Sexual Immorality Characterizes a Corrupt Heart
Rom 1:24,25 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator— who is forever praised. Amen.
This phrase "gave them over" is going to be repeated in this chapter. What it implies is that God is restraining people to a degree. Restraining their sinful desires from fully controlling their behavior. Addictions, be they sexual or otherwise, are largely the result of not acknowledging God as God.
Consequently one's sensual desires become the controlling factor in one's life, one's decisions and one's goal in life - to seek after that which fulfills one's sensual nature. More literally it says, "God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts" Rejecting the acknowledgement of God does not result in a clean, healthy lifestyle, but rather that which is depraved, dirty, corrupt. Such is the condition of the unsaved. Paul writes of the Ephesians of the unsaved condition, "among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." Eph 2:3 And also to Titus he writes, "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another." Titus 3:3
The mind and the heart go together. When people given themselves over to the desires of their heart, they will also find reason for doing so, to justify themselves, exchanging the truth for a lie. Jesus said, "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Mt 5:28 They exchange that truth for a lie. Jesus said, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Luke 16:18 They exchange that truth for a lie. Let alone, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." Lev 18:22 And "A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this." Deut 22:5 These and many more truths have largely been exchanged for lies, particularly in post-modernistic Western society.
And consider who or what the ungodly serve. They may serve themselves, a creature rather than the Creator. They may serve another person - a creature rather than the Creator. Or they may serve something, money, some material thing, like their car, their house, their toys - all creations rather than the Creator. What do you serve?
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
Rom 1:24,25 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator— who is forever praised. Amen.
This phrase "gave them over" is going to be repeated in this chapter. What it implies is that God is restraining people to a degree. Restraining their sinful desires from fully controlling their behavior. Addictions, be they sexual or otherwise, are largely the result of not acknowledging God as God.
Consequently one's sensual desires become the controlling factor in one's life, one's decisions and one's goal in life - to seek after that which fulfills one's sensual nature. More literally it says, "God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts" Rejecting the acknowledgement of God does not result in a clean, healthy lifestyle, but rather that which is depraved, dirty, corrupt. Such is the condition of the unsaved. Paul writes of the Ephesians of the unsaved condition, "among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." Eph 2:3 And also to Titus he writes, "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another." Titus 3:3
The mind and the heart go together. When people given themselves over to the desires of their heart, they will also find reason for doing so, to justify themselves, exchanging the truth for a lie. Jesus said, "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Mt 5:28 They exchange that truth for a lie. Jesus said, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Luke 16:18 They exchange that truth for a lie. Let alone, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." Lev 18:22 And "A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this." Deut 22:5 These and many more truths have largely been exchanged for lies, particularly in post-modernistic Western society.
And consider who or what the ungodly serve. They may serve themselves, a creature rather than the Creator. They may serve another person - a creature rather than the Creator. Or they may serve something, money, some material thing, like their car, their house, their toys - all creations rather than the Creator. What do you serve?
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
