ROMANS 1:22

“Claiming to be wise, they became fools,”

People claim stuff all the time. They claim to be someone they’re not. They claim to have stuff they don’t. They even claim to have certain college degrees or experience which they don’t. False claims are like that leaky bucket you’ve tried to use – they just don’t hold water. The truth always comes out in the end.

Paul is still addressing these confused, dark hearted individuals in today’s verse. He uses a word for “claiming” that is only used two other times in the New Testament, both in the book of Acts (24:9; 25:19). The word comes from the Greek word phemi which means “see there.” It can be translated as “affirm.” It has the idea of putting one statement over others. It’s close to boasting but look at the result in this verse. “Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” Wow! That’s a turnaround, isn’t it?

APPLICATION

We need to make sure what we say is true. These individuals thought they had all the answers but were dead wrong. The word for “fools” is mórainó. It’s the same word Paul uses in 1 Corinithians 1:20d, “Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world?” The greatest minds known to mankind are fools in comparison to the wisdom of God.

We get our word “moron” from the root of this word. Have you ever been called a moron or heard someone else called that? It’s pretty demeaning, isn’t it? It means that person is dull or stupid. Most of the time they aren’t. They are just confused about the truth of the situation or lack the knowledge or experience to do what is asked.

There is a verse we memorize in our ministry (Every Man A Warrior) that talks about this. It’s Proverbs 18:13. “He who answers before listening, that is his folly and his shame.” We all need to listen well and speak only the truth. Everything else is folly. That’s what Paul is saying in today’s verse. They trusted their own intellect or traditions over the truth from God’s Word. That will make any of us fools. I had rather be a fool for Jesus.

Lord, help me live today trusting everything You say.

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