Romans: You Can't Change Truth

The wrath of God is revealed against ungodliness and wickedness of man.

“Ungodliness” deals with our sin against God, while “unrighteousness of men” deals with our sins against others. Paul specifies two objects of God’s wrath: “ungodliness” and “unrighteousness.” Some distinguish the two words, arguing that the former refers to sins of a religious nature and the latter to sins of a moral nature; or to sins against God and sins against humans.

Our relationship with God always affects those around us. The vertical impacts the horizontal.

The Gospel reveals God’s righteousness. (v.17)

The righteousness of God reveals His wrath.

The wrath of God reveals His righteousness.

When the Bible speaks of “Truth”, it is primarily speaking of moral Truth that belongs to God alone.

Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.Psalm 89:14

Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:Psalm 146:6

There is ontological truth. What we can observe. There is logical truth. Mathematical, scientific truth.

Truth is objective, not subjective.

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.Psalm 119:89

Truth does not change based on acceptance or rejection.

Truth does not change, only our standards by which we measure Truth. When your parents were kids, Pluto was actually considered a planet. But 15 years ago, a group of scientists known as the International Astronomical Union voted to make the definition of “planets” more specific, and Pluto no longer made the cut. According to the IAU, Pluto is technically a “dwarf planet,” because it has not “cleared its neighboring region of other objects.” This means that Pluto still has lots of asteroids and other space rocks along its flight path, rather than having absorbed them over time, like the larger planets have done.

ILL: Beware of revisionist history.

There must be an infallible criterion of Truth.

The Truth is not simply something to be believed, but to be obeyed.

What you believe is shown in how you behave.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.John 3:19-20

“Immorality in life proceeds from apostasy in doctrine.” “Sinful men oppose the idea of a holy God because they innately realize that such a God would hold them accountable for the sins they love and do not want to relinquish.”

When confronted with truth, we have only two options. Obey or Disobey.

Should we choose to disobey the Truth, we must come up with our own version of the truth.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;Acts 17:23-26

ILL: Truth is a dangerous word.

This requires us to suppress the Truth. When truth makes us uneasy, we try to suppress it.

As we disobey Truth we are met with Truth.

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)Romans 2:14-15

When we push back against Truth and suppress Truth, we encounter God’s wrath.

But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;Romans 2:8-9

This is not an ignorance of Truth, but a willful rebellion against and shutting down of the Truth. (v.20)

God is patient with ignorance, but has zero tolerance for rebellion.

Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.1 Timothy 1:13

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:Acts 17:30

The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.Psalm 116:6

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.Psalm 19:7

Have you placed yourself under the authority of the Truth of God’s Word?

Are there any areas where you have created your own truth, while suppressing the Truth?

Does your belief match your behavior?