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Category Archives: Spiritual Walk

The Law’s Purpose

04 Dec
The Law’s Purpose

We’re continuing Paul’s discussion of religious people in the book of Romans.  We’ve seen that even though they have the advantage of access to the Bible, they’re actually no better off than anyone else.

Now the apostle is concluding this subject.  He is about to give us the bottom line of the religious lifestyle without a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Romans 3:19

Paul is clear.  The law can only speak to those who choose to be under it.  If you choose to be under a set of religious rules, then it’s those very rules that will judge you.

What we need to understand is that God is not judging you.  It’s your own legalism that judges.

God has allowed this for a very special purpose.  He’s hoping that it will draw you to the freedom that’s only found in Christ.

The judgment of the law does two things.  First of all, it silences everyone.  Actually, the phrase, be silenced, literally means to be fenced in or blocked on every side.  Taken to its fullest measure, the law leaves no room for the excuses or justification that we like to give ourselves.

When confronted by our mistakes we usually start becoming defensive.  We give all the reasons why what we did was right at the time.  Unfortunately, the law is a cruel and heartless master.  It allows no way out.

The other part of the law is translated as held accountable, in the above verse.  That means to be already sentenced and under a “guilty” verdict.

With the law there is no appeals process.  As soon as you sin, you’re pronounced guilty.  No need for a trial – the law is supreme.

Why would anyone want to live in that type of environment?  Yet, there are many who do – both saved and unsaved.

Paul concludes this section with the only reason for the existence of the law.

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Romans 3:20

If you’re living under a set of religious rules hoping to prove to God how good you are, then I feel very sorry for you.  You’re destined for failure.

The law makes us conscious of what sin is.  Then, once we know about it, we’re responsible for the consequences of our failures.

The only purpose of the law is to prove to us just how impossible it is to please God by our own efforts.  It’s actually only the first step in a path toward salvation.

All of what’s written in the above post may sound pretty depressing.  It is…without the freedom and victory found only in the name of Jesus Christ.

From here on in the book of Roman’s, Paul will lay out for us the road to this freedom.  Don’t miss it.  Don’t stay stuck in the mire of legalism.  Lay hold of the life of freedom that the Lord purchased for you on the cross.

If you don’t yet subscribe to this blog, you may want to, so that you don’t miss this ongoing study.

Question: How have you been hurt by legalism?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 4, 2020 in Legalism, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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The Religious Problem

02 Dec
The Religious Problem

For the past few posts we’ve been looking at the advantage of religion.  That is, the advantage of having a basic knowledge of what the Bible says.  But is that enough?

Are you a better person in God’s eyes by being religious?

What shall we conclude then?  Are we any better?  Not at all!  We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.  As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

Romans 3:9-11

Here’s the problem.  Even though a religious person may appear to be better on the outside, without a relationship with Christ, they’re still lost.  Unfortunately, because they’re doing good things, they think that everything’s okay.

The fact remains that even though they may read the Bible, they have no understanding of God’s plan of salvation.  They’ve never laid hold of Christ’s forgiveness.  They think they’re headed in the right direction, but they’re outside the family of God.

Paul has some strong words for these people.

All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”

“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

“Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.”

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Romans 3:12-18

In my experience, I’ve found that religious people are the hardest ones to witness to.  They see all of their good works and think that’s enough to save them.

What they fail to understand is that sin is not an external problem.  It needs to be dealt with on the inside of all of us.

When we stand before God’s Judgment Seat, there’s no set of scales.  He will not see if our good works outweigh our evil deeds.  The only question at that time will be; did you bow your knees to Christ as Lord and Savior?

That being said, there’s another thing that we need to realize.  Not all religious people are unsaved.  I know this may come as a shock to some Christians.

There are many believers in so called religious denominations.  Yes, I’m talking about Roman Catholic and Orthodox type denominations.

Those of us in less religious groups should spend more time talking with them instead of judging them.  I have personally shared with hundreds in these religions.  I’ve found that many have the same precious faith that I do.

Please understand, they don’t have the same religious vocabulary that I have.  In spite of that, I’ve found that during their lives, they’ve prayed for Jesus Christ to enter their lives and change them.  They pray, in Jesus’ name, for God’s blessing upon their lives.

No, they may not use terms like “sinner’s prayer”, “born again”, or “getting saved.”  But I could tell by their heart-felt words that they have a deep rooted faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

We can’t just assume that because someone doesn’t worship like us, they’re not saved.  We need to evangelize those who are truly lost, without Christ.

Question: How did you first come to know about Christ?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 2, 2020 in Faith, Legalism, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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“I’m Only Human”

30 Nov
“I’m Only Human”

We’re continuing our look at Paul’s letter to the Roman church.  He’s speaking about those who think that following religious rules makes them better than others.

In my last post we saw that there’s an advantage to being religious.  At least you have access to the Scripture.  So, you have a foundation to eventually build your faith on.

Paul now talks about some arguments people have who think that their good works will save them.

But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say?  That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us?  (I am using a human argument.)  Certainly not!  If that were so, how could God judge the world?  Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”  Why not say — as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say — “Let us do evil that good may result”?  Their condemnation is deserved.

Romans 3:5-8

This is the problem with looking merely at good works.  We can’t judge by outward appearances.  It leads us to some wrong conclusions.

“I’m only human, so I’m not perfect.  That should bring out God’s perfection even clearer.  So, I shouldn’t be corrected when I do wrong.”  That’s a human argument that flies against the teaching of Scripture.

I’ve heard it said in many different forms, but it all comes down to the same theme.

“What do you expect, I’m not Jesus.”

“Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.”

“It doesn’t matter as long as you try your best.  God can’t judge you for that.”

“If I were God…”

All of these are based upon human logic and the desire to justify ourselves.  In reality, they fail to take into account the power of the Holy Spirit who wants to work in us.

The fact is that God is going to judge everyone based upon His righteousness.  It has nothing to do with what we, as human beings, think about as fair.

If we’re in Christ, then we receive the “not guilty” verdict because of His righteousness, not ours.  Without Christ, no matter how many good works we’ve accumulated, we’re condemned.

But that’s not the end of the story.  Even as believers we’ll be judged on our obedience.  That’s how our rewards, or lack thereof, will be determined.

That brings us to the second half of the above passage.  It’s the old saying that the ends justify the means.

It doesn’t matter how I accomplish it, as long as I get the right results.  Paul is clear.  That kind of thinking is condemned by the Lord.

I’ve seen this tactic used in many different ways throughout my years as a believer.  I’ve seen churches that have used prostitutes to attract the unsaved to hear the Gospel.  Others promised a big bank account if you come to Christ.

Paul goes through all of this because he’s trying to make a point.  There is an advantage to being religious – you have a basic understanding of who God is.  The problem is, what you do with this knowledge.

The important thing is to follow through on everything that the Bible teaches us.  We need the whole revelation of the Lord. 

Then we’ll rest upon the salvation that’s only found in the name of Jesus Christ.  After that, we’ll submit to the working of the Holy Spirit in us to perfect true righteousness and holiness in us.

Question: How has the Lord changed you since you accepted Him as your Lord?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 30, 2020 in Legalism, Power of God, Spiritual Walk

 

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Rules vs. Spirit

23 Nov
Rules vs. Spirit

In my last post we started to see that legalism is really a form of hypocrisy.  We’ll never be able to follow a set of rules, even if we’re the ones who came up with them.

Now Paul continues by talking about those who follow God without even knowing the rules.

Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.  If those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?  The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

Romans 2:25-27

Paul uses circumcision as a picture of following a law.  That’s because it was the outward sign of the covenant for the Jews.  No God-fearing Jew would ever let their infant go without being circumcised.

The problem is that you can have the sign of the covenant without obeying the terms of the covenant.

A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.  No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.

Romans 2:28-29

It’s not enough to only deal with the outward.  Our outside will never permanently change unless we have a change of heart. The problem is that our heart itself is very deceptive. We can’t always trust what we’re feeling.

That’s why true change can never be imposed upon us from the outside, by the written code. It must come from the inside, by the power of the spirit. Isn’t it great to know that your spirit can change your heart?

It’s important to know that, right from the start, Paul explains that change is by the Spirit and not by following rules.  Even something like circumcision, which was a part of God’s law to the Jews, has no power to bring about change.

In this letter to the Romans, Paul is bringing us to the realization that we can only serve God acceptably through the spirit.  It’s something that’s consistent through all his writings.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Galatians 5:16

Understanding the power of prayer in the spirit should give us insight into what this verse is actually saying. Many times, when people quote this verse, they’re using it as a weapon.

I’ve heard people say things like, “Look at how that person lives, and they call themselves a Christian. They’re walking in their flesh so they must not have the Holy Spirit in them. They can’t really be saved.”

This isn’t a verse that Paul gave us to test whether a person is saved or not. This is a passage of Scripture to tell us how to receive the power we need to walk in victory over the flesh. The only way you’ll have the power you need to not gratify the flesh, is to live your life in the spirit.

You cannot do it by exercising the will power of your soul, or even disciplining your body. This means that you spend time praying in the spirit, communing with God in the realm of the spirit. That’s where we access the power to overcome the desires of the flesh.

It’s never about following rules.  It’s always about submitting to the Holy Spirit.

Question: Why is it impossible for us to simply follow a set of rules?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 23, 2020 in Legalism, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Religion is the Problem

20 Nov
Religion is the Problem

We’re continuing to go through Paul’s letter to the Roman church. As we do so, we’re beginning to understand the problem of religion without a relationship with Christ.

Paul now asks some important questions for those who are self-righteous.

…you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?  You who preach against stealing, do you steal?  You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?  You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

Romans 2:21-23

Remember what I mean by self-righteous religious people.  I’m talking about those who have developed a set of rules that they think makes them better than everyone else.

One of the biggest problems is that these folks have a double standard.  They understand the weakness and imperfection of their own humanity.  So they judge themselves based upon their intentions.  They want to do the right things.

But when it comes to others they have a different way of seeing things.  They’ll judge you based upon what they see you do, regardless of your intentions.

That’s why Paul starts with a question about their desire to teach others.  Do you teach the same standard to yourself that you hold up for others?  Do you sin internally, while publically judging others for the same type of outward sin?

Religion gives the false impression that God grades on a curve.  They think that as long as my good works outweigh my bad works, I’m okay in God’s eyes.  Unfortunately, they forget one simple spiritual truth.

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.”  If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

James 2:10-11

This is a major principle of the law.  It only takes one sin to makes you a sinner.  You only need to break one law to become a lawbreaker.  That’s why we all need the Savior.

A type of movie that I enjoy watching is the organized crime (mafia) movie.  I find it interesting that many of these crime bosses are deeply religious.  They go to confession and give a great deal of money to their church.

They think that they’re okay.  Their good works outweigh the bad.  Religion lulls them into a false sense of security.

That’s why religion is the problem.  It gives the world a bad view of Jesus Christ and Christianity.

As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Romans 2:24

The word, blasphemed, means to vilify or speak bad about.  The actual statement Paul makes is that God’s name is vilified through you.

Who is it that’s actually profaning the name of God?  It’s the holier-than-thou religious people that the world is watching.  They say, “These people think they’re better than us simply because they go to church.”

People in the world aren’t stupid.  They see the double standard.  They see the hypocrisy.  It causes them to write off true Christianity.

As much as we’re able, we need to live for Christ according to Scriptural principles.  That’s what Paul is leading up to in this letter.  Be a true follower of Christ in this world.

Question: How do you stay clean from the hypocrisy of religion?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 20, 2020 in Legalism, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Form of Religion

18 Nov
The Form of Religion

In my last post we started looking at Paul’s view of religious people.  We saw that it’s foolish to rest on a set of rules rather than the work of the Holy Spirit.

Paul continues…

…if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth…

Romans 2:19-20

Remember, when talking about religious people, I’m referring to those who choose religion over relationship with Christ.  They’ve convinced themselves about a number of things.

They see their lifestyle as superior to those around them.  They view others as blind, in the dark, mindless, and infantile.  On the other hand they view themselves as a guide, a light, an instructor, and a teacher.

That’s the unfortunate attitude of legalism.  By constantly judging the lives of others, you have a huge blind spot concerning your own walk.

Let me say this to all the godly teachers reading this.  There’s nothing wrong with being called to teach or guide others into the truth.  It’s all about your attitude.

My calling is to be a pastor and teacher in the body of Christ.  But, I’ve learned over the years that there’s a fine line that I have to walk.

My job is to help people to know and understand God’s Word.  I endeavor to show how the Scripture applies to your life.

That’s as far as it goes.  I have to realize that I cannot change anybody’s life.  It’s the job of the Holy Spirit to do that.  If anyone is blessed, it’s because of the Lord working in their life through the Word.

I might be the one you see speaking or writing.  But, I want it to be the Spirit teaching and guiding you.  Like I said, it’s all about the attitude.

However, I think there’s an important point that we miss in the above passage.  It has to do with the words that were used in translation.

When Paul says, you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, it gives the wrong impression.  The word, embodiment, is actually a word that means a form or appearance.  Following a set of rules only appears to be a logical way to serve God.

Unfortunately, we’re told that it’s not the best way.  In talking about what people would be like in the last days, Paul makes this comment about them.

…having a form of godliness but denying its power.  Have nothing to do with them.

2 Timothy 3:5

Simply following a set of religious rules is a form without the substance.  These rules are like a jail cell.  Can we say that a car thief has changed just because he’s in jail?  Absolutely not!  It’s just that there are no cars available for him to steal.

It’s the same with a set of rules.  As long as my will-power is intact, it appears that I’ve changed.  However, when opportunity and weakness get the better of me, I show what’s really on the inside.  I need the true change that only comes from the work of the Holy Spirit in me.

Don’t allow empty religion to get the better of you.  Spend some time becoming more intimate with the Lord through His Holy Spirit.

Question: how do you overcome the temptation to be religious?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2020 in Legalism, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Religion vs. Relationship

16 Nov
Religion vs. Relationship

We’re continuing our walk through the book of Romans.  In my last post we finished the section where Paul is talking to those without Christ.

He now shifts gears and begins talking to the Jews who have not yet received Christ as their Messiah.  In our generation, this part of Romans would deal with religious people who don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The apostle has some very strong words for the religious community.  He starts by describing who he’s talking to.

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law…

Romans 2:17-18

The first thing we see is a kind of dichotomy.  One mark of being religious is that you rest on the law – a set of rules for living – yet you brag about God.  Instead, the most important thing is to get to know God on a personal level.

But it’s the way a religious person follows the rules that’s the most telling.  The next phrase, approve of what is superior, implies that you’re only following what you consider to be the best rules.

That’s the problem with legalism.  Usually, when you make yourself a set of religious rules, you only include the ones you’re comfortable with.  You have your own approval system that tells you what rules you’ll accept or reject.

An ongoing relationship with Christ through His Holy Spirit, however, will bring about a change.  It will change your heart, your mind, and your actions.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

This should be the goal of my life in God’s kingdom.  Instead, religion only deals with how well I’m following the set of rules I’ve established.

That’s why relationship always wins over religion.  It’s how we grow and mature.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ…

Philippians 1:9-10

It’s through our relationship with Christ that we discern the best way to please Him.  Rules will only take you so far.

I want to know how to live right now, in this point in time.  There are things taking place that have never happened before in recent history.  Without the discerning of the Holy Spirit, I’ll be as confused as the rest of society without Christ.

We’re living in dangerous times.  Playing church isn’t going to bring us through it successfully.  We need a strong, intimate relationship with the only One who knows how to navigate the future.

It’s time to put religion aside and concentrate on strengthening your relationship with the Lord.

Question: What are you doing to bring your relationship with Christ to the next level?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 16, 2020 in Legalism, Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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How Did We Get Here?

06 Nov
How Did We Get Here?

We’re continuing to look at Paul’s view of Christless society in the book of Romans.  He’s talking about those who have refused the knowledge of God.

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

Romans 1:28

This is an interesting verse.  It literally says that these people did not approve of God in their knowledge.  They know what God would require of them, so they would just rather not think about Him.

Because of this, God yielded to their wishes and allowed them to operate with a worthless way of thinking.  This is the cause of what we see in our society right now.

Simply put, the knowledge of God is not politically correct.  As soon as we start talking about God’s way of doing things, those who have rejected God try to shut us down.  It seems like we can tolerate any belief system except Christianity.

What we get as a result, is a society that looks just like what Paul describes here.

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.  Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans 1:29-32

I don’t think I need to describe each of these things individually.  You get the point.  But I do want to talk about a couple of them that I think are very applicable to our generation.

The first is envy.  We live in a very envious society.  That’s the basis of our advertising industry.  They show us what others have and what we should want.  Then we spend money we don’t have to buy things we don’t need.

Another area is deceit.  This is rampant in our day.  Now that I’m a senior, I get many annoying phone calls.  People call, who claim to be the IRS, police, or other government agencies, who are scammers just trying to get me to give them cash.

Another big issue is God-haters.  In my experience, there are very few true atheists.  I, personally, have never met a true atheist.  What do I mean by that?

I think a true atheist is someone who put all the facts together and came to a conclusion that there’s no God.  Instead, what we see are people who look at the hurt that they or others have gone through.  Then, as a result, conclude that they can’t believe in a God who would allow that to happen.

I’ve even talked with a nationally known atheist.  But it was clear from the conversation that she was a God-hater rather than a true atheist.  There are many in that condition, who simply like the label of “atheist”.

In all of this, I think it’s the last phrase that says it all.  Those who do things that are obviously wrong are approved and applauded.  That’s the basis of much of our entertainment industry.

Just look at the TV shows and movies we watch, the music we listen to, and the gaming scenarios we participate in.  Many of them promote, or allow, a celebration of evil actions.  Murder, hatred, and the occult are the themes in much of our cultural activities.

As Christians, we need to be careful to continually guard our spirits.  Spending time in the presence of the Holy Spirit is needed to keep ourselves clean from the sin that’s all around us.  We must be the light of Christ shining in our darkened society.

Question: How do you keep yourself set apart to God in this culture?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 6, 2020 in Ministry, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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God’s View of a Sinful World

04 Nov
God’s View of a Sinful World

I’m continuing to go through Paul’s letter to the Roman church.  We’re now about to enter one of the most controversial sections.  I have to be careful in how I explain it.

This passage of Scripture is not controversial because we argue over what it means.  On the contrary, the meaning of the words is very clear.  We argue over whether or not to believe it as God’s Word.

Personally, I choose to believe everything in the Bible as written.  That being said, I also believe that there’s no place in the Christian life for self-righteous hatred, bigotry, or condemnation.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

Romans 1:26-27

The first thing to note is what this passage is and is not saying.  Too many Christians grab this verse and run with it to attack others. That’s not the purpose.

We have to remember that everything in Scripture is based in God’s unfailing love.  There’s no one outside of God’s love.

Even in this section I see the grace and patience of the Lord.  There’s a phrase that’s repeated three times – here, in verse 24 (which we looked at in the last post), and in verse 28.  It reads, God gave them over.

That literally means that God surrendered or yielded to their desires.  In other words, God allows us to do what we want to do.  He doesn’t stop us, even if we head in a wrong direction.  He gives us the freedom to choose our own path.

Another issue we need to understand is that sin is about actions and not desire.  In my flesh, I may want to do wrong, but the spiritual battle isn’t over until a final decision is made.

Of course, that brings me to an important point…what exactly is sin?  When people hear that word they immediately think, “Evil”.  But the truth is that sin isn’t always evil or bad.

The literal definition of sin in both the Old and New Testaments is to miss the mark.  God holds up the ideal of the perfect life.  We strive to reach it.  But, when we miss God’s best, even by a little, that’s sin.

The Bible is clear that all sin is the same in God’s eyes.  It all comes with the spiritual death penalty.  There’s no grading on a curve.  A white lie and murder are equal before the Lord.  That’s why we need a Savior who carried all of our sin to the cross.

As human beings we like to assign different values of severity to sin.  We think some are worse than others.  Because of this, we’ll vocally attack some lifestyle choices, while we nurture others.

Case in point – before the pandemic you would have to stand in line to get in a buffet restaurant on a Sunday after church services conclude.  We would happily join someone with a gluttonous lifestyle, as they satisfy that craving.  (I can say that because this is one of my personal battles I’m trying to overcome in my life.)

Finally, we have to realize that we’re all under God’s grace.  There’s no condemnation until the final judgment when Christ returns.

STD’s are not God’s judgment on alternate lifestyles.  Just as heart disease and cancer aren’t God’s judgments on overeaters and smokers.

Yes, as Christians we need to know what actions the Bible labels as sin.  But we also need to walk in the love and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.  That’s what our dark society needs right now.

Question: How do you show Christ’s love to those who are not living by God’s standards?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 4, 2020 in Spiritual Walk

 

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Dark Thinking

02 Nov
Dark Thinking

In my last post, I began looking at Paul’s view of society without Christ.  He also made the point that God’s character is seen through His creation.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

As a believer who loves the outdoors, this verse excites me.  To see the beauty of a mountain vista, fall colors, lake, sky, and wind.  They all combine together to give a sense of awe and wonder.  All of Creation seems to cry out that it’s the work of someone vastly more intelligent and powerful than you or I.

But that’s not how it is for everybody.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Romans 1:21-23

This passage reminds us that not everyone credits God for His work.  There are those who see a vastly different picture.  As I said in my last post, evolution and chance are the gods of this world.  There are many people who overlook the obvious in order to avoid giving account of themselves to God.

The fact remains that God has revealed Himself in the context of His Creation.  This is why society does not seek understanding even though it’s the most important issue of life.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Romans 1:24-25

The problem is that understanding brings with it the desire to know God.  So, in order to deflect this knowledge, man has decided to worship creation rather than the Creator.

You may think that this section of Scripture is outdated.  People don’t worship images in the shape of humans or animals anymore.  But is that really the case?

We need to see the definition of the word, worship.  It means the act or feeling of adoration or homage.  It involves the giving of deference, respect or honor to someone or something.

Just because our modern idols are not statues of silver and gold doesn’t mean they don’t exist.  In our society, we worship athletes, entertainers, educators, politicians, and chefs to name a few.  We even have a popular show called American Idol. 

According to the verses above, this mindset causes us to walk in foolish and empty reasoning.  We end up worshiping things that are temporary and decaying.

Without Christ, we make a very foolish exchange.  We give up the glory of a powerful and eternal God for things that will never satisfy or last forever.

The worst part is that there are many Christians who are running after these same things.  They don’t understand that true satisfaction and fulfillment can only be found in the center of God’s will for them.

Make it your goal to seek the eternal.  Spend time getting to know the God of Creation through your relationship with Christ.

Question: What is the focus of worship in your life?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 2, 2020 in Creation, Spiritual Walk, Worship

 

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