“because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).
Our discussion of general revelation is important in light of what follows here in Romans 1:21. This portion of Scripture tells us that a single motivating factor underlies the denial of God’s existence as revealed in nature: people don’t acknowledge God because they are unwilling to do so. In other words, their rejection is volitional, not evidential.
While we may seek to insulate our decision to reject God’s existence with layers of justifications and/or rationalizations, the issue ultimately comes down to a matter of preference: we prefer to do what we wish rather than subject ourselves to God and His agenda for our lives. But if we decline to acknowledge the only One who is good, that leaves us with one alternative. The New Testament Gospel of John employs the metaphors of light and darkness to illustrate that alternative…
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19 NIV).
For example, if we were to accept the premise that God does not exist, then we would no longer face an obligation to conduct ourselves in a manner that is acceptable to Him. However, there is a problem with that approach: it compels us to suppress the testimony of a creation that affirms God’s existence in order to live in a manner that presumes He doesn’t exist. This is what ultimately prompts us to “suppress the truth is unrighteousness” according to Romans 1:18.
Romans 1:21 thus alludes to a potentially uncomfortable truth for many: the acknowledgment of God carries an obligation to honor Him and give Him thanks. When faced with that obligation, some respond by taking the evidence of God’s existence as it is revealed in nature and placing that evidence in a box, so to speak. We subsequently place that box in a remote corner of our mental closet where we won’t have to think about it any further. Then we live out the remainder of our lives in the hope that everything will turn out for the best when we pass from this life.
In the meantime, we proceed to serve ourselves instead of God in whatever indulgences we desire (and can afford). Thus, the words of Romans 1:21 (and the following verses) come to pass: “…they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (ESV).