Hope for Home, Liberia: Romans Devotional #8: They Betrayed God

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" (Romans 1:19-23).

Their Sin:

The focus of chapter 1 is on "their" sin. The words they, them, their, and themselves are mentioned 25 times in the 13 verses of Romans 1:19-32. Contrast this with the 35 times the words you, your, and yourself are mentioned in chapter 2. To gain a full understanding of sin, it is important for us to apply all that we read in chapter 1 to "them" and chapter 2 to "yourself."

In the Old Testament there was a famous king named David. David's greatest failure was his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, resulting in her pregnancy The king used everything at his disposal to cover his sin. After exhausting all other means, David arranged to have Bathsheba's husband killed. Following Uriah's death, David married Bathsheba and thought his troubles were behind him. That was, until God spoke to the prophet Nathan.

God gave Nathan the assignment of confronting the king's sin. Nathan was very wise in how he spoke to David. Nathan told David a story of someone else's sin before confronting David's sin. When King David heard the story of a rich man's cruelty toward a peasant, David's anger flared and he demanded the rich man be brought to justice. David's judgment opened the door for Nathan to say these heart chilling words, "David, you are that man" (2 Samuel 12:7).

Nathan was wise. He understood human nature. He knew it would be easier for David to see sin in another person than it would be to see his own sin. Ultimately, Nathan helped David see his own sin by looking first at someone else's sin.

While confronting sin, Paul skillfully used Nathan's strategy in the book of Romans by talking about "their" sin in chapter 1 before talking about "your" sin in chapter 2. So, for now, you are off the hook. There is no need to become defensive nor to live in denial as you read chapter 1. Chapter 1 is not about you. Read chapter 1 the same as you would read a tabloid that exposes other people's secret sins. Watch from a distance and see what happens as wicked people interact with a holy, sinless God. By the end of chapter 1, you will likely think to yourself, "Wow, those people are truly messed up."

They betrayed God:

While addressing sin, "They are without excuse," were the first words written from the divinely inspired pen of Paul. If Romans 1 were a movie, the music would be chilling as the words,"no excuse" spill out of the mouth of God. God would then turn, looking into their eyes, while shaking His head, saying softly, "You have no excuse because you knew me. I made myself known to you."

Betrayal, is the first sin "they" were guilty of. Verse 19 makes it clear that God chased them like a passionate lover, revealing everything that could be known about Himself. Everywhere "they" looked they were surrounded by revelations of God's invisible attributes, eternal power and divine nature. God revealed these things to them through creation. Revelations of God endlessly blared out of creation like a large sound system playing at full volume.

They knew God intimately:

"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him" (Romans 1:21).

Romans 1:21 shows the depth of their betrayal by revealing how well they knew God. The Greek word "knew" in verse 21 is the same word used to describe Mary and Joseph's relationship in Matthew 1:25.

"When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus" (Matthew 1:24-25).

Their betrayal was serious. Their knowledge of God was not casual but intimate. God was more than friendly toward them, yet they rejected Him for another lover. As a result, their minds became full of worthless thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. This is the greatest betrayal known to man. God created the world and gave it as a home to His lover. In response, His lover worshiped and served God's creation while rejecting Him.

You may ask, "How did they know God intimately?" Let me ask you a few questions, the breath they breathed, who gave it to them? Who kept their heart beating? Who sent rain on their fields so they could eat? Who watched over them while they slept and woke them in a new day? They were completely dependent upon God for every aspect of their lives yet they gave God the one finger salute as they chased other lovers. They used the very breath God gave them to curse God. God's love is amazing. While cursing God, He kept their hearts beating and continued to give them the breath of life. They are truly without excuse.

Examine the picture:

We are in the process of creating new pictures for the remainder of this chapter. For now, I will share the pictures we are currently using. Look at the picture at the top of this post. The message of this picture is, they are without excuse because they know God through His creation.

The picture we are painting keeps this theme but adds in the idea of betrayal. Once the picture is finished, I will share it with you. Like the picture above, the background will show God's creation. The picture's focal point, however, will be different. It will be of a Liberian woman dressed in her wedding gown, throwing away her wedding ring, walking away from Jesus as He chases her.

Mark your Bible:

1. Above chapter 1, write these words, "They are under sin." This will remind you that Chapter 1 is about "their" sin.

2. Next to Romans 1:19 write these words, "They are without excuse, they knew and betrayed God."

3. Underline the word knew in Romans 1:21. Write, "Matthew 1:24-25" next to the verse to remind you that they knew God intimately.

Prayer to pray:

Thank You for loving me. Thank You for chasing after me when I am rebellious. You are a passionate lover. Thank you for sustaining me even when I have been unfaithful. I repent. There is none like You! Please forgive my sins and lead me through this day.

Review:

Chapter Summary Picture: They are under sin