Romans 1: 21-23

Read Passage:

21For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22Professing to be wise, they became fools,

23and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Ro 1:21–23). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

Discussion:

21 -

What does the word “knew” mean?

Does this imply that part of suppression is not even acknowledging God’s existence?

What does Paul mean when he writes that they did not honor or give thanks to God?

Read 2Kings 17:15; Jer. 2:5; Eph. 4:17ff and define what the futility of the mine refers to.

What does it mean for the heart to be darkened?

22 -

How do Jer.10:14 + 1Cor. 1:20 help us understand verse 22?

23 -

If these men didn’t even acknowledge the glory of the incorruptible glory of God how could they exchange it for something else?

What do Deut. 4:16-18; Ps 106:20; Jer. 2:11; Acts 17:29 tell us about this “exchange”?

Application:

Though Paul is specifically addressing unbelievers and thier spiralling down of behavior; is their a coralation between our devotion versus apathy for God based upon our honoring and giving thanks of Him?

Share a time when you thought you knew everything to know about God and HE showed you, that you did not know all that you thought you did and were humbled?

How does humility help us to worship/honor and thank God?

Paul is still addressing those who actually willfully choose to make and worship anything other than the God of the universe even though they know what they are doing and that they are creating thier own God. Read Jer. 10:1-16; does this sound similar?

What is the foolishness of a man-made god?

Are you possibly guilty of making things in this world a God and worshipping them instead of The One True God of the Universe?

What do you depend on instead of God when you begin to worry? Where or who do you go to first before praying and asking God to help you?

Do you need to repent and ask GOD to forgive you of idolatry?