SCRIPTURE: Romans 1:19-20 "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"
2 Peter 3:5 "For this they are WILLINGLY IGNORANT of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old..."
John 1:9 "That (Christ) was the true Light, which LIGHTETH EVERY MAN that cometh into the world."
PROPOSITION: to use this text and others to show why all men are without excuse and are responsible to their Creator. To show why carnal men love to use the excuse of ignorance to justify themselves. to show that this excuse is a vain scheme and will not exempt them from standing before the judgement bar of God and having all their works displayed. and to show that Christ is a wonderful savior for all those who come to him in truth not making excuse.
1.) Why unregenerate men are without excuse before their Creator on Judgement Day.
A. The scripture makes it very clear that, "that which may be known of God is manifest IN THEM..." man has an incredible knowledge about morality internally. God has given him a moral compass. in the scripture this is referred to as our conscience, unregenerate men suppresses this knowledge in unrighteousness, but nevertheless it is there. Romans 2:15 "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;)" our conscience proves that there is a moral law, and where there is a moral law there is a moral law giver, our conscience proves by accusing us that we have guilt because of transgression. And because of this moral knowledge we are without excuse before the Lord God Almighty.
B. The scripture teaches us that not only are we without excuse because of what we have internally but we are without excuse because of what we have externally.
"...for God hath shewed it UNTO THEM. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are CLEARLY seen, being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are WITHOUT EXCUSE:"
Creation is proof of a creator, just as a watch is proof of a watchmaker, or a building is proof of a builder, or a painting is proof of a painter. Simple logic and minimal intelligence is required to see this, however the natural man at times will reject the obvious to avoid moral obligation and responsibility. The psalmist said that "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." He also said "the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah."
The heavens are always pouring out knowledge like the breaking forth of waters and where there is knowledge there is no ignorance. the heavens are always declaring God's glory, majesty, righteousness and his mighty power, and the language they speak is in every tongue for those who will listen.
C. The external knowledge is not only in the heavens, we see it from day to day all around us in the earth. our bodies are "fearfully and wonderfully made" but so is everything that we see in this world.
Isaiah 6:3 "And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the WHOLE EARTH is FULL of his GLORY." In this portion of scripture we see the seraphim's chanting joyful praises to Almighty God, for his holiness, his tri-unity, and his glory that fills the earth.
2.) Why do unregenerate men love to make "ignorance" their excuse?
A. Because unregenerate men are lifted up in pride, their mind is at enmity with God, they are always scheming against omniscience, and exchanging "the truth of God for a lie". They contrive that if they are ignorant of God's existence and his moral government, that this would be an excellent excuse that would exempt them in a court of law. "...they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." but there "is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD."
B. Because unregenerate men are always sowing to the wind and they desperately do not want to reap the whirlwind, so they make ignorance an excuse in hopes that God's strong winds will never blow. but all those that make ignorance their refuge will find that it was nothing more than a vain dream and provided no shelter for the dreadful storm.
Hosea 8:7 "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind..." in spite of all their hopes, and all their contrivances, and all their schemes, their fear shall come "as desolation" and their destruction "as a whirlwind."
3.) Does God desire to give knowledge of the gospel to those who embrace the knowledge they have been given already?
A. Absolutely yes, it is always to him that hath that "more shall be given and he shall have more abundance but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that he hath." God's greatest desire is that all men would hear the gospel and "kiss the Son" this is why he gave the Great Commission and told us "go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature", that they might know that "Christ came into the world to save sinners" and that he bore the wrath of God and paid the price for sin and "rose again the third day according to the scripture" and that all who believe in him may have "inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith which is in" Christ Jesus.
CONCLUSION: willful ignorance of Gods glory and majesty is a useless scheme and will never work on Judgement Day.
Embracing the knowledge that God has manifested in us and embracing the knowledge that God has given unto us can only bring us to the fact that God is a glorious Being. but in order for unregenerate men to become regenerate men they must know God, and In order for them to know God they must have a relationship with God, for you to have a relationship with someone that someone must be willing to reveal themselves to you, and Jehovah has revealed himself to us when he gave us the scriptures, and when he gave us his Son "the word became flesh and dwelt among us". Gods word the Bible is pure, preserved, and inspired, and his Son is the "beauty of holiness", he is the lamb of God that is "without blemish, and without spot", and he took our sins and he satisfied a debt that none of us could pay, and rose the third day and defeated death, and all who will trust in him, find that "the path of the just is as the shining Light that shines more and more unto the perfect day" and that perfect day is Christ who is the "Sun of righteousness" who has risen "with healing in his wings"
