Rom 1-Becoming Fools
| Becoming Fools! Romans 1:18-23
January 29, 2006 18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For 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 men are without excuse.21For 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. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. PRAY Scripture memory:16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” – Romans 1:16-17 Intro: What is a fool?The following excerpts are actual answers given on history tests and in quizzes by children between 5th- and 6th-grade ages in Ohio. They were collected by two teachers over a period of three years. Ancient Egypt was old. It was inhabited by gypsies and mummies who all wrote in hydraulics. They lived in the Sarah Dessert. The climate of the Sarah is such that all the inhabitants have to live elsewhere. Moses led the Hebrew slaves to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread, which is bread made without any ingredients. Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandos. He died before he ever reached Canada but the commandos made it. The Greeks were a highly sculptured people, and without them we wouldn't have history. The Greeks also had myths. A myth is a young female moth. Karl Marx was one of the Marx Brothers. The other three were in the movies. Karl made speeches and started revolutions. Someone in the family had to have a job, I guess. The following questions and answers were collated from SAT tests given in Springdale, Arkansas in 2000 to 16 year old students! Q: Name the four seasons.A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (E.g., abdomen.)A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The branium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the 5 bowels.A, E, I, O, U.Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section."A: The caesarean section is a district in Rome.Q: What is a seizure?A: A Roman emperor.Q: What is a terminal illness?A: When you are sick at the airport 1. Foolishness2. Wisdom3. The Progression of Foolishness4. The Secret of Wisdom 1. FoolishnessF Foolishness, stupidity and ignoranceØ Biblical foolishness may be stupidity, but it is not ignoranceStupidity – Lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions. stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary (Webster’s)Comment – Biblical stupidity, therefore is…1 Cor. 2:14-16 (NLT) – 14 But people who aren’t Christians can’t understand these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. 15 We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can’t understand us at all. 16 How could they? For, “Who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who can give him counsel?” But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.People can be stupid by choice or by natural ability…Just as some are genetically more intelligent, so others are genetically more stupid… the difference being in their ability to grasp and understand things.However, there is another kind of stupidity which has little to do with genetics. It has to do with the choices we make – i.e. It is stupid to experiment with drugs. It is stupid to drink and drive. Etc. To quote the famous theologian, Forrest Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does.” Ø Ignorance means not having knowledge….To be ignorant is to be without knowledge. This has nothing to do with stupidity. God does not hold us accountable for what we do not know. He DOES hold us accountable for what we DO know. Ø Foolishness is lacking in sense, judgment, or discretion (Webster’s)Sometimes foolishness leads to stupidity, sometimes it’s the other way around. Foolishness has to do with doing things which cause more harm than good, doing things which hurt us and others. It is foolish for us to waste opportunities to learn. It is foolish for us to throw our money away. It is foolish for us to not exercise good hygiene, etc.F Foolishness, according to the world:1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (NLT)18I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19As the Scriptures say,“I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.”20So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. 22 God’s way seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven to prove it is true. And it is foolish to the Greeks because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. 25 This “foolish” plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength.26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, 29 so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God.30 God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom. 31 As the Scriptures say,“The person who wishes to boastshould boast only of what the Lord has done.”The world defines foolishness in terms of believing what cannot be scientifically verified, what goes against our natural way of thinking.F Biblically, foolishness speaks to what we do with God.Psalm 14:1 – The fool says in His heart, “there is no God.” The word translated fool speaks of one who is morally deficient.vv. 21-23: 21Although 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. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.Not a matter of ignorance…Foolishness, biblically, speaks of our leaving God out of the equation, of living or acting as though God were not a factor. It means not acknowledging Him, not giving Him the glory which is His due…Ø We are foolish, therefore, when we allow ourselves to be consumed with anxiety.Ø We are foolish when we are slow to thank God for the blessings He pours into our lives.Ø We are foolish when we disregard God’s directions for life, etc. 2. WisdomWisdom is not the same thing as intelligence or knowledge.Intelligence has to do with our ability to grasp things, to understand them. | | Knowledge has to do with information wh/ we have in our heads.Wisdom has to do with the choices we make.F Biblically, wisdom begins with a holy fear of God. (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10; 15:33; Job 28:28, et. al.) – F It has to do with a commitment to learning what God would teach us. This is seen in a willingness to receive advice.Proverbs 9:8 – Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.Prov. 12:15 – The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.Prov. 15:12 – A fool resents correction; he will not consult the wise.F It has to do with a willingness to be humbled, to let go of our desire to look good in the eyes of those around us.Prov. 15:33 – The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.Biblical wisdom is seen in the person who acknowledges God and gives Him the glory that is rightly His. – It is seen in thankfulness, in peace, in joy, in love, in patience, in kindness, in goodness, in faithfulness, in gentleness, and in self-control. 3. The Progression of FoolishnessFoolishness is a progression. One does not become a fool in a day. Throughout life we move either towards foolishness or towards wisdom in the decisions we make every day.F Foolishness begins with a denial of God – although we know…F Foolishness grows with a complaining spirit (in contrast to a thankful one)F Foolishness grows with pride (which is seen, at least in part, in an unwillingness to be corrected or counseled)F Foolishness grows when we give God’s glory to anything or anyone else.F Foolishness grows as we nurture our idols.The fundamental problem is a worship problem. When we choose to worship anyone or anything other than God, we become idolaters. Idols distort our vision. – like putting on glasses – we set up criteria by which we measure God’s goodness….Idols are not primarily external, but rather internal.God will not let our idols work because they will take us away from Him.Some common idols:Ø Success – at the cost of family relationshipsØ Entertainment – more desirable than worship (movies, video games, etc.)Ø Possessions – do we delight too much in them… to where we get angry at those we love because of them?Ø Pleasure, comfort – Ø Fear of others / Desire for approvalØ Family – the success and comfort of our childrenØ Ministry – Do we get mad at those who make success in ministry difficult?F Foolishness grows with disobedience to God’s moral law.F Foolishness grows with a conscious rejection of God. 4. The Secret of WisdomF Strive to have your mind transformed by God’s truth.Romans 12:2 – Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. F Surround yourself with others who are godly.Prov. 13:20 – He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.F Seek godly counsel and even rebuke.Prov. 1:5 – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidanceProv. 15:31 – He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.Prov. 19:20 – Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.F Be quick to turn from sin as God convicts you of it.Prov. 14:16 – A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.F Beware the subtle temptation of pride.Prov. 26:12 – Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Summary / Review:Foolishness is very different biblically than it is in the world. The world considers the cross foolishness. The Bible points out the foolishness of rejecting the cross. The world defines foolishness in terms of believing what cannot be scientifically verified, what goes against our natural way of thinking. The Bible defines foolishness in terms of rejecting what we know in our hearts to be true about God. It is not a matter of what we know. It is a matter of what we do with what we know.Foolishness, biblically, speaks of our leaving God out of the equation, of living or acting as though God were not a factor. It means not acknowledging Him, not giving Him the glory which is His due…When we allow ourselves to be consumed with anxiety…When we are slow to thank God for the blessings He pours into our lives.When we disregard God’s directions for life, etc.Wisdom, Biblically, begins with a holy fear of God. It has to do with a commitment to learning what God would teach us.Biblical wisdom is seen in the person who acknowledges God and gives Him the glory that is rightly His. – It is seen in the fruit of His Spirit in our lives.Foolishness is a progression. One does not become a fool in a day. Throughout life we move either towards foolishness or towards wisdom in the decisions we make every day. It begins with a denial of God. It grows with a complaining spirit and with pride It grows when we give God’s glory to anything or anyone else, as we nurture our idols.It grows with disobedience to God’s moral law and most especially with a conscious rejection of God.Wisdom, on the other hand, comes with a mind transformed by God’s truth. It comes as we surround ourselves with others who are godly, when we seek godly counsel and even rebuke, when we are quick to turn from sin as God convicts you of it. A Truth to Remember: God defines wisdom and foolishness very differently from the world around us. Therefore, if we would be wise we must learn to think more biblically.A Challenge to Consider: What idols do you have in your life which cause you to think and act foolishly before God? |