No Excuse Before God

“But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

‘Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.’” – Romans 10:18

Paul quotes Psalm 19 to remind his readers that the message of God has always been available. David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1, NKJV). Day after day, creation itself proclaims the reality of God. The stars, the sun, the skies—all of them testify to His power and majesty. Israel, like all nations, had more than enough opportunity to hear and respond to the truth. The problem was not the absence of revelation, but the refusal to believe it.

This Psalm points us to both general revelation and special revelation. General revelation is seen in creation, where God’s invisible attributes are clearly displayed. Special revelation is found in His Word, which is “perfect, converting the soul” and “sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7, NKJV). Paul echoes this in Romans 1:20, saying that no one is without excuse because God has revealed Himself everywhere. Israel had the prophets, the Scriptures, and even the witness of creation itself. Yet many chose to suppress the truth. Their unbelief was not due to ignorance but to willful rejection of what God had already made plain.

This means we cannot claim ignorance when it comes to God’s truth. His fingerprints are everywhere—in the beauty of creation, in the testimony of Scripture, and most fully in Christ. The question is not whether we have heard, but whether we will obey. Just as Israel had ample opportunity, so do we. Let us not harden our hearts or ignore His voice. Instead, let us respond with faith and obedience, proclaiming the gospel beyond our own borders. Creation shouts of God’s glory—may our lives echo that same message, so that others may hear and believe.

“The sound of the gospel has gone out into all the earth. The Jews cannot plead ignorance, for the message has been published far and wide, even as the heavens declare the glory of God. The fault lies not in the lack of revelation, but in the refusal to receive it.”
— Matthew Henry