I have recently been working slowly through the book of Romans as I am desirous to remind myself of all that believers have in Christ Jesus. I am also desirous to continue growing in my understanding of what it is to live life moment by moment under the control of the Holy Spirit.
As I approached this endeavor a few weeks back, I was tempted to glance through Chapter 1 as I reduced it to the chapter that is written to all of the people outside of Christ who will experience His wrath. As I began to do this, I was reminded that before being in Christ, I too was an object of God's wrath as Paul notes in Ephesians 2:3. So, with that in mind, I slowed down and began to work my way through the first chapter willing to see what God wanted to teach me.
Then it hit... Romans 1:23 where Paul is talking about those who knew of God, but willingly chose to move away from Him. I was convicted with the thought that I am tempted daily to move away from God even as one of His children. In fact, 1:23 states that many chose the path of foolishness and exchanged the glory and life that comes through a relationship with an immortal God for something else which only and always leads to destruction. As I read that, I became convinced that there are times where it seems much more enticing to "exchange the glory of our immortal God" for something of this earth.
Isn't it funny how rich we are in Christ and yet so often settle for the cheap substitutes of this world. So, before you and I as Christ followers judge those who blatantly reject the glory and majesty of our immortal God, let us pause and think about those things of the world we readily pursue and in essence exchange the glory of the immortal God for them.
May the Lord help all of us live and walk in His power and promises as anything else is a cheap substitute!
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