Man's rebellion against God begins with three simple steps. These are revealed in Romans 1:21, Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. The Christian's purpose in life is to bring glory to God (Eph. 1:4-6, 12, 14). When man openly and consciously rejects God he will always follow these first three steps.

The first step in man's rejection of God is failing to glorify Him as God. The cornerstone of any sound theology is the fact God is God and I am not. There would be no problem with that except for the troubling fact that each of us wants to be his own god. In acknowledging God as God one necessarily implies the true fact He has the right to my allegiance and my undying fidelity. In short, God is in charge of my life. He calls the shots, not me.

Glorifying God is open acknowledgment that I am His willing subject. The moment I fall to my face prostrate before

the divine creator of this universe I confess that He has the right to command my obedience. I acknowledge that I am not in control and that “it is not all about me.” The current cultural trend of self-indulgence and self-gratification and the trendy attitude that “I deserve it.” is ample evidence that our culture has rejected God.

The second step that is evidence man has rejected God is a failure to offer thanksgiving. Paul says “...neither were they thankful...” Is there any human attitude as ugly as ingratitude? Perhaps so, but my imagination fails to find it. Soon our culture will celebrate the national holiday of Thanksgiving. It is no longer a time for giving thanks but rather the signal of the start of running up credit card bills to satisfy consumer lusts.

Those American classrooms that still discuss the Thanksgiving holiday will assert that those Pilgrims of long ago who started the tradition were showing their thanks to the Indians who helped them. The historical fact of the matter is the Pilgrim families were showing thanksgiving to God! But we cannot express thanks to God in America's classrooms today, for, according to them, God doesn't exist.

The third step in man's rejection of God is a foolish and darkened heart. Is it necessary to present any evidence that we live in a foolish and dark culture? Only for the most ignorant and simple minded would need proof. Millions of innocent unborn children are murdered in the warmth and quiet of their own mother's womb. Other children are beaten and neglected by their own parents. The elderly are routinely abused neglected.

I admonish us all to glorify God as God and be thankful to Him. Let us reject the foolish darkness of popular culture. Let us constantly be on guard against these first three steps of rejecting our God.