The Judgment of God
The Judgment of God
Romans 1:24-27
In eighth grade, I went on our school’s annual trip to Washington D.C. As a group of eighth grade boys, we joked around and teased one another a lot; it’s hard for eighth grade boys to take much seriously. But then we went to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was a long black wall engraved with the names of all those who had died in the conflict in Vietnam. You will often see visiting family members and friends lining the wall holding up pieces of paper to trace the names of their loved ones who died. Even as a carefree teenager, I knew this was not the time for jokes. As we walked along that wall, we were uncharacteristically serious, pondering the sober reality of pain, loss, and sorrow. It was appropriate, at that time, to seriously reflect on the sacrifices and tragedy of war.
Our passage today in Romans 1:24-27 is like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It requires seriousness as we reflect on the sober reality of the pain, loss, and sorrow of those under the judgment of God. This is not the time for jokes, but for serious thoughtful reflection on the tragedy of those who reject God for a lie. God is love. God is just. In His perfect love, He will judge those who reject Him, and His judgments are always right, and He is always good. It is who He is, and it is what He has to do if He is going to be who He is.
God Gave Them Up to Judgment
In Romans 1:18, Paul turns to the body of his argument in the letter, as he begins to unpack that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. He will show that no human being is justified by the works of the law because no human being has kept the works of the law; everyone is without an excuse. Before we get to our text, let’s read the verses before as Paul has already laid the foundation for his argument.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1:18–20
Everyone can see God’s eternal power and divine nature in Creation. God has revealed Himself in the created order. Everyone knows, by observing nature, they are not God, but a frail, limited, creature accountable to the Creator. But, instead of worshiping God, people reject Him.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Romans 1:21–23
People who claim to be wise and enlightened show themselves as fools when they exchange the immortal, never-ending glory of God, for moral, corruptible idols made in the image of creation. An idol is anything one loves, serves, or fears more than God. God should be the center of our lives and, when we make something else the center, we become idolators. It is foolish to worship that which will perish. It is utter nonsense to bow down and serve idols that were made with human hands.
People knew God but did not honor Him as God or give Him thanks and worship; they turned to lesser things. Their thinking became futile or empty, and their hearts were darkened because they loved and served the created over the Creator. This is why Paul begins verse 24 by saying, “Therefore.” God is not capricious or impulsive with His judgments. All his actions have reasons. He always acts according to His love and His justice. God is good, sovereign, and wise. The following verses are terrifying,
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Romans 1:24–25
God “gave them up”, or “delivered them over”, to the lusts of their hearts. Paul uses this phrase three times in this section.
Verse 24, “Therefore God gave them up in the lust of their hearts to impurity.”
Verse 26, “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.”
Verse 28, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
God does not merely allow people to follow their desires; He sends them in that direction. It's like a boat that is tied to a dock; God not only cuts the rope, but He pushes the boat downstream heading for dangerous rapids. He is not passive in judgment. He is active in His judgments, and He has good reason.
Notice that in each case, God provides a cause for His judgment. In verse 24, He begins with “Therefore,” bringing us back to 21, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him,” therefore, God gave them up. In verse 26, “for this reason,” and in verse 28, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God,” God gave them up.
Often, the world wants to place blame and judgment on God. They want to put him on trial. “How could God do that? Why would God do this? It is unfair for God to act this way.” These statements are foolish because they make us the judge and God the one who is on trial. If someone is on trial for murder, they can’t switch places with the judge. It's nonsense. The defendant always stands before the judge waiting for his sentence. We can’t look down at God; we are the ones on trial. The fact we even ask questions like that reveals how foolish we have become.
People reject God and the created order, and God gives them over to judgment.
It is important to note that this is not a future judgment but a past one. The passage says “He gave them up”. A future judgment is coming for everyone who rejects God as Creator, but those who live against God also live under a present judgment. “God gave them up”, meaning their pursuit of the lusts of their heart and immoral sexual pleasure is the judgment. It is the judgment of God because it terrorizes the soul and undermines human flourishing. It dehumanizes people, causing them to live less like human beings created in the image of God and more like animals driven by their passions.
Our culture views this following of passions as “sexual freedom”. This immorality is classified not as judgment but as liberation. It is foolish. We must speak to those who are destroying themselves by engaging in this sort of living because they are being judged by God. They are destroying their souls and dehumanizing their lives. If we care about them, we must seek to rescue them from it. We must never envy their “sexual freedom” but must grieve their rebellion against God and how they are destroying their ability to flourish as human beings. It is not freedom; it is the judgment of God, and God is always right in His judgment. Let’s look at the reasons for His judgment.
Of the lusts of their heart
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, Romans 1:24
In Matthew 15, Jesus reveals that the problem is not outside the person but inside. We have hearts full of sin and wickedness.
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. Matthew 15:18–20a
Our sin problem does not begin outwardly but inwardly. Our actions flow from our hearts. We sin because we are sinners. We lust because our hearts lust. People want their lusts more than God, so God moves them down that path.
God gave them up to impurity or uncleanness. Uncleanness would have reminded them of Leviticus which explains how one’s uncleanness keeps him from the presence of God. The sacrificial system, as well as many of the laws in the Old Testament, were given to deal with people’s uncleanness or impurity. The last phrase, “to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,” is most likely a clarification regarding how they were unclean. They were committing sins of the body. Paul unpacks the uniqueness of the sins of the body in I Corinthians 6,
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:15–20
The sins of the body are uniquely against creation. In Romans 1:24, Paul is probably alluding to all sexual immorality, but he will further apply it to homosexuality in the coming verses.
Friends, if you are committing unrepentant sexual sin, if you are looking at pornography, having illicit conversations, having sex outside of marriage, you are under God’s judgment. You are destroying your life and dehumanizing yourself. Repent of your sins. Return to God’s good design for your life. Follow His creative design.
Of their idolatry
Paul moves on to further identify the root of their sin and reminds us of what he has already said in the previous verse. They are under God’s judgment.
because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Romans 1:25
They are judged because they have exchanged the truth about God as Creator and Lord and followed after a lie. They pursued sexual freedom only to be caught in slavery to a lie. All sin finds its root in idolatry when we love, serve, or fear something or someone more than God.
Even here, Paul cannot help but give God praise for who He is. God is the Creator, who is blessed forever. God will live forever. He is unchanging. This world will roll away like a garment, but God will never fade. If you are living for this world and its fleeting pleasures, you are living the sin of idolatry. Your life is being governed by something else than your Creator.
Of dishonorable passions
Paul continues his argument but shifts it to one specific case of immorality by showing that homosexuality is idolatry and a dishonorable passion.
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Romans 1:26–27
God again gave them up to dishonorable passions. First, passions are not bad in and of themselves. Passions and desires are part of our human nature. Yet, although we have naturally been given passions and desires, they are often twisted away from their original design since the fall. The text is very clear. Women who exchange natural relations with men for those that are contrary to nature, and men who exchange natural relations with women for those with other men are following dishonorable passions and are under God’s judgment.
It is important to read the word “nature” in this text as “God's design in the created order” and not specifically as our nature. We must be careful not to change the meaning of “nature” and misread it as “my nature” or “what is natural to me”. This is especially crucial in our conversation about homosexuality because we cannot deny the existence of same-sex attraction. People in this church struggle with same-sex attraction, but those who struggle with same-sex attraction are not by nature homosexual. They are, in fact, by nature heterosexual because all men are designed naturally for women, and all women are naturally designed for men. This is why God said in Genesis 2:18, “I will make a helper fit for him.” The woman was made to be a helper fit for the man. This means more than just physical, but it does not mean less. God’s creative design is for men and women to fit together physically. To deny that is to deny reason and logic.
In the conversation about homosexuality, many change the meaning of this text or ignore it completely. Many try to change this text to refer only to immoral homosexual relationships, implying that the word “men” in verse 27 is used once to refer to adult men and then to refer to boys. Some argue it is speaking against pedophilia and not homosexuality. But it is clear that Paul is not making that argument because he uses the same word in both instances. He is not focusing on age distinction but on nature. He is also not referring to only non-monogamous homosexual relationships; he is arguing that all homosexual relationships are contrary to God’s creative design.
Paul specifically says that God gave them up to dishonorable passions. This is very important for this conversation because Paul is identifying same-sex passions or desires as dishonorable and against nature. Often, when someone experiences same-sex attractions, they start having desires for those of the same sex. Then, they believe that because they have these desires, they are homosexual. And, because they believe their identity is homosexual, they also believe that to deny their homosexuality is to deny their personhood. But this logic is flawed. One can experience same-sex attraction or desire and realize that desire is not natural to God’s creative design even though it feels natural to them. They can acknowledge that their desires go against God’s natural design and therefore should not be followed because, as Paul writes, “God gave them up to dishonorable passions.”
Our desires do not change our nature. This same argument can be applied to gender dysphoria. When a young man feels like he was made to live as a woman, this is a dishonorable passion or a desire that is contrary to his nature. Those struggling with gender dysphoria have to look objectively at how they were made externally to balance how they feel internally. They must consider the natural and the unnatural. Remember, Paul is grounding his argument in Creation and not culture. Culture is always changing, but the created order remains the same.
This issue will be one of the most controversial issues we face in the 21st century. The LGBTQ+ movement is spreading all over our world. It is normalizing people following their passions that are contrary to nature. One of the arguments I hear often, even in ‘Christian’ circles is “Why can’t we just let them love who they want to love or let them follow their desires?” My response would be because it is unloving to do so.
Based on the text, these people are under judgment. Notice the last phrase, “receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” Paul is saying that people who live a homosexual lifestyle are receiving the ‘due’ penalty, or what they have earned for their sin. Homosexuals or heterosexuals who engage in sexual immorality follow their passions and, when they do so, they dehumanize themselves and undermine their maximum human flourishing. Simply put, their behavior is contrary to how they were created. It is not good for them regardless of how they feel. If we love those who battle dishonorable passions, then we must tell them the truth.
When well-meaning Christians try to empathize with those who practice the homosexual lifestyle, they are actually hurting them because they are keeping them under judgment and limiting their flourishing. They also are devaluing the struggle of our brothers and sisters in Christ who fight those desires every day.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:14–16
When we attempt to show compassion and empathy by helping them embrace their dishonorable passions, we show contempt for Christians who are fighting those same passions to honor Christ for His glory.
If you are struggling with same-sex desire, you are not alone. Do not believe the lie of the devil that you cannot share your struggle with this family of faith. We all have dishonorable passions in our lives that we must fight against. Do not allow the world and its messaging to govern your thinking on this matter. The world is confused. Claiming to be wise, they have become fools because they have exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped the creature rather than the Creator. God’s word and God’s world are clear: there are things that are natural and unnatural. We can live to maximize human flourishing, or we can live to dehumanize ourselves. God’s are always best.
God gave Him up to Judgment
In two other places in this letter, Paul uses the same exact language of “God delivered over to judgment” or “God gave over to judgment”. But, in these verses, Paul is not referring to us, but to Jesus. In the first, Paul explains how Abraham was counted as righteous. Paul writes in Romans 4,
That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Romans 4:22–25
Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses. God punished Jesus for our sin. God laid on Him the iniquity of any who would believe by faith. Jesus was given over to pay for our dishonorable passions. He was delivered up because of our impurity and the dishonoring of our bodies amongst ourselves. But He was also raised for our justification. Jesus Christ paid for God’s wrath on our behalf. He offered himself so we could be forgiven. What grace! What mercy! We could not justify ourselves by works of the law so God delivered up His Son to judgment so we could be forgiven in Him.
The next use is very similar, but it provides even more hope. Paul writes in Romans 8,
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Romans 8:31–34
God did spare His own Son but gave Him up to judgment for us all. If He was willing to do that, what will He not give? Nothing! He is so free with His grace. He will give us everything. He will give justification. He will keep us to the end for Jesus pleads for us forever as our Advocate. He will give you the power to overcome your sin by giving you the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you and will give you power to put to death the deeds of the flesh and live for His glory.
If you feel you are a slave to sin, weep no more. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has conquered your sin! He has given you the victory. Do not live in what you once did; live in the power of what Christ has done and is doing for you right now in heaven interceding for you before the Father.
We exchanged God’s glory for His wrath, but Jesus exchanged God’s glory for our wrath. It is utterly overwhelming. Christians should not live in shame about what they have done; they should be unashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for all who believe even the once-sexually-immoral among us. God is free with His grace. He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all. How will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
Friend, if you have never given your life to Jesus, know that you are under God’s judgment. But there is hope! Christ came to take your judgment. He was delivered up for your sin and was dead and buried, but God raised Him from the dead, and now, in Christ, you can be saved. All you must do is repent of your sins and trust in Christ. Find true freedom today; turn to Jesus Christ and serve Him as Creator and Lord.
Pastoral Applications
Let me conclude with a few pastoral applications to help us apply these verses to our lives:
Worship the Creator by making Him the center of your life - Do all that you can to center your life around God. Be aware of idolatry. Be aware of anything you fear, love, or serve more than God. He must be the center of your life.
Learn how you are tempted by Satan’s lies - Paul argued that people exchanged the truth about God for a lie. What lie are you tempted to believe about God and this life? Are you tempted to believe that sexual freedom is the only way to happiness? Do you believe the lie that a nicer home will make you truly happy or that if you only had a nicer body, then you’d have real joy? We all have lies we are tempted to believe. What are yours? One of mine is that I will be loved more when I do more. Too often, I am governed by trying to please others rather than trying to please God. Sometimes the line is hard to see, but I know it’s a lie and, therefore, I am very aware of it. What’s your lie?
Do not live contrary to nature - We are probably more tempted to live contrary to nature than we realize. Many of you may not struggle with unnatural sexual desires, but you may try to mute gender distinctions in the home. God has created men and women equal and yet different. Men and women are equal in essence and value with very different purposes for this life. If we mute or take away gender differences, we are living contrary to nature. We must live in light of Genesis 2 more than Genesis 3. Genesis 3 shows how fallen humanity will fight against their created design. God has given headship to men in marriage and the church. We should not apologize for it but rejoice in it because it is God’s design. When we deny it, we are living contrary to nature, and we are not maximizing human flourishing.
Older men, teach younger men how to be men in accordance with God’s Word. Teach them to be self-controlled, to lay down their lives for their wives and children, and to faithfully lead them. Teach them to honor God with their bodies, to work hard but not be defined by their work. Older women, train the younger women to be reverent and godly in their behavior, to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and rejoice in the unique roles God has given them. Teach single women to honor God with their bodies and their time. Teach one another to be content with what God has given you. Older men and older women, teach the next generation to live according to God’s good creative design.
Unrepentant sexual sin is dangerous for the soul - Do not continue in sexual immorality. Sex outside of marriage is not freedom; it is slavery. Repent of your sin. Turn back to Christ. Do not believe you will be spared from pain and sorrow if you walk the way of the fool. It is dangerous to your soul and to the souls of others. Do not be deceived into believing that those who practice sexual immorality will inherit the kingdom of God.
Remember such were some of you - The Gospel offers hope and freedom. Do not let Satan have the last word on your life. You are not defined by your sexual sin but by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is true that the sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God, but God’s Word also says,
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by
the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11
Let this be the exclamation point in your life. When Jesus Christ redeems your life, you are hidden with Him forever. You are washed clean by His blood; you are made holy; you are made right with God. If this is true for us, this can be true for anyone who is caught in sin and living against God. God loves to redeem sinners for His glory. You may be thinking of people in your life who you do not believe are able to turn to Christ but, friends, the Gospel is the power of God for all who believe. No one is beyond hope.
Beloved, let us take the love of Jesus Christ to the world. Let us show them our love, our compassion, and our joy so that they will be willing to hear about the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus Christ. He is the only hope of the world. He is the only one who can make the heart that is darkest with sin as white as snow.