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AUGUST: Knowing and Serving God

August 2

PROVIDENCE AND HISTORY

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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
Romans 1:21-22

You get the same type of revelation [as seen in creation and nature] in what is commonly called providence: the ordering of things in this world, their maintenance, their sustenance, and the fact that everything keeps on going and continues in life.

How is all this explained? Well, ultimately it is a question of providence. Through the ordering of providence, the seasons, the rain and the snow, and the fructification of crops are all manifestations of God.

The third aspect of general revelation is history. The whole history of the world, if we could but see it, is a revelation of God.

But now we have to say that in and of itself general revelation is not sufficient. It ought to be sufficient, but it is not. And that, it seems to me, is Paul's argument in Romans 1:20, where he says, "They are without excuse." The evidence is there, but that has not been enough. Why? Because of sin. If men and women were not sinners, by looking at the miracles and the works of God in creation, in providence and in history, they would be able to arrive, by a process of reasoning, at God. But because of their sin, they do not; they deliberately turn their backs upon doing so. That is the great argument in the remainder of Romans 1. Paul says, "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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" (verses 21-22). And he goes on to say that they began to worship the creature rather than the Creator.

A Thought to Ponder
The whole history of the world, if we could but see it, is a revelation of God.

From God the Father, God the Son, pp. 14-15.




Today’s devo is taken from Walking with God Day by Day © 2003 by Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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