1:26-32

NEXT WEEK'S VERSES: 2:1-11

So on we go. Paul has been talking about the wrath of God being revealed in the direction of the unbelieving world. They knew God was there and great but suppressed the truth and so continue on their destructive course and God eventually gives them over to the natural consequences of their choices. Paul continues to describe their path, what they become and what they do:

(26) For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

M –First, because man didn’t want to acknowledge God He ‘gave them up’ to live the lie they chose; they were unclean and dishonored in the foolishness of false worship. Now we have the second ‘God gave them up.’ This time He gives them up to vile passions (shameful, disgraceful passions.) These passions included women choosing what is un-natural instead of what is natural. The greek word translated ‘use’ here is literally in the greek lexicon ‘of the sexual use’.

A –Passions and desires can be natural and good, or against what’s natural and vile, shameful and disgraceful. Sexual relationships outside of the way we are created and outside the bible’s counsels are not right passions.

(27) Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

M –Paul adds that it wasn’t just the women but also the men who got involved in sexual sin. Even though it was contrary to everything that was natural, men burned in desire for one another instead of the opposite sex. And there are penalties for choosing this state.

A –Many people claim the bible doesn’t say anything against homosexuality, but here we have a very clear instance of it. Both sexual immorality and homosexual immorality are said to be a part of man walking away from the knowledge of God and into His wrath. This doesn’t mean we should hate homosexuals (Paul will go on to show that we are all sinners even if we haven’t committed this sin) but we should call homosexuality what the bible calls it: Un-natural and a walking into God’s judgment along with other sin.

(28) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

M –The third ‘God gave them over’ occurs now. Since they didn’t want to keep God in the picture, He abandoned them to their own evil minds. The word debased is a word that could mean metals and coins failing a test. If metal and coins don’t pass the test of quality or authenticity, they aren’t worth anything. A mind that throws God out is no longer worth anything because it can’t come to natural conclusions anymore. Because God lets these people shut off their minds, they end up doing things that are not fitting.

A –When we take God out of the picture, we end up doing foolish things because His presence is what gives us our existence, purpose, and obligations.

(29) being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil–mindedness; they are whisperers,

M -Now Paul begins a list of the things ‘which are not fitting’ which he mentioned above. The person who doesn’t like to keep God in their knowledge ends up doing these things:

‘Filled with all unrighteousness’ –These people aren’t just and don’t do what’s right

‘Sexual immorality’ –Sexual intercourse outside of God’s counsel

‘Wickedness’ –Evil purposes, desires

‘Covetousness’ –Greed, desiring what others have

‘Maliciousness’ –Shameless desire to rebel and injure others

‘Full of envy’ –Envious

‘Murder’ –Murder

‘Strife’ –Anger, fighting, contending

‘Deceit’ –Deceit

‘Evil-mindedness’ –obvious

‘They are whisperers’ –Slanderers, people who gossip and speak unrightly about them to paint a bad picture.

It’s interesting to see things like gossip and envy listed in the same category as Murder and Sexual Immorality. We may consider some sins worse, but they are all sin and the result of people not liking to retain God in their knowledge.

(30) backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

‘Backbiters’ –people who ‘speak against’ or ‘speak evil’. Seems to be a form of gossip.

‘Haters of God’ –people who hate God, and are exceptionally wicked

‘Violent’ –Rude and arrogant lack of respect in speech and actions

‘Proud’ –Arrogant and proud

‘Boasters’ –Pretenders, imposters, boastful

‘Inventors of evil things’ –Like it says

‘Disobedient to parents’ –Not submissive or compliant with parents

(31) undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

‘Undiscerning’ -unintelligent, without understanding, stupid

‘Untrustworthy’ –covenant breakers, unfaithful

‘Unloving’ –without natural affection, unsociable

‘Unforgiving’ –one who won’t enter into a treaty or covenant,

‘Unmerciful’ –without mercy, never willing to let someone off the hook

A –We have been reading a list that describes the people who don’t like to retain God in their knowledge and what they do. What we become when we keep walking away from God is an awful thing. Who wants to be around people like those mentioned here? It’s hard to read this list without becoming aware that some of these describe parts of our own life. If we already have relationship with Christ and find these things present in our life, we need to throw them off, they are part of our old nature and way of living. We would like to blame our sinful actions on our past, our parents, or the circumstances of our life, but the truth is they are the result of our rebellion against God.

(32) who, knowing the righteous judgment that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

M -These people know these things are wrong and that they deserve punishment. The God who made and gave them everything has the right to take their life for walking away from Him. Knowing it’s wrong, they keep doing these things and even justify their actions and approve of people doing them.

A –There is a consequence for walking away from God and our heart knows that our sin deserves punishment. Even if someone is unwilling to admit it, they know right and wrong. It’s the natural progression of sinful man to get worse and worse and then attempt to define their sin as acceptable and the norm.

It’s worth noting that since our culture is so full of people behaving this way, we are seeing the wrath of God being revealed (1:18).The world has no excuse for the path we have taken and surely have no righteousness of our own. Fortunately, the gospel will reveal a righteousness from God (1:17). Looking at this should show each of our hearts that we need it.

Hope it made some sense and challenged you to think about the state of the world. We really do need to pray the gospel reaches out to turn people off the destructive path they are walking...and make sure we're not walking it with them.

His,

I & K