Romans 1:24-28 (ESV)
Therefore GOD GAVE THEM UP in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
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.
GOD GAVE THEM UP! As Paul opens up the book of Romans he wants to make sure that the readers in Rome are full aware of the power of the Gospel AND the power of sin. He wants them to know that the Gospel brings them the righteousness of God:
Romans 1:16-17 (ESV)
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
But, he also wants them to know that those who reject this powerful gospel He will ‘give them up” to their own wickedness. Three times Paul states that God will give them up:
1. God will give them up to the lusts of their hearts.
2. God will give them up to dishonorable passions.
3. God will give them up to debased minds.
Sometimes people just want their own way. The only way to get them to learn is to let them have their own way, even that way will destroy them. So, too, with God as He deals with man.
How does God “give them up?” God simply withdraws His unmerited favor - His grace - from their lives. When God’s grace is not active in the life a person, man’s sin is over reactive. It is ONLY God’s grace that keeps back sin. Sin, left restrained, will produce what we read in this passage. We have to realize that as people reject God, His wrath flourishes and His mercy and grace are removed from a life. God gives them up to the passions of their hearts and minds and leaves them to their own devices. That brings certain destruction on their souls. When they exchange truth for lies and worship the creation (themselves) vs the creator God, God no longer restrains sin in their lives. He simply allows sin to be their master and sin rules over them. Sin destroys them when His mercy is removed.
No comments:
Post a Comment