“Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused” (Romans 1:21 NLT).
Romans 1:21 offers an incisive look at those “…who knew all the time that there is a God, yet they refused to acknowledge him as such, or to thank him for what he is or does” (Phillips). According to this passage, the problem isn’t a lack of awareness regarding God’s existence. The issue is that we refuse to acknowledge Him despite our awareness of His existence. That refusal leads to an attempt to redefine “god” in ways that align with our “dark and confused” speculations concerning Him.
One source explains the crux of the issue…
“…it should be observed that Paul does not say that natural persons cannot perceive truth about God, but that they do not receive (Gk. δεκομαι, ‘welcome’) it. Paul emphatically declares that the basic truths about God are ‘clearly seen’ (Rom. 1:20). The problem is not that unbelievers are not aware of God’s existence. They do not want to accept him because of the moral consequences this would have on their sinful lives.” (1)
That decision yields another unfortunate response: ingratitude. When a gracious, benevolent Creator “…makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), we would do well to respond with an attitude of thankfulness and appreciation. Instead, we’re told that such individuals “became futile in their thinking” (ESV).
“Futility” denotes something that is useless and devoid of purpose. This definition is important, for our text from Romans 1:21 reveals a concern that is far more significant than it seems. For instance, consider the thoughts and activities that fill our days. Think about the way we invest our time, talents, and capabilities in the various affairs of life. There are many ideologies, beliefs, and philosophies that allow us to indulge in the belief that we are pursuing “the important things in life.” But apart from a genuine relationship with God in Christ, those pursuits ultimately lead to futility.
No reasonable person should choose to live a life of futility. No rational individual should approach the twilight years of life with the realization that he or she has failed to produce anything of lasting significance. Yet Romans 1:21 tells us that a refusal to act on what we know about God ultimately leads to that end.
(1) “Objections to Apologetics” Geisler, N. L. 1999. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Baker Reference library. Baker Books: Grand Rapids, Mich