His Majesty and Awesome Power is Evident in His Creation

 

Glory to God on The Lord's Day!

All Glory and Honor be to Jesus, King of kings, and Lord of lords.

The fallen, unbelieving world is without excuse, as His Majesty and Awesome Power is evident in His Creation, all around us.


Commentary Notes taken from The MacArthur ESV Study Bible on Romans 1:19-22
    
Rom 1:19
 "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them."

MacArthur Comments: 1:19
"is plain to them" - God has sovereignly planted evidence of his existence in the very nature of man by reason and moral law (1:20, 21, 28, 32; 2:15).

Rom 1:20
"For 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."

MacArthur Comments: 1:20
"invisible attributes" - This refers specifically to the two mentioned in this verse.

"his eternal power" - The Creator, who made all that we see around us and constantly sustains it, must be a being of awesome power.

"divine nature" - That is, his faithfulness (Gen. 8:21–22), kindness, and graciousness (Acts 14:17).

"in the things that have been made" - The creation delivers a clear, unmistakable message about God’s person (cf. Ps. 19:1–8; 94:9; Acts 14:15–17; 17:23–28).

"they are without excuse" - God holds all men responsible
for their refusal to acknowledge what he has shown them of himself in his creation. Even those who have never had an opportunity to hear the gospel have received a clear witness about the existence and character of God—and have suppressed it.
If a person will respond to the revelation he has, even if it is solely natural revelation, God will provide some means for that person to hear the gospel (cf. Acts 8:26–39; 10:1–48; 17:27).

Rom 1:21
"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God
or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and
their foolish hearts were darkened."

MacArthur Comments: 1:21 

"knew God" - Man is conscious of God’s existence, power, and divine
nature through general revelation (v v. 19–20).

"they did not honor him" - Man’s chief end is to glorify God (Lev. 10:3; 1 Chron. 16:24–29; Ps. 148; Rom. 15:5–6), and Scripture constantly demands it (Ps. 29:1–2; 1 Cor. 10:31; Rev. 4:11). To glorify him is to honor him, to acknowledge his attributes, and
to praise him for his perfections (cf. Ex. 34:5–7). It is to recognize his glory and extol him for it. Failing to give him glory is man’s greatest affront to his Creator (Acts 12:22–23).

"or give thanks" - They refused to acknowledge that
every good thing they enjoyed came from God (Matt. 5:45; Acts 14:15–17; 1 Tim. 6:17; James 1:17).

"futile" - Man’s search for meaning and purpose will produce only vain, meaningless conclusions.

"hearts were darkened" - When man rejects the truth, the darkness of spiritual falsehood replaces it (cf. John 3:19–20).

Rom 1:22
"Claiming to be wise, they became fools,"

MacArthur Comments: 1:22
"Claiming to be wise, they became fools" - Man rationalizes his sin and proves his utter foolishness by devising and believing his own philosophies about God, the universe, and himself (cf. Ps. 14:1; 53:1).

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