Romans 1:24-32

Romans 1: 24-32 – Text will be King James for this online study. Class versions will be ESV/HCSB.

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 

Rom 1:25  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. 

Rom 1:26  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: 

Rom 1:27  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. 

Rom 1:28  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; 

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 

Rom 1:32  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. 

Note Paul’s intentional use of personal pronouns God/them-they-men-women. He uses this word structure to impact the division mankind imposed on himself by opting for a system based on sin. (if it is not of God, it is of sin)

Main Point: Make sure not to mistake the break in the lesson flow as how this is to be perceived. This section finishes the last section started in verse 18. THIS is the wrath of God: turning mankind over to sin. This will be a key component in Paul’s later arguments against the Law, and a life with sin as its basis/context for living.

15. What does it mean that “God gave them up?” Why did He give them up? He surrendered them over to sin. Like a father giving his children over to another “caretaker”, or in this instance a different “system.” As Paul will iterate, God’s covenant is one of mercy and caring by Him, accessed by virtue of our faith or manifested trust in Him. A system of sin includes law, chaos, general “situational” ethics etc. In the sin paradigm there is a rebellion against God 30) “haters of God.”
He gives them over due to their own free will choice “haters of God.” Jehovah makes it clear that sin will separate us from Him in Gen 3 (booted out of Eden). He then iterates to Cain that sin has the character of waiting for you, (it desires control over you). It is up to the individual to control it. Paul will later illustrate how God supplies help for this through Jesus.

16. What sinful activities were the Gentiles engaging in? What sins are condemned here? Lusts of the heart. Impurity. Exchanged God’s deity for a lie….idolatry. Did not acknowledge God. (See 17 for the full list) – The foundational causes of sin are lust (self centered motivation, and the rejection of God.

17. List the sins the people are engaging in. Do any of these sins surprise you that they are on this list? Dishonorable passions (male/female homosexuality). Unrighteousness, evil, covetous, malice, envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossips, slanderers, Hate God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
The context is more historical than a commentary on the church’s present condition, in my opinion. It is quite possible however, when we consider the culture during that time (and even now) that some of these things were occurring within the church and considered “acceptable”. Let’s not lose sight of the intent of this first chapter, which is to show the Gentile history. They are not without sin or weakness.   

18. Explain verse 32. What lessons do we learn from this? This is a close to verse 20 that states even the Gentile knew what God’s natural was and refused to live by it. They are without excuse (God will not excuse willing ignorance).

Additional:

24) Gave Them Up: G3860: paradidōmi par-ad-id'-o-mee From G3844 and G1325; to surrender, that is, yield up + G846 autos ow-tos' From the particle αὖ au (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind; backward); the reflexive pronoun self

Note that this is describing the fulfillment of God’s warning to Cain in Genesis 4: (CEV) Gen 4:7  If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling. But you did the wrong thing, and now sin is waiting to attack you like a lion. Sin wants to destroy you, but don't let it!

30) haters of God: G2319 theostugēs theh-os-too-gace' From G2316 and the base of G4767; hateful to God