MARCH 23: God’s Anger at Sin
(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)
In James Bryan Smith’s book titled The Good and Beautiful Life, he outlines Romans 1:18-32 and refers to it as “The Six Steps of Ruin.” These steps include:
- The turn away: Somebody says, “I want to be God.” 1:21
- The mind darkens: If there is a God and someone continues to turn away from Him (step 1), their mind darkens. 1:21-22
- Idolatry: We must have a God. If one rejects God, then something must take His place. An idol is anything we invest our lives in, in order to gain pleasure, happiness, and a false sense of purpose. 1:23
- God leaves us alone (Wrath): Unless we discover the futility of this existence and turn back to God, we are forced to push forward in our idolatry. 1:24
- Pleasure is pursued at all costs. Disconnected from reality and on our own, we must find a way to find fulfillment. Romans 1:26
- Sin reigns. Sin and wickedness become normative, automatic behavior. 1:28-31
READING & JOURNALING:
Read Romans 1:18-32 and compare it with the outline provided in today’s devotional. Do you think James Bryan Smith has outlined this passage well?
Have you experienced these steps in your own life or seen them lived out in the lives of others? What do you think is the most important step somebody needs to take to get out of this downward spiral?
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, the outline provided in today’s devotional reveals to me some hard truths. Primarily, it reveals that there are times when I want to be God, and as a result I turn from You. Today, I turn away from this way of thinking, and simply pray that I will come to more fully know and experience the goodness of who You are throughout this week. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)
F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)
The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.
Read: Zechariah 1:1-6, 2, & 12
Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.
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