The fool's hostility to the knowledge of God leads to a mind that no longer serves its original purpose, that of discovering the works of God and co-laboring with Him, giving Him glory. The depraved mind of a fool instead serves a different purpose, the advancement of an idol god largely defined by unrestrained lusts. This episode unpacks the usurpation of the mind in service of idolatry. Paul notes that unbelieving Gentiles "walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart." (Ephesians 4:18) Working backwards through the quote, Gentile hostility to the knowledge of God, based on "hardness of heart" makes them ignorant and disqualifies them as participants in the life of God. Without the knowledge of God (deliberately suppressed), the mind can't possibly serve its original purpose. The understanding is darkened, the mind itself a futile faculty, cut off from the life of God. The consequent "depraved mind" exists to service the idol identity grounded in the big three ("the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life"--1 John 2:16) "Sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness" (Ephesians 4:19) is relatively easy, for the conscience, acting on the inner law of God, has been largely deactivated. The Holy Spirit has given the fool over to a depraved mind that is "callous" and resistant to correction. The litany of character defects in Romans 1:29-31 is predictable: "full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful."
The Moral Descent of the Fool
This initial episode introduces the Biblical fool as someone who responds to the knowledge of God incorrectly. The "fool" in common English parlance often suggests a fool is ignorant, but not morally culpable for that ignorance. The Bible however describes a fool as one who willfully suppresses the knowledge of God, and is therefore morally defective. Romans 1:18-22 details the regression: the fool 1) suppresses the truth, 2) rejects the knowledge of God in creation 3) produces alternate futile speculations, 4) professes to be wise, when in fact, he/she is a fool. A Biblical fool then is someone who is willfully blind to "EVIDENT" knowledge that points to God, resulting in a refusal to "honor God as God and give Him thanks." Absent the plain knowledge of God, the fool is left groping for explanations that would discount the EVIDENCE. Futile speculations now testify to the spiritual darkness that has descended on the heart. The darkness brought on by willful ignorance of God culminates in self-deception, the darkness obscures the knowledge of God and the self. The fool thinks he is wise, when he is in fact, a fool.
Evangelism: Co-working with the Spirit
This episode summarizes some of the salient points made so far, beginning with simply showing up ready to have spiritual conversations. Unbelievers are often genuinely interested in discussing spiritual issues, even when they come off as hostile. Consequently, following the Spirit's leading, the second point, is indispensable when evangelizing. At certain points in a gospel presentation, the message brings conviction and "wounds the conscience" of sinners, making them uncomfortable. Since no one ultimately embraces Christ without being convicted of sin, the evangelist should expect and even be comfortable that the message preached causes others discomfort and distress. Along these lines, don't shy away from preaching the saving Biblical response to the gospel, repentance and faith in Christ. The evangelist shouldn't leave out the call to repentance because it is a stumbling block to salvation. This "obstacle" merely highlights the supernatural work of the Spirit necessary for ANY to call Christ Lord.
Good Works and a Clean Conscience
Unbelievers are unable to do good works because all their works are described as "dead." This fact alone severely corrupts true worship. The author of Hebrews made this connection in Heb. 9:14: "how much more will the blood of Christ cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." Since good works are essentially the outflow of sincere worship of God, and pure worship cannot flow from a defiled conscience, it naturally follows that unbelievers with defiled consciences cannot truly worship/serve God and produce good works as a result. This episode stresses that salvation cleanses the conscience of all DEAD and so--called "good" works" based mostly on self-idolatry, for the purpose of undefiled, exclusive worship of the LIVING God.