Lesson 59 September 3, 2003

Intro Review:

2. darkened in their understanding! since they have not received the revelation of God, to them it is foolishness

- the sphere of their darkness is in their thinking; dianoia; to think through; therefore to understand; speaks of the whole process of thinking; the ability to reason.

Next we have a phrase that describes the current state or condition of the unbeliever.

"excluded from the life of God,"

UB'r is separated from the life, spiritual life, eternal life; a life that comes from God and depends totally on Him for its existence.

** The Next 2, # 3 & 4 give us the reasons for their estrangement, their alienation from God!

3. ignorant of truth; their excluded from the life that is from the source of God,

"because of the ignorance that is in them,"

This inability does not refer to lack of capability; to be stupid; but speaks of a consequences of choosing to reject the gospel; and stay an unbeliever in Jesus Christ; and therefore to not have the spiritual assets needed to comprehend spiritual truth.

4. hardness of heart "because of the hardness of their heart;"

- This speaks of insensitivity, the lack of responsiveness to spiritual truth of the unbeliever; the one alienated from the life of God!

This complete insensitivity is seen in the first phrase of 4:19;

"and they, having become callous,"

- This describes one who is No longer responsive to moral stimuli; to them there is no right or wrong; their conscience has become atrophied to the point that sin registers no stab of pain.

Passage that deals with the process and consequences of rejection of God and His truth; see this sequence in Rom 1:21-23.

- Context is speaking to the consequences for failure to acknowledge God!

"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God,"

Having come to know that God exists; There is a dual failure on their part at this point.

- 1st failure: did not honor Him as God

- 2nd failure: "did not give thanks"

The consequences in view all have impact on man's mentality, his thought processes, the operation and integration of his brain computer and the real you, the soul.

- 1st consequence: "they became futile"

Notice Paul tell us that this futility, this emptiness is: "in their speculations"

"and their foolish heart was darkened"

Principle that God has established is that if one is negative to God and His truth it will lead to darkening of the mind, blotting out the ability to perceive the light of truth, when perpetuated over a period of time it leads to scar tissue, a hardening of one's attitude and thinking about God and DVPT in general.

The best one can do as an unbeliever is to function within the sphere of DI's which God designed for the preservation of all mankind not just believers.

* The Divine Institutions: applicable to either believer/unbeliever

DI #1 - Volition

DI #2 - Marriage

DI #3 - Family unit

DI #4 - Civil Law [internal protection]

DI #5 - Nationalism - Nation states [external protection]

What is their profession? This we find in 1:22.

"they became fools"

- having rejected God and His revelation; they have turned inward to themselves and their own reasoning, ideas and speculations as the standard of life, instead of the expressed revealed will of God.

Verse 23 is the result of this! the substitute, religion!

Man creates his own idols, worships them with the view of furthering his own schemes and dreams.

In verses 24, 26, 28 Paul shows the intensification of the judicial consequences; God turns them over to the pursuits of their sin nature.

Intensification of sin with its increasing consequences is the result, the judgement for sin continually pursued!