Because Greek conjunction: on account of this; for this reason; because
Where does this come from?
Vs 18 For the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness
Question: Why is the wrath of God revealed against all ungodliness?
Because: this is where the conjunction fits in:
Because: that which is known about God is evident within them, so they are without excuse in not being Godly!
This conjunction explains why wrath of God is revealed
Because there is evidence within them
that which is known about the God
What is known of God?
Certainly not the fullness of God, so what is known about God?
First: That He exist
That there is one Sovereign God, creator of all things:
including every individual, including self.
We now know our origin.
God Consciousness
1. God consciousness is the point at which humans become aware of the existence of God. This happens in each individual’s own soul, mind. It has nothing to do with intellect. One of high IQ, low IQ comes to this point in their early life. God consciousness means the awareness of the existence of God!
That God exist! That there is one deity!
2. Man has the ability to arrive at God consciousness through the thinking of his own mind, through observation, and reason, (cause & effect). This process does not require an education, in fact as one gets an education, he finds reasons to suppress what he knows to be true about God, that is, that God does exist.
3. When a member of human race has reached God consciousness, this is called the point of accountability. Spiritually accountable! This is one of the great differences between homo sapiens & lower creatures, animals. Animals do not come to the point of God consciousness therefore they are not accountable in the spiritual realm. The history of man is a history of man trying to deal with the decision they make at God consciousness.
4. God consciousness varies in societies, cultures and even in individuals. In some societies, many will reach God consciousness before the age of five, while in others, it may be in the twenties.
5. Those members of the human race who are morons, never reach accountability and are saved through the love and holiness of God. Therefore, better to be a moron and saved than to be a genius and unsaved.
6. Babies and others who die before reaching accountability are also saved. 2 Sam. 12:23
7. The various natural ways by which man becomes God conscious:
(1) Theological: Men universally believe in the existence of God, therefore He must exist. Man universally believes in God and seeks after Him. Man has the concept of God in their minds.
Acts 17:28
(2) The next approach is anthropological. The science of man in relation to physical character, origin, and social relations. This approach in effect says that man possesses a conscience with an urge to choose right rather than wrong. This is based upon an inner human recognition of truth, of right and of wrong. Behind this innate desire to choose right is the innate recognition of the supreme being of God. A material ungoverned universe can know nothing of moral values, and distinctions apart from the absolute righteousness of a supreme being.
For the record, as man suppresses the being of God, and moves away from God, moral judgments of right and wrong also moves into a strong grey area, where there is very little considered absolutely right or wrong. Again, supporting this view of how man becomes God conscious.
(3) The third approach is ontological. This approach deals with the science of being or reality. This approach says in effect that since the human mind possesses the idea of a perfect and absolute being, such a being must exist. If it’s in the human mind, then there is the possibility of it’s existence. Apart from the theological or moral tendencies previously covered, the existence of god is necessary for the ideal tendency of the human mind.
The fourth is teleological. The being and structure of the universe demands a designer. This applies the logical cause & effect principle to structure of the universe. First level is what we see with our eyes. Man looks at the structure of the universe and concludes, no, this did not come by mere chance, but by design. An to presuppose design is to presuppose a designer, that is God.
We can advance this point to the telescopic or whether we are looking at the invisible universe, microscopic, both telescopic and microscopic phenomenon, possesses order, design, arrangement, and purpose. All of these conclude that there is a designer, God.
Whether just the stars we can see, and the human body we experience or an atom, or the intricacies of the human body or the design of the galaxies, there is no such thing as by change design. There must be a God!
(5) The fifth way of coming to God consciousness is the cosmological approach.
This is the law of cause and effect. It demands the existence of God. In no sense can the universe be it’s own cause, it’s own order, design, arrangement and inter-action and inter-dependency. All this could not just have happened. The universe demands a designer, creator, and preserver.
Col. 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created by Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Five approaches to God consciousness
Theological
Anthropological
Ontological
Teleological
Cosmological
8. The decision at God consciousness. When each individual comes to the point of God consciousness he must make a decision as to whether he will acknowledge the existence of God or will he suppress what he knows to be true.
If he chooses to acknowledge the existence of God, then this sets the course of events in his life. It may take him to religion or idolatry or to the truth of the gospel.
However if he chooses to suppress the truth of the being of God, this sets into action a chain of events that may lead him to perversion, but wherever it leads, it will be based on untruth.
If one chooses to acknowledge the existence of God, then this one will have the gospel given to him.