Chapter 1:24-32

Commentary On The Epistle To The Romans

By Dr. John R. Stone

Romans 1:24-32

1 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:24-32 NASB)

Introduction

Paul’s concern in Romans 1:18-3:20 is to establish that all mankind is guilty before God and abides under His righteous wrath. Even those who never heard of Jesus Christ are accountable because of God’s revelation in creation around them ( 1:20) and in their guilty consciences within them ( 2:15). Paul declared in 1:18-23 that at one time every racial and language group knew the truth about God and His love for all mankind, but that as each culture drifted farther and farther from God and His ways, that truth was lost, and those created in God’s image began to worship things in creation rather than the Creator Himself.

The truth in creation stands in complete opposition to the lie in mankind. In 1:18-23 we see the foundation for God’s wrath; in 1:24-32 we see the manifestation of that wrath. In 1:18-23 we see that a person’s unbelief breeds blindness, ignorance, and emptiness while in 1:24-32 we see that a person’s sin breeds deception, bondage and destruction. In the verses in this section there are three steps Paul takes to show that sin has led to personal destruction and the breaking apart of society. Each step is identified by the words “God gave them over…”

Dishonoring Impurity ( 1:24-25)

Vs. 24

The phrase “God gave them over…” means that God allowed His rebellious creatures to have the desires of their hearts; He let them commit the immoral acts they were so eager to pursue. The result was that their bodies were “dishonored among them.”

Vs. 25

The reason why God allowed these unbelievers to suffer the tragic consequences (results) of their behavior was that they had “exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” No one can reject God and His ways without paying the penalty for such rebellion.

Degrading Passions ( 1:26-27)

Vs. 26

Because the women “exchanged the natural function” of sexual relations between men and women for unnatural homosexual behavior, God “gave them over to degrading passions.” God's judgment for such sin was to abandon those who were pursuing such a lifestyle to their own destructive desires.

Vs. 27

Men also committed the same kind of “indecent acts,” and so God allowed them to suffer the bitter consequences (results) of the gay lifestyle as the “due penalty of their error.”

Depraved Mind ( 1:28-32)

Vs. 28

The third step in this degenerating (lowering) process was the destruction of society as the civilization began to break apart. “God gave them over to a depraved mind” for the disintegration (breaking apart) of community life. When worship is turned upside down and sexual behavior is twisted, then a society will fail.

Vs. 29-31

The list of evil activity and wicked interaction in these verses surely leads to disaster, and that is exactly what has erupted in every civilization where God was not worshiped in truth and where immorality descended into homosexuality.

Vs. 32

Paul says these cultures knew better at one time, but they turned away from God to pursue their own desires, indulge the lusts of their fleshly passions, and encourage others to adopt the same ungodly lifestyles. Their judgment will be just, but Paul has traced the sad decline of mankind so that others will not follow the same path to destruction. God stands ready to forgive and to receive any and all who will come to Him through Jesus Christ.

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