The Bible to have any meaning for life must be believed and the principles put into daily practice. A lot of people don’t believe that God has any relevance to their life. This Bible lesson applies the truth and principles of scripture to a real world event, a letter in which the writer denies any value to believing in God.

In the Roman letter Paul addressed a problem that afflicted the world then and it also applies to today and particularly so in the United States. He wrote:  [Rom 1:18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; [Rom 1:19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. [Rom 1:20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: [Rom 1:21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [Rom 1:22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, [Rom 1:23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. [Rom 1:24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: [Rom 1:25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. These verses tell us plainly that God’s wrath against ungodliness can be known and there is no excuse for not knowing God and his ways. Also Paul wrote that God gave up the people to the evil of their ways because, [Rom 1:22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and that mentality continues rampant in this nation as the years fly by.

The United States was founded by men who believed in God and no amount of nay saying can change the truth anymore than nay saying can change the truth of God and yet, the “enlightened try to do so. In a letter to a news paper, the writer wrote that the Bible was a flawed document whose only values are historical and metaphorical. The writer disparaged the authors of the gospels and by saying they published their own versions of the tale and thus there were conflicts in the gospel accounts. In Matthew we find: [Mat 12:34] O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh [Mat 12:35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. [Mat 12:36] But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. [Mat 12:37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Although Jesus was speaking to those (Pharisees) of his day that didn’t honor God and rejected him (Jesus), the same principles expressed apply to those of today who hold the same attitude as that of the Pharisees.

 A claim is made that God can’t be known to be merciful or wrathful. Does not the death of Jesus on our behalf show mercy and does it not show his wrath at sin?  [Rom 5:8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [Rom 5:9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [Rom 5:10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [Rom 5:11] And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.  To argue that we can’t know God’s mercy or wrath is to say that Jesus died in vain and might even go so far as to say the story of sin and Jesus is but a fairy tale.

Twice in I John, John uses the words may know. [1 John 5:13] These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of  God. And [1 John 5:20] And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. The writer of the letter says God hasn’t made any attempt to prove anything after saying he has studied the Bible for 27 years. [Rom 1:22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, the letter writer included. [Heb 10:31] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And as an additional reminder, [2 Cor 5:7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) and not by sight.  

© 07-02-2006 DEC

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