“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). 

Another translation states of this passage, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18, ESV).  The original Greek word translated “hold” or “suppress” means “to restrain, hinder (the course or progress of)” (Thayer, p. 339).  Here is an explicit statement to the effect that it is possible to hinder truth from making progress in the lives of people because of unrighteous attitudes and activities.  Consider three such things that hold back or hinder progress.

1.  Presuppositions.  There are several passages that show the danger of supposing something to be the case when it is not.  Luke wrote, “Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day” (Acts 2:13-15).  Again, “And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled” (Acts 16:27).  “Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)” (Acts 21:28-29).  Thinking something to be true without investigating the facts is a hindering and misleading thing.

2.  Prejudice.  Men can and do hold certain things to be true in their minds regardless of what the evidence shows.  This problem of prejudice or prejudging is similar to the suppositions of the first point yet more dangerous.  Prejudice blinds the mind into believing that the facts are already established and that one’s viewpoint is reality.  Jesus faced such with the scribes and Pharisees, where he stated, “If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth” (John 9:41).  Nathanael said, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see” (John 1:46).  When Nathanael came to investigate, Jesus said of him, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (John 1:47).  There was no prejudice with Nathanael in investigating though Nazareth likely had a bad reputation.  Solomon wrote, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him” (Prov. 18:13).

3.  Pride.  The attitude that hinders the most is self-confident, self-centered pride.  Isaiah wrote, “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!” (Isa. 28:1).  Before the fall of Sodom there was pride (cf. Eze. 16:49).  Pride brought painful results to the Edomites (cf. Obadiah 3).  Pride often is the root to prejudice and presuppositions.  Some will not obey the gospel because of it.  Some will not be restored due to it.  Some will not forgive because of it.  Pride truly destroys (Prov. 16:18).

Jimmy Clark