Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, January 23, 2023
Shalom,
People Are Without Excuse – Romans, part 10
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. In unrighteousness they suppress the truth, 19 because what can be known about God is plain to them—for God has shown it to them. 20 His invisible attributes—His eternal power and His divine nature—have been clearly seen ever since the creation of the world, being understood through the things that have been made. So people are without excuse—
Let us continue our discussion of Romans. There is a lot here in these 3 verses. It may take us all week to break it down. But the bottom line doesn’t change… “So people are without excuse-.” Ask any person who has not yet come to faith, “In the beginning… what?” How do they explain the “beginning?”
Rabbi Trail: Was there a great tornado, a “big bang” so to speak? Are we to believe the wind blew and the dust flew until, when it was over, poof, here we are. On a macro scale, God set the stars in their courses in the sky so precisely that thousands of years later, we can still accurately tell time, to the nano-second, by their movement. On a micro scale, every chemical in every cell functions in divine order (when things get out of order, it is a disease) and has life capable of healing and reproduction. End RT.
The Bible provides a one word answer to that “in the beginning” question…. “God!” “In the beginning, God….” “God created…” “Third Rock” may have been a cute name for a TV sitcom, but it is no answer for the complex questions of life and the purpose of life. Psalm 19:2(1) The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky shows His handiwork. And, so do we… Psalm 145:2 Every day I will bless You, and praise Your Name forever and ever! 3 Great is Adonai, and greatly to be praised —His greatness is unsearchable.
Take some time today to give thanks. I believe a lack of thanksgiving is the genesis of all sin. In Ephesians 5, Paul says as much. He begins the chapter with a warning to avoid all types of sin (he gives a pretty good list) and then he tells us this is all “out of place”… Ephesians 5:4b …but instead let there be thanksgiving.”
There is righteousness and unrighteousness, our subject verses for today make that clear. We certainly should desire righteousness. Tomorrow we’ll discuss this dividing line and how to be sure we are on God’s side of it.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Mon 23-Jan-2023 1st of Sh’vat, 5783 Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat
Ex 10:12-23, Nu 28:11-15 1 Ki 11 Ps 111-112 Lk 22:39-71 (Php 3)