The book of Romans opens by describing the deplorable decline in men’s hearts, as mankind pushes God aside to make way for his own will and agenda. It’s really hard to comprehend why he would want to make such an exchange. Man is typically highly motivated to find the best value in things. He carefully researches large purchases before actually buying them. He wants to make sure that he is getting the most for his money.

Before buying a car, some men spend months evaluating Consumer Reports articles, reading magazines, analyzing various reviews, and actually getting behind the wheel and trying it out. Every possible resource available is accessed to help the prospective car buyer determine whether or not a particular car will be a solid investment.

All of the knowledge gained becomes a leveraging tool to use against the seller of the car. If the seller tries to make the car out to be something it is not, that valuable resource of stored knowledge kicks in to warn that he’s not telling the truth. That knowledge can make the difference between a honey of a deal, or a lemon.

While there is some knowledge we treasure, and find ourselves contemplating often; there is some knowledge that history has proven to be sadly driven out of all conscious thought. When the book of Romans describes man’s condition, it gives one of the reasons for man’s downfall. It is mentioned in…

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.

Man did not like being ‘bothered’ by those nagging feelings of conviction. As man strayed farther and farther away from God, and sought after his own interests and delights, God mercifully pricked his heart as a warning to try and wake him up from his poor choices.

Those pangs of conviction brought one of two responses; either they were met with an awakening to the truth, and confession and repentance; or, they were ignored, or worse, despised.

When man pushed off and ignored the Holy Spirit’s warnings, he slowly hardened his heart to those warnings until he could hear them no longer. With no warning signs, he felt ‘free’ to pursue any and all delights, regardless of their danger. Before long, he became so immersed in the pleasures of the world, any remembrance of God was an offense.

With every thought of God now successfully pushed out of his mind, not only is he able to sin without any feelings of regret, he has also prepared his mind to become ‘reprobate,’ or literally worthless. No longer will it have the ability to discern right and wrong rationally. He will be subjected to a skewed reality in which bad is good, and right is wrong.

Man’s only hope is being ‘retrofitted’ by our Lord Jesus Christ through salvation and sanctification. Thank God for His merciful provision.