Seek Him Out

Romans 1:8 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
Now, this verse is a little scary, but it is very clear. They (the people of the Earth) did not retain the knowledge of God and there was a vacuum created. In the following verse we find out what happened to the vacuum. “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity,” Romans 1:29a. Now what stuck out to me in this verse wasn’t the sheer fear it elicited in my spirit that said, “Get on your knees for at least 2-3 hours a day, turn off all TV, radio, and computer information that is not holy and hope you haven’t already been turned over.” I saw was a people who, although they weren’t seeking God, weren’t seeking evil, either. It doesn’t describe them as a people running after pagan gods throwing themselves into idol worship, as some other groups in the Bible are described. They simply didn’t find it worth their time to “retain the knowledge of God.” It’s an indictment, all the same, but one that would seem more of a misdemeanor than a felony.
Isn’t that where we get tripped up though? When we look at ourselves we think we’re okay because we wouldn’t commit any of the “Big Ones.” You know murder, theft, and infidelity. We have God’s top ten down. That’s what’s curious about this though, the following 3 verses track sin’s growth curve. Beginning with verse 29, “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless,” Romans 1:29-32.
All of this was not because they sought it out. They were not actively seeking evil, but they also were not actively seeking God. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8