DM#5: That which may be known of God is manifest

Doctrine of the Mysteries #5

Rom 1:18-21 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. (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: (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.

That which may be known of God is manifest

A person can make up excuses. They can tell themselves, and others, that they do not believe in God, or in being accountable to Him. They can reason away the truth with philosophy, or science, or skepticism. They can even revel in the glory of their ignorance, but they can never completely hide themselves from God. There will always be that deep sense of truth, ever present within them.

Psa 139:7-12 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (8) If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (9) If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; (10) Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (11) If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. (12) Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Without excuse

The written Word declares that God has made Himself known by that which He chose to manifest to us. Even the invisible things of God are clearly seen, made known by what we can perceive and understand of the world, and of creation, which is all around us. The simple fact is that we have no excuse. There is no way to suppress, or hide from, or deny the fact that God exists.

Now, there is no stopping a person from saying they don’t believe in God. If that is what they ‘want’ to believe, then that is their choice. However, the written Word says that professing this simply makes them fools, since the truth of God is written in the heart of every person. Rejecting this truth does nothing to dismiss it in themselves or others. David writes in the Psalms,

Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Their foolish heart was darkened

The word “fool” is often used in the Scriptures to denote a wicked man, as sin is the essence of folly. The Hebrew word is rendered “vile person” in Isa 32:5-6. Elsewhere it is rendered “fool”, “foolish”, and “foolish man”. It is designed to convey the idea that wickedness, or impiety, is essential folly (stupidity, recklessness, imprudence, lack of sense, irrationality, daftness). Our key verse continues, hammering the last nail into the proverbial coffin, by saying, “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.”

It's interesting to note that God’s Word relegates the reasoning and intellectual capacity of these individuals down to vanity. What is vanity? It is defined in two ways. First, where a person shows an excessively high opinion of their abilities and views on said matters, and second, where a person will produce no valid truths, but only imaginations which are useless, pointless, and ultimately worthless.

Who hold the truth in unrighteousness

Based on what the Word tells us, it is clear therefore that atheists actually know that God exists, but they choose to suppress the truth of God in denial or in revolt. They know God exists but don’t want Him to exist. They don’t want to be accountable to Him. They don’t want to be conformed to His standards and dictates. They suppress the truth, and in their folly, they live a lie.

Though the Psalm speaks in a collective sense, David provides some ominous insights into holding such a view of God,

Psa 2:1-5 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (2) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, (3) Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (4) He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. (5) Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. … (12) Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little [be not long delayed]. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Whether they like it or not, whether they choose to hold back the truth, and believe not in God, —in the end, they will be accountable for their stance. It is God who will hold nothing back when He laughs at their vanity, and shows His derision (scorn, ridicule, mockery, disrespect). Ultimately, their choice to deny God and His ways will fail them miserably. David confirms that it is not too late to change one’s confession. “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way…”, indicates that until that final moment of grace, God is willing and able to forgive. There is no benefit in imagining a vain thing. Denying God’s existence and reign and being rebellious to the fact will not profit anything. In fact, in the end, it will cause loss and suffering when it brings about His wrath and displeasure.

Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.