“25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error. 28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right. 29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. 32 Although they know God’s just sentence — that those who practice such things deserve to die — they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.”
What lies at the root of our self-centered ambitions and dwelling in unrighteousness is this: We refuse to acknowledge God for who He is, Creator of the universe, and rather than worship Him, we worship the things of this world, the things that bring us instant, yet fleeting pleasure. What most people fail to admit is that they are worshipping the very things that should point us to the Creator, rather than worshipping the Creator Himself.
Perhaps an illustration would be helpful. Imagine you make someone a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You hand it to them and they gladly accept. Rather than thank you, the provider of their sandwich, they look at the sandwich and begin praising the bread and the peanut butter for their nutritional value. Then they pray to the jelly, thanking it for its sweetness and wishing to it that there might be more. This is how depraved we are before God saves us from our sins. This is a picture of what we look like when we worship the things God has given us rather than God Himself.
All who remain in disobedience to God and refuse to worship Him will eventually be allowed to have what they want, but it will lead to their destruction. We’ve seen this played out before in the Jewish nation of Israel, and now, Paul is recounting what happens as a result of continued suppression of the truth and embracing of lies.
The Bible is very clear about acts of sexual impurity, both in the New and Old Testaments.
“You are not to sleep with a man as with a woman; it is detestable.” — Leviticus 18:22
“If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman, they have both committed a detestable act. They must be put to death; their death is their own fault.” — Leviticus 20:13
“Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.” — 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Paul mentions that those who had been delivered over to their disgraceful passions, “received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error”. (v. 27b) Those who continue in sin, specifically sexual sin, will see their lives affected by the consequences of their actions, not just morally, but also physically. Sometimes sin is itself the consequence of our actions. It’s not hard to see that sexual immorality brings with it a whole host of risks: Teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, guilt, depression, loss of family support, substance abuse, etc.
Starting In verse 29, Paul compiles a list of attributes of the unrighteous person: greedy, wicked, envious, murderous, gossips, slanderers, haters of God, arrogant, proud, boastful, senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. Is there any one of us who hasn’t done at least one of those things? I would venture to say that, no, there isn’t, and that is what Paul is working up to in Romans 3:23:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;” — Romans 3:23
One might be tempted to claim that God’s treatment of the unrighteous is not fair! That if only given the chance they would turn to God and leave behind their sin. But not so, says Paul. Even though sinners know they need redemption from a just sentence to death, which is a consequence of their unrighteousness, they not only continue to practice unrighteousness but encourage others to do it as well! Without God’s direct intervention, that is, without God softening our hearts and opening our minds, enabling us to respond to His gospel, we would still be living in unrighteousness. That’s what happened in Paul’s life. God had to step in and change his ways. Without that, Paul would have remained living a life of unrighteousness. So with us. It is only by God’s good grace and mercy that anyone is saved from their unrighteousness.
If you are reading this today and are still living in sin, I pray that it is God’s will that your heart be softened and that you will respond rightly to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Respond to God by being repentant of your sins and confessing that Jesus is Lord! Respond by believing that God has provided a way for you to be saved through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Only then will you be free to live a life that properly ascribes the glory due to God’s name and worship Him rightly.