Paul's argument Romans 1 - No excuses

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Paul's argument Romans 1 - No excuses

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1richardbsmith
Lug 31, 2016, 1:05 pm

Is Paul's argument in Romans 1. 18-31 as convincing as he seems to suppose?

The argument seems to be that all persons should know to worship the one God, because the unseen attributes of God, deity and eternal power, are clearly visible in perceived things of creation.

There are no excuses.

Is Paul's argument sound?

Should all mankind look at the creation and think of the one eternal God?

2hnau
Ago 3, 2016, 9:18 am

The Stoics thought that you can learn about God by looking at creation—they were pantheists. So, at least some heathens of Paul's time would agree. (Btw, Paul uses a similar argument in Acts 17:27-28.)

On the other hand, Paul is going to argue that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). Romans 1:18-31 is a long list of sins, and any human will fail on several accounts. We can expect many to fail on the first item.

3richardbsmith
Ago 3, 2016, 9:28 am

And we can perhaps learn about God by looking at creation. Maybe the creation is perhaps better than scripture as revelation about God. I have asked that question in the forums.

Paul's argument seems to be that there is only one conclusion from considering creation - that there is one God.

Does accepting Paul's premise that one can learn about God by looking at creation require the acceptance of Paul's conclusion, that of one eternal God?

1.18 Since the creation of this world his invisible nature, deity and eternal power, have been clearly perceived in the things made.
1.32 Though they know God's decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them.
2.1 Therefore you have no excuse

4JGL53
Ago 4, 2016, 8:18 pm

The size of the observable universe in comparison to the earth would indicate human insignificance.

Also, the fact that scientists have determined our solar system and the earth are around 4,500,000,000 years old and that the human species have been around only about 200,000 years - even counting Australopithecus that would make it only about 3,000,000 years - or seven ten-thousandths of one per cent of the earth's age - again, that would directly point to human insignificance.

This is not counting that the universe is nine billions years older than our solar system, so that would indicate we are three times as insignificant as demonstrated above.

There is an estimated 100 billions galaxies in the universe with an average of 200 billions stars or suns making up each. That is a total of 20 sextillion stars - that is the number "2" followed by twenty-two zeros.

Our sun is just one of them. How important can it and its planets be? Was all the rest just "created" as a background for some assumed reason?

I would say our perceived reality implies something quite different from what some of you infer. So why is that?

I think it was Albert Einstein who said "There are two things that are infinite - the universe and the human ego. And I am not certain about the universe."

lol.

5cl1914p
Ago 8, 2016, 10:57 am

Yes, I believe that there is only one eternal God and there is no other!

6JGL53
Ago 8, 2016, 2:16 pm

> 5

That's cool. You are obviously a person of 'great faith', as is said.

BTW, just so we are all clear on the subject, what exactly do you mean by "god"? Be specific. Thanks.