppressing Truth: The Consequences of Idolatry and Pride

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]