(22)  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

(23)  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.

Romans 1:22-23

Explanation:

Verse 22 further describes what happens when a person, who can clearly see the evidence that God exists refuses to seek out God, glorify God, or be thankful to God.  The result in verse 21 is vanity in their intellectual life, and foolishness and evil in their inner person- their heart.   This inevitably leads to them seeking out some explanation other than the eternal, powerful true God.  In this pursuit they profess to find some other explanation to the evidence before them.  In so doing they count themselves as wise, and are even counted as wise by others, but in God’s estimation they become fools.  Time will win out and their assertions will be seen for what they are.

In verse 23, Paul describes what this exchange of wisdom for foolisheness looks like.  They credit the evidence that they see (the glory of the uncreated uncorruptible God, even his eternal power and Godhead) to the corruptable things that He created.

Application:

Sometimes people who sound very wise are just describing sophisticated ways to be foolish. 

(1)  The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Psalms 14:1 22-23

It is important for us to test what we hear by the Word of God.  Of course this does not mean that we must believe in a faith that has no evidence.  On the contrary, the author of the “Book of Nature” is also the author of the Scripture.  They do not contradict!

One of the most foolish things we can do is attribute things that God has done to men, and the things that men have done to God.

Reaction:

• Take some time today to thank God for revealing Himself through creation, and thanking Him for creation. 
• Next take some time to worship Him as the Eternal,Powerful God!