Scary Bible 1 // Exchanging the Truth for a Lie

Why do we like to be scared?

• Activate the Threat Detection System: experience fear in a safe, controlled environment.
• Excitation Transfer Theory: facing fears then experiencing a sense of accomplishment and mastery afterwards.

Our Scary Bible series is to help us face some of the things in Scripture that challenge us.

Romans 1:18-25 (NIV) | ¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. ²⁴ Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵ They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Exchanging truth for a lie

• What is “the lie”? That we can live apart from our connections to God.
  • Sin is always a lie in that we think the sin will make us happy, whereas it ruins our lives
  • We see this lived out in worshipping the creation as opposed to the Creator (v.23)
• Convincing others that lies are true: lie, life confidently, lie often

Knowing God (vs.18-20)

• Knowing about God without knowing God personally
• God is revealed in nature and His Word (JESUS!)
• 1 Corinthians 13:12, “…I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

 

Foolishness (vs.21-23)

• The ways of the wise are actually foolish
• The one who controls language controls the agenda, but we see it only creates chaos
• The fool sets his own thoughts, ideas, and opinions as the standard as opposed to the laws of nature and nature’s God.
  • It’s like someone ignoring the laws of health, economics, etc. and being dumbfounded that their ideas didn’t work.
  • The result is idolatry: instead of acknowledging a mistake, the fools say we just haven’t tried hard enough.
  • Celebration parallax: Truth is more in who said it vs what is said. We aren’t doing something, it’s good that we are, and you better not try to stop us.
    • Queso example: I’m not eating all your cheese dip, and it’s good that I am because you don’t need it, and if you try to stop me, you’re a greedy glutton.
    • Not as much as what is being said as much as who says it
    • It’s the person, not the point, that is the difference between honor and horror
• Proverbs 14:7, “Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.”
• So frustrating talking to someone spouting foolishness who is convinced they are speaking truth.

 

Desire (vs.24-25)

• Desire: epithumia, meaning passionate desire for forbidden pleasure
• Abandoning: meaning God allows us to make our own choices, even if they are bad [no enabling]
• Romans 13:14, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Hope and Help

• Acknowledge the truth that sets you free (John 8:32)
• Call on Jesus for Salvation (Romans 10:13)
• Make your thoughts obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Reflection Questions

1. How did we explore the difference between knowing about God and actually knowing God? How does God reveal Godself?
2. What is the problem with foolishness? What is the result of foolishness?
3. How does our passage from Romans 1:18-25 describe desires?
4. Why does God abandon people to their desires?
5. What was the most hopeful and/or helpful part of our closing section? When you think about the truth, calling on Jesus, and being obedient to the Lord, what lies do you need to acknowledge so you can fully embrace the truth?