The Epistle of Paul The Book of Romans series: Learning to be rooted and established in The Cross of Christ
Guilty of vain imaginations and sin
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
In 2 Kings 17:1-23 gives a perfect example here when Paul says; "Because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful" and is referring to the people of Israel knew God, but they had an ungrateful heart towards Him and after all that the Lord God had done for them they still continued in sin therefor did not worship Him as God.
The people of Israel were in bondage 430 years before the Lord God called Moses to help guide them out of Egypt, and yet through all of the wonderful things that the Lord God had shown and did for them, the were still not thankful for what He had done for them.
Even though they had been given the law, they could not keep the law perfectly, even so, as time went on, the people of Israel continued to sin before the Lord God in His sight dismissing the ways of the Lord.
They went against every word that the Lord had gave them, walked in the vanity of their own ways, and committing sin in secret, thinking that the Lord God did not see the iniquity that they were committing and in that they "became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened"
"Became vain" in the Greek is ματαιόω mataióō, mat-ah-yo'-o and it means here to render (passively, become) foolish, i.e. (morally) wicked or (specially), idolatrous.
"Imaginations" διαλογισμός dialogismós, dee-al-og-is-mos' as used here meaning (reasoning, thought) they thought that they were wise in what they were doing but in fact, in their vain imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened because of the constant sin that they were committing before the Lord God thinking that He would not see what they they were doing, or did they seem to care.
They continued to worship other idols, false gods and did not worship the one true God, instead, they follow the ways of men and their foolish heart was darkened.
Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 1:2: "vanity of vanity all is vanity" this stands true even today.
There are many in the church presently that are walking in the same path as Israel did back then and are committing similar sins, walking in the same vanity in their imaginations.
Jeremiah 2:5-9 speaks of this very thing, once again the people of Israel went back into iniquity just as their fathers did before them many years before and had walked after their vain imaginations and their heart was darkened.
They did not walk after the Lord, they did not seek His face, they did not give Him thanks for all that He had done for them, But yes continued to defiled the land that the Lord gave them and made a heritage of an abomination nor did the priests call out to the Lord.
The pastors transgressed against Him, the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after the things that were not profitable nor did the Lord give that prophet.
Because of their iniquities, the Lord punished them and allowed Babylon to overtake them to be captive for 70 years.
Let the reader understand that God will allow things to come to pass in a Believer's life to wake them up to the iniquity that they are committing before Him and call them to repent.
1 Corinthians 3:19-18 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
As Saints of God, we must continue to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith and true faith comes by the way of the Cross, taking up our cross each and every day crucifying every aspect about the flesh, putting off the old man, walking in Jesus by faith and what He did for all who believes in Him at Calvary.
It's through the Cross of Christ and only by the way of the Cross, can mankind have victory over the world, the flesh, the devil and the stain of sin.
Ephesians 4:17-32; Luke 9:23; Romans 15:8-9; Psalm 50:23; Psalm 86:9; Luke 17; 2 Timothy 3; Revelation 14:7, 15:4; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Ecclesiastes 1:2
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