Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #3 “I Give Up!” (Romans 1:21-28)

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 1 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:Does the Lord ever say, “I GIVE UP!” Of course not! But He does say “I GIVE OVER!” Note in this section of Romans 1 God’s reaction to man’s rejection of his Creator:

(1) God “gave them over” in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another (v. 24). This “giving over” was God’s response to their exchanging God’s truth for a lie and for worshiping created things instead of the Creator.

(2) God “gave them over” to shameful lusts (v. 26). If verses 26-27 aren’t a condemnation of homosexual behavior, I don’t know how clearer God could have said it!

(3) God “gave them over” to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done (v. 28). Why did He respond this way? Because they “did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God (v. 28)!

These are somber verses. But they seem to describe perfectly much of our world’s present state. Oh, how we need to pray for our friends and neighbors and relatives to come to know the true Creator so that they will not be “given over.”