There are so many things that we don’t understand, especially theologically speaking.
Our passage today proves this to be true. It’s very common to hear people who work in ministry, people at ministry conferences, and just members of the church in general, have lengthy discussions and even conduct investigations about why the current state of the church is what it is.
It’s not a bad discussion or investigation to have. I’m glad that some care enough to examine. But I think that the decline of the church’s growth and impact on our society may have a explanation that we don’t consider. And we don’t consider it because, if it’s true, then there’s even less we can do to make an impact.
The explanation that I’m referring to is God, Himself. In our current text of study, Romans 1, the actions of mankind are described with the word, “exchanged.”
V23 – they exchanged the glory of God for an image
V25 – they exchanged the truth of God for a lie
V26 – they exchanged the natural for that which is unnatural
Because of mankind’s rejection of God, the same chapter says that “God gave them over.”
V24 – God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity
V26 – God gave them over to degrading passions
V28 – God gave them over to a depraved mind
A possibility for the decline of the church’s growth and impact could be, and I would say, likely is, the result of God allowing society to have what they desire, and what our world desires most is not Him.
Some would ask, why would God do such a thing? That answer is multi-faceted, but not complicated. He gives us over to teach some, to draw others near, and to punish. Through all of these things, there is opportunity for all to repent, to come to Him for salvation, or to continue to reject.
For those who come to Him, salvation awaits. For those who reject Him, His wrath awaits. But regardless of our capacity to affect positive change, our call to remain faithful does not change, so let us do our part, until He comes.
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
