Welcome to EBible Fellowship’s Bible study in the book of Romans. Tonight is study 39 of Romans, chapter 1, and we are reading Romans 1:20-25:

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

I will stop reading there. We were discussing verse 20 in our last study where it says, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

We spent a little time talking about “invisible things.” It is very interesting that God says that these invisible things of Him belong to Him, which would have to do with the kingdom of heaven and with Himself, and with His people that have received resurrected souls in being born again, and so forth. These invisible things are clearly seen. And this reminds us of what we read in Hebrews 11:24-27:

By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses did not “see” God, although we know that later at the burning bush, God showed Himself in a divine, dramatic revelation of that burning bush and, yet, that was not God. It was just God’s way of indicating His presence. Likewise, even when God said He would show Moses “his backside” of His glory, it was really just a reflection of the glorious Almighty God, but it was not the fulness of His being. No man can see God at any time and live, at least not while we are in the flesh of this life. So Moses saw the invisible God by faith, and that is what we are told here – it was “by faith,” or by Christ, and by the spirit Christ gives through the belief of the truth that God gives His people. Moses knew there was a God. Moses knew that the Word He was receiving was from God, so he “saw” Him with eyes of understanding, although He be invisible.

Now in Romans 1, God is talking of the unsaved or, actually, all human beings, whether they were unsaved or elect: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made…” And, you see, that is what presents the problem. We understand how Moses could see God with eyes of faith or understanding because he was one of God’s elect granted spiritual sight, but how could the unsaved of the world clearly see the invisible things of God right from the creation? We have trouble with this because we know that God judged man, and in that judgment, He struck mankind dead in his soul existence (in his heart) so that he would not have faith, and the Bible says, “…all men have not faith.” He would not have “eyes” to see in the spiritual realm because he was dead in trespasses and sins and, yet, as God speaks of the invisible things of Him, again, it is the testimony of creation and the testimony of the Law of God written upon the hearts that testify of the existence of an invisible God who must dwell in an invisible realm, the kingdom of heaven. So He is clearly seen or understood through the testimony of creation and the testimony of the Law written upon the hearts of the creatures that are made in His own image. These things are clearly seen on those levels, but it is certainly not understood by the unsaved of the world on another level, and that is on the level of spiritual understanding that only God’s elect have.

The word “made” is found in the middle of the verse: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made…” It is Strong’s #4161, and this Greek word is only found twice in the New Testament, once here, and once in Ephesians 2 where it refers to those God has saved, in Ephesians 2:10:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Here, it is the word translated as “workmanship.” For we are made, created in Christ Jesus. And this is speaking of someone that has been created anew in heart or spirit. The body is the same, but there is a new heart or new spirit, and he is a new creature in Christ, as a result. We are “made,” and that is language that identifies with creation, because God made the heavens and the earth and this creation in six days. He made Adam in His own image: “Let us make man in our image.” So man was made the first time over 13,000 years ago when God formed him from the dust of the ground. Man is made a “second time” after the likeness of the “second Adam;” that is, we are made in Christ’s image as God applied the atoning work of the Lord Jesus performed at the foundation of the world to each of His elect through the application of the Word of God. We then became “born again” and new creatures, beginning in our souls and with the promise of the completion of that process on the last day when we receive our resurrected bodies. Then we will have been completely “done over” in God’s workshop, as He worked upon us to make us new creatures equipped to live for all eternity, without a cursed body or anything that identifies with sin.

So this word “made,” Strong’s #4161, can be understood this way, I think, and we could take the understanding of Ephesians 2:10 which applies only to God’s elect. The unsaved are not Christ’s workmanship created to walk in good works, because the context (if we had read the earlier verses) can only apply to those that have become saved. So if we took the understanding that this word “workmanship” only has to do with the elect, then we might get the idea that the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the thing that are His workmanship. Then we could say, “Oh, that makes sense, now I see why these invisible spiritual things are clearly seen and understood, because God grants understanding to His people.” However, that will not fit. We cannot do that, even though it goes on to say, “even his eternal power and Godhead.” That almost seems to reinforce our desire to say, “Yes, it is only the elect, because the elect understand God’s eternal power and Godhead. Who else but the elect understand these things? How can people of the world that see the witness of creation and the witness of the Law written on their hearts also clearly see invisible things and have understanding of His eternal power and Godhead?”

By the way, the word “Godhead” does not necessarily refer to the Trinity or the three Persons of the Godhead, as we understand Him. This word is only used here. It is Strong’s #2305. It is the word “theiotēs,” and it is related to the word “theos,” Strong’s #2316, which is the Greek word for “God.” But, again, our word is Strong’s #2305, which is derived from #2304, “theios,” which is found three times and it is translated once as “Godhead,” in Acts 17:29:

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

This was spoken by the Apostle Paul on Mars Hill as he was testifying to the Greeks that had an image of “the unknown God,” and Paul was trying to make God known. That word, which is Strong’s 2304, is found two other times. It says in 2Peter 1:3-4:

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Here, in verses 3 and 4, it is the word “divine,” the Greek word, “theiotēs,” so it is not the word “God,” but it is related to “God,” and I think the word “divine” is probably a more accurate translation, instead of “Godhead,” as we immediately think of the latter as three Persons, but one God. It is not really saying that, but it is saying something more like “related to God” or “divine.”

So when God is saying in Romans 1:20 that the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made (his workmanship), that would refer to the original workmanship of God or His original handiwork performed when He created the world and formed man, just as those who become saved are His workmanship as He fashioned us after Christ as a new spiritual man. Here, He is referring to the creation that man was from the beginning who fell into sin. It is not referring to the elect but to natural man, and we can know that because it continues to say, “so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” That is not language that can apply to those God has saved, His elect children. So it must be mankind in general, and that would mean that the reference to “things that are made” refers to mankind’s creation as God formed him, and not the “new creature” that comes with salvation.

So God is making this statement to mankind in general: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead…” (or His divinity or divine nature). That is, they can understand from seeing the creation around them and using all their senses to sense the reality of matter and material things that have substance, as we are told in Hebrews 11. Again, this would apply to the elect, because this is the faith chapter, but it is also telling us a truth (regarding mankind in general). It says in Hebrews 11:1-3:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

That is, things which are seen are not made of things that are “seen.” You cannot look at the whole spectrum of physical existence…and this is the mistake scientists make and the mistake that all secular minds make as they look to evolution to try to figure out how there could have been a “Big Bang” and things could have developed from that certain point. That is why they are stuck looking for a “substance,” as they try to quickly mention a “substance” and then run away from it (from identifying that substance). Their argument is that there was the smallest iota of something that had “substance,” whatever it was, and it exploded, and then time took effect and over billions and billions of years, it developed the universe with its sun, moon and stars, and the earth and the life upon it. Then they are fully engaged in their “tall tale,” and it is the biggest of tales. They tell their “story of evolution,” and how one thing came from another, and now they are billions of years away from their initial problem, which is this: where did this substance that exploded come from? You see, they start with something that “appears” and then all things proceeded forth from it.

And, yet, the Bible has the only truth and the only real explanation, as it is written, and we understand that it is by faith, or by Christ: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. “ Everything “seen” has been made, and that is a big truth, and it was not made by anything that anyone could possibly see, and no one ever will, so that is why we know that they will never have the correct explanation for the origin of things because they cannot explain it without venturing into one of two things: 1) matter is eternal; whatever substance they believe began all things and exploded had to itself be eternal and without a beginning (and most do not want to admit that); or, 2) there is something (someone) invisible that acted to make this world appear and made the things that we see, giving it existence, so they are real, just as we are real.

This is why there is the testimony of the creation and it is clearly seen by all that there are “the invisible things of him,” or that there is an invisible God that has done this, who possesses eternal power because He had to have “been” at the beginning of the creation. Then we have the understanding that God spoke and created all this, as it says in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” He spoke His Word and everything that is of this creation came into existence over those six days. But once we allow for that, we have to ask the next question: “Where did God come from?” You see, it is the same problem with the origin of the world and where it came from. The Bible answers, “It came from God.” And where did God come from? And the Bible also answers that question, unlike the brilliant scientists. They might have brilliant IQs compared to their fellow man and compared to me and to most people. I am sure they are highly intelligent and, yet, when it comes to the infinite, brilliant mind of God, they are nothing but a corrupt speck of dust whose mind is extremely limited in the ability to reason, to think, and to possess information, whereas God’s mind is unlimited, and He possesses all knowledge. He is the infinite Almighty God of the Bible who reveals Himself through the Bible, and He tells us that He is from everlasting to everlasting. He is God. Moses asked God, “What is your name, so I can tell the people of Israel who sent me?” And God said, “I AM THAT I AM. I AM hath sent me unto you.” He is the statement of existence, the ever existent One, the great I AM. He is the God who has given us the Word of God, the Bible, and He is invisible to us because we are just little, finite creatures in this one particular creation that He wanted to put on display to principalities and powers, according to His own glorious purposes. And then when this little creation is over, He will create a new heaven and new earth, a new creation where He will put His new creatures, and we will dwell with Him, and He will dwell with us and be with us. He will be our God and we will be His people for evermore, so it is about as wonderful a future as anybody could imagine, and even beyond imagination.

Going back to Romans 1, we read, in Romans 1:20:

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

The word “excuse” is Strong’s #379, and it is basically a Greek word, Strong’s #626, which is a “legal” word. It is translated as “defense,” “answer,” “spake,” and “excusing.” I do not have time right now, but you could turn to Acts 19:33 or Acts 24:10 or Acts 26:1, 2 and 24, and you will see the Apostle Paul when he was on trial, and it says he made his “defense;” and he would cheerfully “answer” for himself; and he “spake” for himself. We have an expression, “What do you have to say for yourself?” It has to do with legal defense, but the people of the world are “without excuse.” There is the Greek alpha or negative particle attached to the word “defense” or “answer,” indicating “no defense,” or “no answer,” or “no excuse.” They are without excuse when it comes to legal reasons, and the legality, of course, refers to the Law of God, the Bible.