Evangelistic Implications of Romans 1.18-20

I am teaching a class at my church on Tuesday nights called Grace Evangelism. We meet at 6:00 PM for a time of study then go out on visitation. This week the topic of study was the evangelistic implications of Romans 1.18-20 and Romans 2.14-15.

Romans 1.18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For 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.

There are certain gospel truths that all humankind already know. God uniquely designed the entire universe to point to Himself. From creation, there are at least two attributes of God that all humanity have embedded on their minds. According to verse 20, all men clearly perceive God's eternal power and His divine nature.

God's eternal power is evidenced in His personal creation of all the world through the person of Jesus Christ and his moment by moment sustaining its very existence. Every man, woman and chiild who every lived or ever will live on this earth knwo that. Why do you think people instinctively call on God when an earthquake or a tsunami rattles their existence? Why do they call out to God when traumatic circumstance beset them? Because they instinctively know of the eternal power of God.

All humankind are also clearly aware of God's divine nature, that is His goodness and grace commonly spread to all humanity. To a limited degree, God's grace is made available to every person without regard to location, religion, gender, race, etc. He rains on the just and the unjust alike (cf Matt 5.45). This is why even the unsaved both plead for God to deliver rain and curse His name when they get too much of it. They know the divine nature of God.

If the Bible is true, and I believe that it always is, there are no atheists! There may well be professing atheists, much as there are professing Christians who are not genuine. All men have the very existence of God already etched on their minds. According to verse 18, they "By their unrighteousness supress the truth." That means it is there, just pushed down under layers of disobedience, rebellion and denial. But it is there.

I have a young friend named John who claimed for many years to be an atheist. He is very intellectual, very sharp. The very beauty and order of the created world sent him on a religious search for the essence of reality and source of life. He eventually landed at the Gospel and God turned his life around. What was it in John that sent him searching for Truth? That's right, it was the very truth of God already inscribed on his heart.

What is the evangelistic implications of this truth? There are no atheists, so what of those who claim to be atheists? We do not argue for the existence of God or His authority. We rather confront the point of sinful rebellion by building on the foundation of truth God has already put in his heart.

Evangelism is the work of God. We get to be His mouthpieces, but He completes the work He began in creation!

In a future post we will look at the evangelistic implications of Romans 2.14-15. In the meantime, read it for yourself.

Grace to You!