Greetings everyone
Today, we will continue our look at Romans 1, finishing the chapter. Here is Verses 21-32:
21 Since they knew God, but they did not glorify Him as God, nor did they show Him any gratitude, so that their thoughts were rendered worthless and their hearts became dark and senseless. 22 They make claims that they are wise, but they are fools. 23 They have exchanged the glory of the incorruptible, immortal God for images in the likeness of things that are subject to decay and death: men, birds, animals and reptiles.
24 Because of this, God has handed them over to the lustful cravings of their hearts and to impurity, so that they degrade their own bodies among themselves. 25 Such people have traded the truth of God for a lie, worshipping and serving that which has been created rather than the One who created it, the One who is blessed for eternity. Amen.
26 So, God gave them over to degrading passions. Even the women among them exchanged what is natural for what is unnatural. 27 Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women, and were inflamed with desire for one another. Men were doing shameful things with one another, they received unto themselves what was appropriate for their wandering from the path of truth.
28 Since they refused to acknowledge God, he gave them up their corrupted minds, to do things that people shouldn’t do. 29 Such people are filled up with all kinds of injustice, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and maliciousness. 30 The gossip and slander people. They hate God. They are violent, arrogant and boastful. They find new ways to be evil, and are disobedient to their parents. 31 Such people are senseless and untrustworthy. They show no regard for other people and act without mercy. 32 They are aware of God’s commandment that those who practice these things deserve death, still, they not only practice these things, and give their approval to others who do.
- Their thoughts become worthless.
- Their hearts are darkened.
- They are deceived, thinking they are wise, but rather they are foolish. (This foolishness stems from the refusal to glorify God, but also from placing other gods before Him. (v. 23.) )
In verse 23 - Paul uses the Greek word ἀφθάρτου (aphthartou) to describe God. I have translated that word as ‘incorruptable, immortal '.” John Harvey defines it as ‘impervious to corruption and death.” (Harvey, 38.) God cannot be corrupted. We can’t bribe Him. He will always do what is right. He also cannot die, or be killed.
This means that Paul's statement in verse 23 is that people have exchanged the glory of God, who can’t be corrupted or killed for images of things that can be both corrupted and killed. He lists some of the things that people have created images of to worship: men, animals, birds and reptiles. These are all things that can be corrupted. These are all things that can be killed.
To add to that, it isn’t even the thing itself that is being worshipped, but merely an image of it. So, rather than worship a cow, for example, they choose to worship the image of a cow. Verse 25, they “have traded the truth of God for a lie, worshipping and serving that which has been created rather than the One who created it.” The idea of giving glory to a statue rather than the immortal incorruptible God is foolishness of the highest order.
In the verses that follow, Paul uses the same Greek word παρέδωκεν (paredōken) three times, in verses 24,26 and 28. It means “gave them over.” He stresses how God reaches a point where he simply gives people over to the own sinful nature. (Ferguson, 28.) Here what says God gives them over to:
- Verse 24: Lustful cravings and impurity.
- Verse 26: Degrading passions.
- Verse 28: Corrupted minds.
In the following verses we see that their refusal to acknowledge God has led God to give them over to their own lustful craving and allowed them to degrade themselves. Verse 28 sums up the preceding verses very nicely, “Since they refused to acknowledge God, he gave them up their corrupted minds, to do things that people shouldn’t do.” Ferguson states that “spiritual hardening can cause people to think that sexual immorality should be accepted as normal."
The description Paul gives of such people paints a ugly portrait. Take a moment to look at the words he uses: injustice, evil, greed and depravity, envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossip, slander, violent, arrogant, boastful, senseless, untrustworthy and merciless.
Obviously this is not a description of everyone who does not believe in God, but this is the trajectory. These are words that describe the opposite of God and being like Him.
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