I heard it said, “You can always tell a fool,”
but you can’t tell him much!
I have observed many a fool over the years. A fool is one who knows right, but chooses wrong. It is difficult to counsel a fool in light of their obvious rejection to right. It is in our best interests if we are all regularly challenged in view of Scripture this morning that each of us has the capability of becoming a fool.
Paul writes, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” The phrase knew God means to have intimacy with God. Knowing God, in this context, does not refer to knowing information about Him, but instead having an intimate relationship with Him. This verse tells us that these people did not glorify God; they did not make God look good, nor were they thankful for God. They were ungrateful and self absorbed backsliders. Some would say, but wait, Romans 1 is written about unbelievers! Is it? Are we so sure?!
Can I ask you a question? If these people were unsaved, why would they have anything to be thankful to God for? The fact that Paul notes that the Romans here were unthankful is a clear indication to me that these were saved but sad Christians; for we know that only God’s people, who have received the generosity of the Lord Jesus Christ, have something for which they ought to be thankful.
Our passage indicates that these Romans became fools. The word became means to pass from one state to another. Now, it is important to recognize that one cannot pass from the state of being simple to the state of being a fool. One must be wise to begin with if he is to regress to the state of a fool. Knowing this, these Christians must have followed this progression: they went from being simple minded unbelievers to wise persons upon conversion, and then from wise believers to foolish believers in their backsliding.
Again, a fool is “somebody who knows right but chooses wrong.” We see that these people professed themselves to be spirit-led and wise. But they passed from this state to being fools; they knew right but nonetheless chose wrong. Why do you suspect this occurred? It is because their hearts had ceased to receive illumination from God, so, instead they dwelt on the imaginations of their own mind.
As a result, their imaginations (stored images) became even more wicked and devoid due to the regular recall of detrimental images. These stored images yielded vanity in thought and deed, leaving them apathetically unthankful and focused upon their own glory. Ha! It cost them their intimacy with God. The Bible then tells us these types of rebellious “believers” went from this apathetic self-righteousness to the listed abominable unrighteousness in no time at all! Romans one’s debauchery is NOT unrighteous apostasy, my friends, it is the end result of self righteous hypocrisy!
Let’s look at some additional observations this morning about these once-wise people who became foolish.
“And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”
My friends, what a sad state we find ourselves in when we refuse to “conquer through the casting down” our stored images. Romans chapter 1 is a warning to those who get saved, slide into self righteousness and then become comfortable without the stimulations of the comforter. They will then fall away into self righteousness. Our men’s and Women’s Residential Schools of Discipleship are inundated with Christian School and Bible College kids who have been expelled for all kinds of immoral behavior we once would never name among our college kids—up to and often including tendency’s to homosexual and lesbian tendencies. Whether this occurs unknowingly due to a lack of discipleship, or whether it is a conscious choice made of rebellion, it matters not. The damage is done and it is permanent upon the mind. Only a habitual casting down under the power of the Spirit will restore and keep that wayward fool from returning to the vomit of his folly.
Judging from the behavior I am seeing in believers, I can see no other meaning behind Paul’s assertions about these people. They are clearly indicative of a group who was saved and then fell grossly away from the Lord or the unrighteous unsaved or both. We know that once we are saved, we are always saved. So, of course, these people did not lose their salvation, but they rejected the benefits of their sanctification.
Of course, this regression of our position would be accompanied by tribulation, frustration, dire situations and other saturations of chastening from our Lord that we might repent. But absent of repentance, we will continue to dishonor ourselves till we make the cause of Christ to appear to be a lie as we do not the truth.
Oh Christian, do not think it COOL to regress into a mess and be labeled a FOOL. Let your position remain your constant condition through a spirit of contrition and a mind that rejects migration into any unholy situation.
| Have a wonderful day IN the Lord! Steven Curington   |
Print This Post
