I am an unabashed Creationist. I believe the Bible and have faith that my God created the universe and ultimately mankind.
For years I’ve known that not all of my Christian friends share my views on this topic. Many are quite open about their belief that God used evolution in creating man. Since I like my friends and didn’t want to “rock the boat” so to speak, I for the most part kept my mouth shut. I chose to believe that their acceptance of Jesus Christ into their hearts trumped their views on the creation story when it came to salvation. In some recent study of the book of Romans I’ve come to the realization that for those with a lifetime in the Church there does need to be more.
If you would be so kind as to read these 8 verses from Romans chapter 1. I’ve chosen the New American Standard Bible and have added the underlines for my own emphasis. I’ll also include a few other translations at the bottom of this note for those that don’t like NASB.
Romans 1:16 – 23
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17 For in it {the} righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS {man} SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
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.
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Verse 20, I almost should have underlined the whole thing, it is that vital to salvation, in my opinion. Since the “creation of the world” God’s power and divinity “have been clearly seen” through “what has been made.” I don’t know about you, but when I go outside and see the mountains and trees and water and so on, I see God, as it says in verse 19, “God made it evident to them.” For those that say evolution is the mechanism to man making it on this planet I ask, how is “God evident” in that?
Verse 23 states “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image,” an image that changes every couple of years in evolution because of some supposed new evidence.
Which brings me to verses 16 & 17, “salvation to everyone who believes” and “shall live by faith.” What is the meaning of “faith”? I looked it up in Websters, out of the many definitions, here are the first two: One – Belief in God. Two – Belief in something for which there is no proof. I believe in the story of Jesus. I have faith in the Bible. If I were to doubt the creation story, where do I draw the line as to what is true and what isn’t? Here is the answer. Verse 21, “they did not honor Him as God,” with this consequence, verse 18, the “wrath of God.” When you do not “honor Him,” you face the “wrath of God.”
I fear for my Christian friends that don’t believe in the creation story. I have no way of knowing what this “wrath of God” may be, but I felt compelled to share this passage with all of you, to let you make up your own minds.
I’d like to suggest some additional reading material. The book – The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. If ya like, I’ll even loan you my copy to read.
One last thought.
1 Cor. 6:19 NASB – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
Acts 17:24 NASB – “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.”
Our bodies are temples of “the Holy Spirit” because He, the “Lord of heaven and earth” made us.
Thank you all for reading this note. I pray that God uses this for His Glory.
God Bless,
Mike Williams
Disclaimer:
As I sit here writing this post I know that it is bound to generate some controversy. I am not looking to start a thread that could turn angry and bitter. My intention here is not to start a debate. I don’t want to see any comments posted on the latest “evidence” for evolution… I will delete them, in fact, I hope the only responses I get to this are “thanks, it gave me something to think about”, or something similar.
Other translations.
New International
Romans 1:16 NIV – I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Romans 1:17 NIV – For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:18 NIV – The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
Romans 1:19 NIV – since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
Romans 1:20 NIV – 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 men are without excuse.
Romans 1:21 NIV – 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.
Romans 1:22 NIV – Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
Romans 1:23 NIV – and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
English Standard
Romans 1:16 ESV – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:17 ESV – For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:18 ESV – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Romans 1:19 ESV – For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Romans 1:20 ESV – For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Romans 1:21 ESV – For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:22 ESV – Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Romans 1:23 ESV – and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Revised Standard
Romans 1:16 RSV – For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:17 RSV – For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.”
Romans 1:18 RSV – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth.
Romans 1:19 RSV – For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Romans 1:20 RSV – Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse;
Romans 1:21 RSV – for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.
Romans 1:22 RSV – Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Romans 1:23 RSV – and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.
New Living
Romans 1:16 NLT – For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes–Jews first and also Gentiles.
Romans 1:17 NLT – This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
Romans 1:18 NLT – But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves.
Romans 1:19 NLT – For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts.
Romans 1:20 NLT – From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
Romans 1:21 NLT – Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused.
Romans 1:22 NLT – Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.
Romans 1:23 NLT – And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.
