Thursday, October 23, 2008

There Are None Ignorant, No Not One


God speaks generally to every man and woman, boy and girl on earth. No one can claim ignorance when they stand before God. It doesn't work with the cop and his radar gun, so why do we think it will work with God? Solomon writes:
Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: "To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. (Pro 8:1-4 ESV)
The Wisdom of God is pictured as a woman, and Solomon claims she calls to all and is readily available. Proverbs 1 confirms this truth:
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. (Pro 1:20-27 ESV)
God's wisdom is seen once again as a woman, and her testimony is that no one paid attention. She condemns us by saying: "you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof." Paul utters a similar indictment against mankind:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Rom 1:18-20 ESV)

There is no one that has ever trod this earth that can stand before Almighty God and claim that he turned away from Him because God never provided any understanding of His existence or His power and works among men. The witness of God has been in His creation and acts of goodness, and for over six thousand years has been through His Word.

Romans 2:14-15 presents yet another claim of God that voids mankind's excuses:

...For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them ...(Rom 2:14-15 ESV)

Deep within everyone, regardless of race or location, is a God-given awareness, a consciousness, not only of His existence, but even of some of the basics of what He requires, things written in God's biblical law. Despite all of this evidence, we universally reject Him. So thorough is mankind's rejection of God that, when He came as a man, we killed Him!

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