I heard a preacher many years ago speak about the ‘Un-generation’. He was speaking from Romans 1: 18-32 about those who refuse to follow God’s way and are determined to live according to their own standards. In these passages, the apostle Paul speaks on man’s unrighteousness apart from God.
Firstly, Paul lays the foundation that God’s existence has been made evident to all mankind.
…since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:19 – 20 (NIV)
This passage always reminds me of a season in my life when I believed God existed but I did not have relationship with Him. I had not acknowledged Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I did not know His word. I remember being out in nature, looking at the magnificent colors, textures, shapes, heights and depths. I remember learning some of nature’s life cycles and thinking how great God must be to create such wonders. I was and am still today in awe of Him. As David said,
‘I will praise You…..Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.’ Psalms 139:14 (NKJV)
As each of us can clearly see God’s existence, being apart of His creation, we have much to be thankful for. But Paul states that those who refuse God’s way do not see His worth and are therefore unthankful.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. Romans 1: 22 -23 (NIV)
To give God glory is to honor and esteem Him. To give Him glory is recognize His greatness and submit to His holiness. Submission is a bad word for many in our present day, but Paul states that refusing to submit to God is foolish and carries with it severe consequences. A determination to live life according to your ways and standards and not according to His way and standard is foolish because our ways are never good enough apart from Him. Scripture calls this determination evil or wicked and our souls suffer the consequences.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness. Romans 1:18 (NIV)
Because of the greatness of God’s love, mercy and grace available to all who believe, we don’t often hear much today about His wrath. In these passages, Paul isn’t speaking of God’s wrath breaking forth against a stubborn people as in times past when flames, earthquake or plagues consumed a rebellious people, but what we see here is the Lord no longer wrestling with the stubborn will of man. He lets stubborn man have his way. And because of their determination or as the bible states, ‘their stubbornness’, God ‘gave them over’ to their own way. And look at the consequences.
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; Romans 1:28 -30 (NIV)
Without the protective hand of God, willful man is, firstly, given over to the lusts of the flesh. It’s amazing to me that out of all the sins a man could commit; he is firstly given over to sexual sin. No wonder that today many consider sexual sin to be a birthright. It comes from a determination to live life our way, and not His way. But the consequences don’t stop there. Willful man's ability to reason and discern is impaired. And worst of all, as the consequences of their stubbornness reveal the error of their ways, they refuse to repent and encourage others to follow their wicked path.
Hence, the creation of the ‘Un-generation’.
Undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful.
Romans 1:31 (NKJV)
Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:32 (NKJV)
Loved ones, let us not fall short of His goodness through a stubborn determination to live life according to our own understanding. Let us not be of the ‘Un-generation’, speaking as one who knows Him but carrying darkness and rebellion in our heart. Let us not fall short in giving God the glory He deserves and let us be thankful in all things. Let us live as ‘salt’ and ‘light’ in the world. God has graciously given us the bible, His ‘manual for life’ and He has mercifully given us His Spirit enabling us to live life more abundantly. He fills us with joy, love and hope and we have much to be thankful for. His way is great!
Be blessed,
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