Bible Reading Blog
“Don't Confuse Me With the Facts”
Categories: Congregational Bible ReadingBIBLE READING: Romans 1
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1.28)
A struggling company hired an analyst to get them back on track. He spent months evaluating their data and considering their pain points. He carefully observed and charted the business’s performance using the information they had given him. Finally, he presented his findings.
“I’ve identified several areas you’re well below the industry average,” he said, as he pointed to the raw data. “If you don’t improve here, your business will not make it.”
The CEO considered the information for a moment and responded, “I feel like we are doing just fine in these areas. This can’t be the problem. What else did you find?”
“There is nothing else,” the analyst exclaimed. “And this is the problem! Based on the information you provided me, these are the facts.”
“Don’t confuse me with the facts!” the CEO exclaimed, and stormed out of the room.
It seems ridiculous someone would cling to a belief in the face of incontrovertible evidence. And yet, we see this play out on every day in our world. Many people rely so heavily on their feelings and opinions they are convinced facts are nothing more than an alternative opinion.
The people Paul describes in Romans 1 had rejected a fundamental fact of life: God is the Creator. It is plain and evident and leaves them without an excuse (Romans 1.19-10). And yet these people overruled this fact in favor of their feelings. In turn, they had elevated their thinking over what God had revealed.
This is a dangerous habit to form. Not simply because it dishonors God, but because God will let us do it (Romans 1.24, 26, 28). As we share the gospel, we must remember that sometimes people will not listen, even to the best arguments. But we also need to remember that even we can "turn away [our] ears from the truth" (2 Timothy 4.4) and become just as stubborn and prejudiced as those in the world (See, 1 Timothy 4.1-3; 2 Timothy 4.1-4; Titus 1.13-16). If there is anything worse than a person of the world with their fingers in their ears, it’s a professed Christian with their fingers in their ears.
The proper attitude for the Christian is to "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good," (1 Thessalonians 5.21), studying to show ourselves approved, (2 Timothy 2.15), and "examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things [are] so" (Acts 17.11). It is an attitude that "thinks no evil; doesn’t rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13.5-7). The Christian with the proper attitude towards others and the truth has his fingers turning the pages of his Bible instead of stuck in his ears!
"He will render to each on according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth... there will be wrath and fury." (Romans 2.6-8)
