“The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good” (Psalm 14:1).
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Stephen Charnock: “I have spoken the more of this place, because the Socinians use this to decry any natural knowledge of God, and that the existence of God is only to be known by revelation, so that by that reason anyone that lived without the Scripture hath no ground to believe the being of God. The Scripture ascribes a knowledge of God to all nations in the world…
Romans 1:19
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
…not only a faculty of knowing, if they had arguments and demonstrations, as an ignorant man in any art hath a faculty to know; but it ascribes an actual knowledge (verse 19) ‘manifest in them’; (Verse 21) ‘They knew God;’ not they might know him; they knew him when they did not care for knowing him. The notices of God are as intelligible to us by reason, as any object in the world is visible; he is written in every letter.”
Clay Miller: Socinians were best known for their rejection of God’s omniscience (All-knowingness), their claim that Jesus did not exist until he was born into the world, and they rejected the propitiatory view of the atonement. Charnock here informs us that they also denied that nature was effectual evidence of God’s existence. Romans 1:19 makes it clear that God has shown His existence in all men…and I would add…
Psalm 19:1-3
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.
…They have the heavens showing His glory, the sky and atmosphere showing his power and creativity; they have succession of days revealing so much including His faithfulness, and they have night after night revealing His amazing knowledge. And there is no place, no people who do not have this megaphone in their lives.
“The Scripture ascribes a knowledge of God to all nations in the world…not only a faculty of knowing, if they had arguments and demonstrations, as an ignorant man in any art hath a faculty to know; but it ascribes an actual knowledge (verse 19) ‘manifest in them’; (Verse 21) ‘They knew God”. “This was a little difficult wording to comprehend but what Charnock was saying is that the Bible not only says we have the faculty to know, like we all have the faculty or ability to do things we do not yet know how to do, but, unlike a mere faculty to know God, we all have actual knowledge of God. It is clear to us all. It is just as sinners, we don’t want it to be…unless God changes our affections.
