“[God’s] invisible attributes, that is to say His everlasting power and deity, have been visible, ever since the world began, to the eye of reason, in the things He has made.” Therefore, maintains Paul, people are without excuse. People deliberately choose to ignore the obvious evidence for the existence and preeminence of God, and worship created things instead — things which include animals, spirits and even their very selves.Paul also contends that “[we] therefore have no defence — [we] who sit in judgment , whoever [we] may be — for in judging [our] fellow-man [we] condemn [ourselves], since [we], the judges, are equally guilty.” (Romans 2:1)
Remember, “there is no just man, not one; no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have swerved aside, all alike have become debased; there is no one to show kindness; no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12)
The extraordinary news — the very good news — is that “quite independently of the law, God’s justice has been brought to light. The Law and the prophets bear witness to it: it is God’s way of righting wrong, effective through faith in Christ for all who have such faith — all, without distinction. For all alike have sinned, and are deprived of the divine splendour, and all are justified by God’s free grace alone, through His act of liberation in the person of Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-25) Amen. Hallelujah.
