“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles” (Romans 1:22-23 NET).
This passage speaks of an exchange that takes place with those who choose to reject the existence of God. This concept should be familiar to virtually everyone, for we frequently engage in various types of exchanges each day. Perhaps the most common example is the person who is seeking to purchase an item from a merchant. To do so, the buyer must exchange money (or another commodity) in order to complete the sale.
A wise consumer aims to secure a “good buy” by acquiring an item with a value that meets or exceeds its purchase price. However, let’s consider the exchange that takes place here in Romans 1:22-23. In this transaction, a priceless treasure (God) is exchanged for a inferior imitation (a human-like image or a representative of the animal kingdom). Today, we might add other commodities (like financial wealth or material possessions) to that list of substitutes.
However, this decision involves more than just a bad deal. A good consumer might recover from a bad purchase, but foolishness will undoubtedly manifest itself in many different areas of life. Unfortunately, a decision to exchange “…the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God” (AMP) offers an excellent starting point for a variety of foolish choices.
From ancient mythologies that remade God in man’s image, to modern-day idolatries that replace God at the top of life’s priority scale with social status, power, influence, or other types of acquisitions, humanity has consistently attempted to reconcile its rejection of God by substituting Him with something else. In fact, we can trace the origin of such behaviors all the way back to Garden of Eden.
As the following source observes, “One of Paul’s primary points in Romans 1:22–25 is that there is no such thing as religious neutrality within the hearts and minds of human beings. When people reject the one true God, they do not stop worshiping; rather, they direct their religious affections elsewhere. Only the term foolishness can describe this redirection of devotion.” (1)
So, those who embrace such practices reveal their foolishness. They also violate the very first of the Ten Commandments…
“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them” (Exodus 20:3-5 NIV).
Image Attribution : Exchange by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images via The Blue Diamond Gallery
(1) Worshiping the Creature (2014, January 20). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/worshiping-creature