It is customary when some intelligent people gather to hear them go into raptures about the works of nature, what nature has done, made, what it has so cleverly provided, And all marvel at the goddess nature so rich, so munificent. One is struck by the way in which an almost unimaginable blindness can seal our understanding when we bend over backwards to leave God out of the picture. One marvels at how otherwise smart people can become incredibly foolish and not even know it.
To describe the characteristics inherent in nature is one thing, to attribute the origination of those characteristics to nature itself is foolishness beyond any so far generated by any form of theistic belief. Yet it is standard lingo and acceptable ‘faith’, indeed, more than acceptable, it is recommended and highly commended.
The complexities, diversity and spectacular beauty of nature are intended to point us to the highly sophisticated and generous mind that originated it all. All is testimony to His greatness, His goodness, to the astounding breadth of His capacity and knowledge. But rather, we turn the thing made into its own maker and worship creation rather than the Creator. And it is nothing new. Although our generation likes to pride itself on having emancipated itself from the God explanation, it is only taking up where the heathen world left off.
Indeed Paul in his epistle to the Romans clearly speaks of men’s propensity to ignore the truth, oh no, to suppress the truth about God despite it being shown to them. In fact since the creation of the world His power and divine nature have been made clear and visible through His works. So men are ‘without excuse’. They have tried to be wise and have become fools, their mind has been darkened and He has left them to become increasingly perverted and morally corrupt. And if you think I am imagining it, here is the actual text
“Rom 1:18-25 ESV For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (19) For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. (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. (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. (22) Claiming to be wise, they became fools, (23) and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (24) Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, (25) because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
So our post-Christian creature worship is not a sign of the progress of humanity as some will wish to force down our throats, it is rather a regression into a pre-christian naturalistic idolatry, albeit more sophisticated and couched in high flying philosophical phrases. The ancients venerated objects, we do an amphibious force that encapsulates plants, trees, seas, spectacular sunsets, animals, birds et al, our god nature. Consequently our fate is alike.
As we defiantly hold on to our anything but God philosophy, He leaves us to sink deeper and deeper into corruption. It is no wonder our society is mired in a moral morass where all is permissible; if I can think it, I demand my right to do it and you must approve. The most heinous acts are in our perverted minds perfectly normal and acceptable, any disagreement is tantamount to narrow minded bigotry. And if that hurts, think; the ensuing passage of Scripture ends with a sharp rebuke to those persons who, because of their “debased minds” not only “do what ought not be done” but even approve of those who do them. Poor company to be in!
Shalom!