Text
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, and insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them (Romans 1:26-32).
Truth
God gives people to their shady desires which will cause all kinds of suffering. The passions that are dishonorable cause unspeakable horrors! Think of all the pain that takes place in heterosexual and homosexual relationships, because one partner embraces sinful feelings and thoughts! Then there is more suffering caused because of the due penalty! And then even more pain comes from the sexual sinner who keeps embracing the lies! Punishment comes to those whom God has given over to sin and error. This punishment could be primarily eternal but most definitely includes the real suffering of this life. And Paul characterizes these sinners as people who do not think it is right to acknowledge and to know God intimately, thus leading to debased minds that embrace all that is bad. He then lists all the types of sins people who engage in homosexuality commit. These acts lead to suffering in so many ways. When a child disobeys mom and dad, the child might run into oncoming traffic instead of listening to the warnings of loving parents. Then the parents experience suffering because of this foolishness. Then the person who hit the child feels sorrow over the accident, struggling with guilt (as will the parents and the child as well if he lives!). Then a mother who sees this story on the 6 o’clock news is reminded of how her child died because of an accident and this event opens up an old wound. The depravity of man comes about because God gives man over to the passions of the heart and mind, which produces all kinds of pain! All of this devastation is deserved because man is receiving the due penalty of his depravity. Not every suffering is because of someone’s specific sin. But it is clear that when God gives people over to their dishonorable passions, suffering is inevitable because God causes it and the natural consequence of bad minds is a painful expression of death in a world that doesn’t know or care about God.
Tidbit
God causes and permits trials and suffering because depraved and destructive humans deserve to experience punishment.
Tradition
What have men and women said before us?
Takeaway
1. Acknowledge the triune God who can give you honorable passions and a new mind when you repent from these sins and believe in Jesus who was free from sin and didn’t deserve to die.
2. Avoid sins at all cost so that you minimize suffering caused by unrighteous thoughts, words, actions and interactions. Run away from gossip so that you spare the people you are talking about from the pain of being seen in a bad light. Fight to shut your mouth when you feel the urge to brag about your basketball ability at the expense of your opponent. Kill the thoughts that you can only be happy if you are in a homosexual relationship. Don’t trust passions but let the knowledge of God in the Scriptures dictate your life so that unnecessary pain can be minimized.
3. When you go to a funeral of an unbeliever, embrace the truth that the person deserved death and died because God gave that person over to his depravity. And don’t shy away to tell others that they deserve to die because they have debased minds and ignore the God who sent Christ to die in their place if they will turn from sin and turn to Jesus.
4. Stop approving of any sin, let alone sin that comes about because of God’s justice for depraved sinners. When someone makes a dirty joke, don’t laugh along with the guys. You are causing more sin and suffering. Don’t be okay with telling the parents you’re going to the game but are really going to test out alcohol. You are producing pain.
Testimony
How have people experienced this text, truth, tidbit and/or takeaway?
Test
A homosexual tells you he is born gay and can’t choose another lifestyle. How can you explain that God BOTH gave him over to homosexuality AND he is responsible for what he does? How can you point him to repent and believe? What questions can you ask to help demonstrate that his sinfulness has caused and permitted suffering? How can the knowledge of God change the lifestyle of the most flamboyant homosexual?
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