God Has Left Witnesses of Himself: Romans 1:18-20
“18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19) because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:18-20
The battle for truth stands or falls with the first verse of the Bible. It is the cornerstone of all else that follows. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Satan’s assault is leveled relentlessly against the existence, character and nature of the God of Creation.
Paul returns to this theme in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clear seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Creation proclaims the glory, majesty, power and Divine nature of the Creator. You can learn immeasurable insight about God by studying what He has created.
So where does the distortion of truth begin? The big lie involves coming up with a theory of origins that leaves God out. Make no mistake, evolution is a relentless attack on Genesis 1:1. It questions God’s eternal power and undermines His Divine nature. It removes the biblical definition of God from human consciousness, government and morals. It results in godless living.
But, there is one huge problem. According to Romans 1:19, “that which is known about God is evident within them…” God has left two significant witnesses of Himself. Scholars often refer to the internal witness of God and the external witness of God.
The internal witness of God stems from the fact that God created man in His own image. Every man, woman and child has an inner void in the shape of God. The human spirit and conscience yearns after God. Nothing else can fill that vacuum with satisfaction. Sin leaves people empty, guilty, lost and searching.
Creation is the external witness of God. When the quest for truth begins, the manifold lies and massive implausibility of evolution begins to be pealed away during the unbiased search for truth. Multitudes of scientists have come to faith in God as the volumes of unexplainable enigmas in the world of nature continually pile up. There are many thousands of them.
The process is marvelous to behold for those who sincerely search for truth. Many others become hopelessly blind as truth is suppressed by their own greed for sin and immorality. They refuse to acknowledge God for then they need to answer to Him.
This process is often aided by a third witness God has left about himself. I call this “the written witness of God.” If you are reading this post, you are being exposed to the third witness of God. You are reading and studying the Bible. It points to Jesus Christ and God’s plan of salvation for sinful humanity.
Notice that Paul ends verse 20 by saying that “they are without excuse.” He concludes that those who close their mind and heart to the first and second witness of God will one day stand before Him with no excuse for their sin and unbelief. They can never say, “no one told me.” Why? Because God left evidence of Himself everywhere in creation and imprinted Himself on human conscience.
Romans chapter 1 concludes that the rejection of God is a willful embrace of deception as an excuse for sinful living. Paul goes on to prove this point with a profound survey of human history. He concludes by leveling the charge that God did not reject man, mankind rejected God.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
