"Rom 1:18-25 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (19) For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. (20) For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (21) 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. (22) Claiming to be wise, they became fools, (23) and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (24) Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, (25) because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen."
We have this disease of sin that is killing us. No one likes to talk about it and it is of course unpleasant. Cancer is that way too. But if I went to the Dr. and he ran some tests discovering I had cancer, I would want to know. I would not consider it a kindness if he was more concerned about my feelings and wanting me to like him that he reported only a common cold. That would not be a kindness, because I would go home and die in my cancer. If he would tell me, of course I would hat the news but then I could start seeking help. Sin is this way. We must properly understand the disease in order to appreciate or seek its cure.
Sin is described in the above passage as ungodliness, unrighteousness, suppressing truth, refusing to honor or give thanks to God, though they consider themselves wise they have futile thinking with foolish and darkened hearts. The outpouring of that heart was to exchange God for that which he made in various ways. The Bible describes mans condition falling into sin in Gen 3 but for this discussion let this be about you and me...not just relegated to our anciant ancestors. When we leave God out of life, dismiss his righteous requirements, reject and twist truth, elevating ourselves not humbling ourselves we see foolish darkened hearts within. It is an important distinction to consider that "we sin because we are sinners" not the other way around. We don't become sinners at the point of our first sin, our first sin flows from a sinful heart.
This is why a life of reforming our behavioral will never deal with the disease accurately understood. God is not angry that we are doing bad things but that we are bad people. Tomorrow I want to examine the second part of the quote I started with. Does me being bad really make God mad?
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