THE DEPRAVITY OF MAN: RATHER THAN WORSHIP GOD, MAN CREATED HIS OWN GODS.

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, animals, reptiles and serpents. (Romans 1:22-23)

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The Depravity of Man: To Imagine and Worship A god Pleasing To Himself

Rather than Worship God, Man Created His Own gods. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, animals, reptiles and serpents. (Romans 1:22-23). God's wrath, His divine chastisement, has been revealed against man for suppressing the truth, which is that God, the Almighty, eternally exists in power and authority displayed in creation. (Romans 1:18).  They suppress the truth in two ways. First by conjuring up false gods and images to worship, which is their ungodliness. A disregard for his power; the lack of acknowledgement of God. Secondly, by doing things apart from the divine order, which is their unrighteousness. A disregard for His authority, His providence and order. Theses thoughts and actions do not honor or thank God, who is worthy of all honor and praise. (Romans 1:21).

God Has Revealed Himself to Man. God's divine and eternal power and attributes are plainly visible in creation. Man knows in his heart there is a God, because how could there not.  All you have to do is look around, and you know. God has revealed in creation, what can be known about Himself. (Romans 1:19-20). Also, the Holy Word was given so man could know God. The word is and was God. (John 1:1). And we know it became flesh: Jesus Christ. (John 1:14). In  all these things, we can know God. Jesus is the image of the invisible God; the fullness of God dwelling bodily within Him. (Colossians 1:20; 2:9). He is the radiance of His glory, the exact imprint of His divine nature.  (Hebrews 1:3). He is the light of the world (John 8:12), the light of man (John 1:4).

"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." (Romans 1:20).

In the beginning, the Spirit, the breathe of God, hovered over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:2). And God spoke saying let their be light "and there was," Strong's H1961 comes from the root word 'ha'va' Strong's H1933 meaning 'to be' or 'exist.'  So even seeing light which is required for all life, man knows there is an eternal God.  ​

Genesis 1:3 Interlinear Concordance on https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/1-3.htm

G96 adokimos from https://biblehub.com 

Man Went After His Own Ways, so God Allowed Him. Man created gods that were more acceptable to themselves; gods that didn't have Highest order, oversight, requirements or consequences. Man just wanted to do as he pleased and pursue his own desires, not having a divine Father watching over them with a righteous decree. (Romans 1:32). Although angered and jealous, God allowed them to go astray; allowing them to do whatever they wanted from their depraved minds. (Romans 1:22, 28). Depraved is Strong's Concordance G96 adokimos which means 'failing to pass the test or unapproved.

​Every Manor of Evil Occurred. God allowed man to seek after his own desires and every manor of evil occurred because their hearts were darkened by their sin. (Romans 1:21). Pursuing their own desires and lusts, we committed every type of sin: homosexuality and all other sexually immoral behaviors; all unrighteousness and evil; desiring what others have, resenting that they have it and wanting to do them harm; arguing, being angry, and even killing each other; misleading and lying; being filled with bitterness, being rude and lacking respect; talking behind each other's backs, sharing other's private lives and making up falsehoods about others; exaggerating our own achievements, talking about ourselves and always listing our successes; caring only for ourselves, rather than caring for others; lacking good judgment, lacking feelings for another, and showing no compassion for each other; being disrespectful and disobedient to parents; inventors of evil, faithless and haters of God. (Romans 1:26-31). Does this sound like the world, at large, around you? You've meet these people? You are this person? We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23).

Can You See the Hate of Man's Own Desires? It's all hatred. Hatred for each other and hatred for God. Isn't it detestable? Can't you see it?God is love. (1 John 4:7). Do you see how God's ways are not our ways? (Isaiah 55:8-9). God created man in His image, so we are to love God and love one another, because God loves Himself and He loves us. It's that simple. Really, it's the message of love. God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes will have eternal life. (John 3:16). 

The gospel is the message of the righteousness of God, revealed from faith for faith. (Hebrews 1:16-17).

The Message of Christ is Love. Once you understand yourself, then it's so easy to see that Jesus is God. You don't have to do a big theological study to see that Jesus' message of love for God and love for one another is the message of God, the Father.  This is why we must be born-again to be with God. (John 3:3). Man is so wicked that he must die to himself: his flesh, his desires and his will for they are completely set on doing evil. Life is a test of God, and following your own desires is to fail the test. (Isaiah 48:10). We must die to ourselves and be resurrected with Jesus, raised to a new life in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 2:12, 3:1). We must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to teach us new ways, the things of Christ. (1 John 2:27; John 14:26; Nehemiah 9:12). The wrath from God is already revealed. (Romans 1:18). You should be terrified to fall into the hands of a living God. (Hebrews 10:31).
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You don't want to be depraved G96: to fail the test of God! 

The friendship with the LORD is for those who fear Him, and makes known His covenant to them (Psalm 25:14). Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. (Hebrews 4:1). Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7).

Dear heavenly Father, we thank You that You've loved us; that You've never forgotten us; that You didn't turn Your face from us - even with all our rebellion or depravity. Father, we confess that we have rebelled against Your holiness and divine order. We confess that we transgressed You and one another.  We how know that we are to honor one another because we've been made in Your image, and everything of You is to be honored. We confess that all our ways have been hostile to You and we thank You for your forgiveness. We acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the promised anointed one to redeem man from his fallen state. We ask that He would come into our hearts to be our Lord and Savior. We profess that we want to proclaim Your goodness, Your holiness, and Your righteousness. AMEN.