Romans 1 is the classic text many use to prove that all mankind has already been given, or in their lifetime will be given, a fair shake, or golden opportunity to inherit eternal life. The “proof text” for this belief is the 20th verse of Romans 1: “For the invisible things of Him (of God) 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.” Pretty plain words those, huh? But wait a minute. Just WHO are the “they” being spoken of in that verse? And they are “without excuse” in what regard? Many would quickly reply that the “they” means all mankind without exception, and that they are without excuse for failing to take advantage of God’s offer of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Many believe that when Paul, in Romans 1, says “they are without excuse” he is speaking of all the inhabitants of the earth of all times and ages, and that he is saying all unbelievers are lost and condemned and have all had a fair opportunity to be saved. None who have ever lived on this planet will be afforded any further opportunity to inherit eternal life. They have had their one and only chance. At least that’s what many believe. But it is Paul himself who later in this same epistle asks, “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?” (See Romans 10:14). And again Paul writes: “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, IT PLEASED GOD BY THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING TO SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE” (See I Corinthians 1:21).
Here Paul says that one cannot discover God, make contact with God or have fellowship with God through the various sciences of man’s wisdom – not through astronomy, or archaeology, or biology, or any other science. Jesus Christ flatly stated, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me” (See John 14:6). One cannot come to the Father through an appreciation of creation, convinced that creation demands the existence of a Creator! Does that surprise you?
Preconceived, long-held religious beliefs, or interpretation of some scripture or scriptures serve as a formidable mental block when “new” truth is presented to the human mind. We can’t see the forest of God’s truth, because of the trees of deeply rooted doctrine or beliefs that stand in the way. That is WHY Baptists retain Baptist beliefs, Pentecostals retain Pentecostal beliefs, etc. The human mind, acting much like a sponge, absorbs and retains whatever is poured into it if the one “holding the pitcher,” so to speak, is deemed trustworthy or knowledgeable in the subject about which they speak. It’s that simple.
So, let’s take a closer look at Romans 1. Let’s see if Paul is saying all born human are without excuse and forever doomed if they do not come to accept and obey the one true God during their lifespan on this earth, however short of long that life might be. Remember, the apostle Peter warned us that when writing of “the longsuffering of our Lord” brother Paul wrote “some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned (in the scriptures as a whole) and unstable (spiritually) wrest (twist, distort), as they do also the other scriptures (not just Paul’s epistles), unto their own (spiritual) destruction” (See 2 Peter 3:15-16).
It is all too easy to forget that the Book of Romans was originally a letter only, a letter that was not divided into chapters and verses. When one stops reading at the last verse of chapter one they fail to realize just WHO Paul is writing about in that chapter as it isn’t until the reader comes to verse 17 of chapter two that Paul says, “Indeed YOU ARE CALLED A JEW, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God.” And when he writes in verse 1 of chapter 2, “Therefore you are inexcusable O man” he is addressing himself to Christ-rejecting Jews for those were indeed the ones who were without excuse for abandoning the worship of the one true God for idols, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things” (See Romans 1:21-23). Notice, Paul is speaking of those who KNEW God. The world at large did NOT know God. When Pharaoh told Moses, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord,” he was speaking the truth! Everyone on earth outside of Israel could have truthfully said the same thing as Pharaoh! God Himself told Israel, “You ONLY have I known of all the families of the earth…” (See Amos 3:2). The Psalmist wrote, “In Judah is God known. His name is great in Israel.” (See Psalm 76:1). Moses wrote, “What nation is there so great, who has God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for? And what nation is there so great that has statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?” (See Deuteronomy 4:7-8).
The world at large did not abandon God for the worship of idols. Only ancient Israel did that! Although many other nationalities embraced idolatry, it was not because they had abandoned God. Other nations were cut off from God and had no knowledge of the one true God. God had revealed Himself to no other nation. Through His prophet Jeremiah, God asks, “Has a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? But my people have changed their glory (the one and only true God) for that which does not profit” (See Jeremiah 2:11). In his defense before the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jewish people, Stephen declared “our fathers received the living oracles to give unto us, to whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him (Moses) from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, saying unto Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us…’ and they made a calf in those days and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven” (See Acts 7:38-42).
Those who use Romans 1 as their “proof text” to teach that all who have ever been born since man’s creation have already had their one and only chance at salvation do violence to the scriptures and picture God as being grossly unfair. They also reveal that they don’t think very deeply, nor do they pay very close attention to the revealing statements made by Paul in this chapter. Notice what Paul says in verse 18 of Romans 1: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (Greek, “hold back, suppress”) the truth in unrighteousness.” And in Romans 3, Paul writes, “What advantage then has the Jew?…..Much every way, chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God” (See verses 1 and 2). That was the truth that was being suppressed by the Jews – the Word of God. They alone had the writing prophets, the books of Moses and the inspired scriptures. They were suppressing the truth contained therein by rejecting Jesus Christ as the Messiah and teaching error. And many so-called Christian ministers do the exact same thing today when they, too, teach error and hold on to false doctrine. (See Matthew 23:13-39).
Also, in verse 31 of Romans 1, Paul informs us that those of whom he speaks were “covenant breakers.” (King James Version). It was with Israel only that God made such a covenant. (See Deuteronomy 5:1-3). Some modern versions of the scriptures change the wording of this verse and do not mention the fact that these persons to whom Paul spoke were covenant breakers. Such a change obscures the true meaning of what Paul was saying here.
Paul further identifies the people of whom he speaks as being given up by God “for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly…” (See verses 26 and 27, Romans 1). The scriptures plainly state that the Jews had done this. (See Judges 19:22 and Isaiah 3:9). And Paul plainly states in this same letter that they were indeed accursed from God. (See Romans 9:1-5).
In verse 28 of Romans 1, Paul states that these people “did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” Only the Jews had such knowledge of God. At that time God had given such knowledge to no other people. He speaks of them “knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things (as the sins mentioned in the preceding verses) are worthy of death” (see verse 32, Romans 1). Once again, only the Jews had such knowledge. (See Deuteronomy 4:5-8; Deut. 23:17-18).
Why can’t men think more deeply than they do? It seems that once someone has bought into and embraced a false doctrine their ability to think goes out the window. How can the ancient peoples of the earth be faulted for their errors and accused of rejecting the true Creator God when they knew nothing of such a God? For all they knew God was best represented by a solar disc, or a great mountain, or a leopard or huge serpent! My innate intelligence might convince me that there is a Creator, but I have nothing to inform me that such a Creator is an invisible spirit being. Also, how would I know that such a Creator desired a relationship with me and desired to impart immortality and eternal life to me? And how would I take advantage of such an offer, an offer I knew nothing about?
“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, ‘Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious (Gk. quite religious), for as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.” Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.” Finally, at that very moment, this clustered group of Greek men had spiritual truth presented to their minds. It was a first in their world. It had not been presented to their fathers or grandfathers. God was doing a new thing on this earth. To be continued…..
Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley