Skandelon
<b>Moderator</b>
You are right. I think that is exactly the point Paul is making here. But you also must acknowledge, which you have, that while making that point he reveals to us a standard for just condemnation. That standard seems to be the understanding and therefore the ability to do what is right.Originally posted by russell55:
I think the point of the passage as it relates to God's justice is this: It is just for God to condemn the Gentiles for their sin even though they did not have the specific moral code found in the law that the Jews had. The Gents knew enough about God from creation itself to know that there is an eternal Creator that they ought to be worshipping, and they didn't. So there is just grounds for condemning them, because at the very least, they were aware of this requirement upon them, and they failed to fulfill it.
Russell55, the question is were these Gentiles able to worship God? Could they, with the information and knowledge they were given, have chosen to worship the Lord?
Notice verse 21:
Notice that it doesn't say, "although they knew God, they couldn't glorify Him as God because they were born futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened from birth." This is what Calvinism teaches, but its not what the text says....sorry I'm getting off topic. Forgive me.because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Good point. Based on this statement I would then guess you believe that lost men are able to "properly act upon" the "knowledge" they have been given?I also think we can learn from this passage that God is not required to provide equal knowledge of himself to everyone in order to be just in condemning everyone. Some knowledge not properly acted upon is enough for God to be just in condemnation.