For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

                                                                                                                     Romans 1:20 

We see it throughout scripture. It was true for the first man and woman (Genesis 3). The people of Israel faced the same thing (Deuteronomy 30:19). We see it throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry (John 5:39-40) and it is still the most important resolution facing every man and woman today (John 3:18). It is a decision, a choice that must be made on how we will respond to the love of God. And today’s passage tells us that when it comes to receiving or rejecting the gospel, everyone is without excuse.

But why is this so? Paul reminds us that the gospel goes out to everyone who will believe. This amazing good news is for Jew and Gentile alike. But in spite of God’s wonderful act of kindness and love, many will still reject the gospel. But it is not because they cannot see the attributes and nature of God. It is just the opposite. Paul reminds us that since the creation of the world, the attributes, power, and divine nature of God have been clearly seen through what has been made. In other words, if we were to go outside at night and gaze up at the stars, that one act alone would be enough for us to know that there is a God. Consider the following description on how the creation speaks:

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 

                                                                                                                     Psalm 19:1-2 

We are made in the image of God and He has instilled in each of us the ability to respond to Him. I like to define faith as, “an appropriate response to a loving God.” When we reject the gospel, it is not because of our inability to see, know, and understand that God exists, for that is evident within creation. When we reject God’s offer of salvation, it is entirely because of our sin nature and the rebellion that remains in our hearts as a result of the sin of Adam (Romans 5:18). People may give all kinds of reasons for their rejection of the gospel, but there are only three responses that can occur when good news is proclaimed:

1. A denial that mankind has a spiritual problem

This is a very prevalent view in our world today. It is the rejection of the truth that we have all sinned against God and that we have all broken the entire Law of God (James 2:10). In fact, some people will get quite angry when it is suggested that, spiritually speaking, they are just as bad as a fascist dictator, career criminal, or terrorist. This is largely because we have been taught to compare ourselves with ourselves. In other words, we can all find someone that have lived, by our own assessment, a much more depraved life than have we. But although we are capable of making good choices, we cannot deny that our natural bent is toward sin. And no matter how good we believe ourselves to be, deep down inside, we know that we are a fallen people. So some people reject the gospel because they refuse to accept their need for a Savior.

2. Acceptance of the problem but a desire to create our own solution

The second response to the gospel is quite different but equally as damning. It is the view that agrees that we do indeed have a spiritual problem but then skews away from the truth when exacting a strategy to solve the problem. This is also an extremely prevalent view in today’s world. This is the religious view. There are no shortages of manmade ideas, doctrines, and rituals all designed to “save” mankind. Dead, lifeless, religious activity abounds in our society but has no saving effect. This is as much a rejection of the gospel as that of denying that there is even a problem. Instead of entering into a life-changing relationship with a living Savior, religious motion is preferred. But substituting anything for the finished work of the cross will lead to a false sense of spiritual security and in the end will not result in eternal life. Yet some people choose this works-based avenue over the good news of the cross.

3. Acceptance of the problem and a willingness to receive God’s gift of salvation by faith

The final response to the gospel is the only one that leads to abundant, vigorous, and eternal life. When we acknowledge our sin and our need for a Savior and then “call on the name of the Lord” (Romans 10:13), sincerely asking God to save us on the basis of His love, mercy, and grace, He does! Salvation, justification, redemption, forgiveness, and reconciliation all become ours and this is all obtained by simply responding to the gospel by faith. As we place our trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, we then abandoned the idea that any of this saving work comes from us (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, Romans 4:4-5). Our right standing with God is now firm and secure and we now live in the power that comes from the presence of the Spirit of God in our lives (John 7:37-38). And because we live with a heart of gratitude to God for His goodness, we are then empowered to love others in the same way, proclaiming to them this good news that Christ died for them as well.

The gospel is for everyone who will believe and creation alone is enough evidence for us to see, know, and understand God’s attributes, power, and nature. Have you responded to the gospel by asking God to save you on the basis of His love, mercy, and grace? Why not do that today!

…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

                                                                                                                   Romans 10:9-10