Hello folks,
Several of you have told me that you are a bit behind in these studies, so here is a quick and easy one, with only a few verses to look up.
Thanks for your emails. I learn and enjoy the word by making these studies, but it is so encouraging to hear that you folks are reading them and learning too. And it shows that we have set some priorities - that we are going to spend some time with the God who redeemed us, regardless of the demands on our time from life around us.
People often wonder, "Why does God allow the world to be in such a mess?" The answer to that question is in the following verses.
Romans 1:24-32:
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
This passage shows that because people have no time or interest in knowing the real God, He lets them do what they want and they corrupt themselves and everything around them. God has given man free will and does not rule by force. Will this always be true? See into the future in Phil 2:10,11; Is 66:23,24; and Rev 19:15.
Three times this passage says that God gave up on people - in three different areas.
Vs 24 God "gave them up to uncleanness" through their physical lusts to corrupt their bodies.
Vs 26 "God gave them up unto vile affections". Vile affections are passionate emotions that are very dishonoring. Our emotions are in our soul, not in our body or spirit. This shows man has corrupted his soul.
Vs 28 "God gave them over to a reprobate mind." Remember from Class 2 that the mind is another word for the spirit. Review: Can an unsaved, reprobate mind communicate with God?
So God gives unbelievers up to corrupt themselves completely - body, soul and spirit.
See that the opposite can be true for saved people in I Thes 5:23.
Vs 26 & 27 deal with homosexuality. Notice that homosexuality is "against nature".
Therefore is anyone homosexual by nature? Are people born that way, or is it a choice?
Vs 27 says homosexuality is "unseemly", which means indecent and shameful, and calls it an "error". What recompense, that this verse mentions, do you think homosexuals receive in themselves?
I Cor 6:9-11
describes homosexuals as "abusers of themselves with mankind" and shows that they can be saved the same as fornicators, thieves, covetous people or any other sinner.Once in Christ, we have power over sin, as we’ll see in Romans 6. In other words, in Christ, we are given the means to stop our sins. So is homosexual behavior curable?
Vs 28. When people choose to reject the reality of God , what happens to their lives?
Vs 29-31. A reprobate mind results in a person being filled with all the things listed next. "Filled" means there is no room left for anything else. They are completely given over to sin.
But isn’t there some good in everybody? What about their good deeds? See Rom 3:12; 7:18; 8:7-9 also. Even "good" deeds are sin if the motive is wrong, (Rom 14:23). From God’s viewpoint, is there anything good in human nature?
In contrast to unbelievers, God asks us in Eph 5:18 to be filled with the Sprit, which is His mind. Gal 5:22,23 is the result as demonstrated in Eph 5:19-21. What a difference!. We can be run by His mind, instead of the reprobate human mind. How do you think we would do this?
Vs 32. People know that the things listed in vs 29-31 are wrong, but they do them anyway and are pleased with others who do them. Therefore will God be right to bring His wrath on people? Eph 5:5, Rev 19:15
All the corruption in this chapter results from people having no time or interest in what the real God has to say. They prefer their own religious ideas and feelings. Every idea we have about God either comes from our own heart or a man-made religion, (Jer 17:9,5; Pr 28:26 & 14:12) unless we understood it from the word of God (Pr 30:5,6). I know I am always surprised at the superstitious, religious ideas that I keep discovering in my own thinking. The word of God can set us free from "the course of this world" with all it’s superstitions, doubts, and religious fears and rules (John 8:32; Eph 2:2,3). Let’s study it, believe and apply it. It is the only way out of Satan’s lie and the corruption listed in this chapter.
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