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 recompense of their error which was meet.
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; Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy,
murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents, without understanding, covenant
breakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful: 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 (Rom. 1:24-32).
What an amazing view into the world of
Romans one! Notice in verse 24, "God gave
them up." If you have ever heard a note of
finality struck, it is that passage. It sounds like
clods on the coffin of humanity, if you will! GOD
GAVE THEM UP! He withdrew his restraining
grace and let them have what they insisted on
having. He gave them over to the
consequences of their own sins.
This all says that even in this Me, we can
be given up. It is possible for us to fall out of the
hands of the living God. What a tragedy!
Romans One is a portrait of man without God.
What I fear is that this will become the portrait
of America. God gave these people "over" to
spiritual and moral uncleanness and let them
reap their own due reward.
God gave them up to "VILE" affections! In
other words, "wrong fulfillment of evil desires."
The wrong fulfillment of natural desires
becomes what the scripture calls "vile
affections." In describing the world of Romans
One, Paul says, even their women did bum in
their lusts one toward another, indicating that
the world of Romans One, had stooped to a
new low.
With this, Paul introduces us to the slimy,
sleazy world of homosexuality. If you have ever
wondered if the Bible is current, if the Bible is
relevant, if the Bible addresses anything today, if it
bears any concern for the present, all you need to
do is read Romans One. The world of Romans One,
was very much like the world of 1989. The things
stated in this chapter have a very familiar ring, do
they not?
In the last few years, society has been wrestling
with this problem. It is the understatement of our
day to say that "homosexuality has come out of the
closet" In San Francisco, in 1983 there was a
parade in which 300,000 people participated to
sustain the very thing that Romans One condemns.
Sometime ago 200,000 people marched while
Mayor Ed Koch declared it to be gay and lesbian
pride week in New York City. We have churches
who claim 50,000 homosexuals as part of their
membership. Two years ago the Catholic church in
San Francisco made a statement in regard to this
problem and said in effect that such is not to be
held as sinful, that such ought to be treated with
compassion and understanding, that we should take
a non-judgemental approach, and that we should
seek to avoid alienation of all such people.
It may sound like the voice of one crying in the
wilderness of these modern times, but Paul said,
"they changed the natural use." Paul needs to be
heard in our culture, in our society, in this very day.
We have films, clubs, plays, churches and even
preachers who would excuse, defend, justify and
glorify the very thing which Paul condemns. We
have reached a day when reason is out the window
and self will has moved in.
I deny that any individual is born a homosexual.
I readily recognize that there is a tremendous
amount of such activity in our time, all of which is a
result of a series of wrong decisions, each of which
the person is responsible for making. Decisions that
were made out of step with and contrary to God's
natural order.
Genesis 1:27, says, "So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God created he him;
MALE and FEMALE created he them.
