The short answer?
Yes.
They invent ways of doing evil. This is how Paul describes the end state of those who refuse to acknowledge the Lord. They exchange the truth about God for a lie, and worship and serve created things, rather than the Creator.
When I read these words about inventing new evils, I first think of Hitler and Stalin, men who butchered millions. But Paul casts a wider net. Anyone who refuses the Lord rests precariously atop an unstable slope, myself included.
The list Paul gave to the Roman church reads like a modern text, reminding me of the cruelty displayed every day on the news. Depravity stays with us.
It dawns on me as I contemplate, that in my heart rests the ability to invent evil. Blaming others misses the point. A latent power for greater and greater evil lies dormant in each human heart.
Thus the need for Jesus. Every day, deeper and deeper, as Paul goes on to explain throughout the book of Romans.
Romans 1 in week twenty-one of reading the Bible cover to cover
Photo by Norbert Buduczki
Yoooooooo Dave, i was drawn to your post, the good lord would like me to give you a message he lead me to this answer a while back during my healing journey Jesus allowed me to understand that this was due to the anger i felt inside from being wronged by a man who i thought cared for me. I thank the lord that it wasn’t my real father and that god has been able to help me though the toughest part of the healing. its actually a natural response to trauma the brain does it because of deregulation if you check out the neurology of it its actually really interesting. God helped me understand I hope he does the same for you!
Thank you Jennifer!