January 12 Click on verses for Full Scripture	previous - - - - - - - - - - next
Today's Pathway: Romans 1:21-23 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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 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.

Over the past two days we have seen that both nature and conscience show men the reality that there is a God Who created them and Who is angry about the sins that they commit. Because they know this, they are without excuse as far as being reconciled to God is concerned, even if they have not heard the name of Jesus. How can this be? It is because they have made no attempt to find out about the God that they know exists. They know that He is there, but rather than seek to follow Him they create idols and worship them. Or they worship aspects of God's creation rather than worshiping the God Who created all things. Today we encounter "religious" people who want to follow some god that they have created in their own minds, but they aren't interested in knowing the God Who created them. Paul says this is very foolish and vain, and their unbelief in the true God, that they know exists, condemns them.

The Bible teaches that if men truly want to know God, He will show Himself to them. In Acts 17, Paul preaches in Athens. That city was filled with idolatry, and one of the altars was dedicated to "The Unknown God". In verses 23-26 Paul tells the Athenians that God is the Creator of all and that He does not need a temple to live in, He can not be worshiped through idols, and He does not need men's help in anyway. He then states in verse 27,

"That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us."

Acts 8:26-39 gives an illustration of this. Phillip was preaching a great revival in Samaria when God called him to go to Gaza. God sent him there because there was a eunuch riding through the desert who was reading the book of Isaiah. Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading and his response was,

"How can I, except some man should guide me?" (vs 31).

What should be the Christian's response to this? Romans 10:14 tells us:

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery