Romans 1:18–23

Worshiping the things of nature rather than the One who created them is foolishness.

He is the Lord Creator of heaven and earth. There are no other gods before Him.

Exodus 20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.

My Good News take… We all have the ticket too, and actually, we were born with that ticket. There is nothing we had to do to earn that ticket. The buffet is set out every day and everyone is invited.”
And I say, Amen.

“When you look at life through the eyes of gratitude, the world becomes a magical and amazing place.” Jennifer Gayle “Sabbath Moments” 

How strange we are in the world!
Only one response can maintain us:
gratefulness for the gift of our unearned chance to serve, to wonder, to love life and each other.
It is gratefulness which makes our small souls great.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Romans 1:18–23

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 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. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. The New King James Version

The wrath of God refers to God’s righteous judgment upon evil. In this context, the evil in view is immorality and the suppression of the truth about God. God reveals His wrath by giving people over to their sin, thereby allowing them to morally decline even further. This foreshadows His final judgment. 

Elsewhere, the Greek word used here for truth, alētheia, usually refers to the gospel here however, it refers more generally to the truth about God. Those who suppress the truth deny what is made obvious about God through creation and do not acknowledge God as sovereign Creator. 

The Greek word for deity used here, theiotēs, is found only here in the new testament. It is used to summarize God’s divine attributes, especially those that can be observed through creation. Since God made such attributes discernable, people have no excuse for rejecting Him. The universal revelation of God’s power and deity in creation means that no one can claim ignorance for failing to honor God as God. God’s wrath is therefore just. 

Knowledge of God typically includes recognition of His sovereignty, which results in worship. Here, people fail to worship God or acknowledge Him as Creator despite their knowledge of Him. 

A fool is not merely someone who is ignorant or lacks intelligence. The term has moral connotations that include a rejection of God. By refusing to acknowledge God, people reveal their foolishness. Faithlife Study Bible

As the next verse indicates, the truth is truth about God. Having departed from godliness and righteousness, people suppress the truth about God: that God is their loving Creator and deserves their worship and praise. Sinful people can mentally perceive the revealed truth of God, but they have chosen to suppress it. They are without excuse. God’s anger is being revealed (the present tense) against sin and the suppression of the truth.

Not only are divine attributes clearly seen in humanity, but they can be seen in the material universe as well. Nature itself speaks eloquently of its Creator. From the intricate design of the human cell to the majestic strength of the Rocky Mountains, all of God’s works testify to His wisdom and power. God’s invisible attributes, such as His eternal power and Godhead, meaning His divine nature, can be clearly seen by contemplating His awesome works in all of creation.

They knew, that is “perceived,” truth about God through creation. Nature reveals God as great and good. Its gentle rain and rich soils provide humans with all varieties of delicious food. God is good. Even with all this evidence in creation, people refuse to recognize their Creator, worship Him, or glorify Him as God. The NKJV Study Bible

Acts 17:29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.

Ephesians 4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,

Ephesians 4:18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;