In the late 20th century, when advocates of homosexual behavior were trying to normalize same sex attraction, there was debate as to whether humans are born with same sex attraction, or if it is something they become due to things like poor parenting or societal influence. The proponents of homosexuality argued they were born that way. Christians argued it was a learned attraction.
In today’s passage we will learn that neither of those options is quite the right way to characterize the cause of same sex attraction. It is actually the result of how people respond to the existence of God.
At the end of the passage we read yesterday, Paul declared that the existence of God is evident to everyone because the universe and everything in it declares His eternal power and divine nature. However, unrighteous men suppress the truth, and exchange the glory of God for images in the likeness of men and animals.
Rom. 1:24 ¶ Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
Look at the word “therefore”. Since men suppress the truth, God gives them over to impurity.
Rom. 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Rom. 1:26 ¶ For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions; for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
Pay attention to the phrase “For this reason”. Since men exchange the truth of God for a lie, God gives them over to dishonorable passions. The word “dishonorable” makes it clear the passions are bad.
Notice the wording regarding females. The term “natural function” could refer to sexual activity, females giving up the natural function of sexual relations with males and engaging in the unnatural function of activity with females. It could also refer to women giving up their natural function as mothers and nurturers in order to be workers, soldiers, and leaders.
Rom. 1:27 and in the same way also the males abandoned the natural function of the female and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
The wording regarding males clearly refers to homosexual activity. The word “indecent” makes it clear homosexual activity is wrong. The Aids disease, and other sexually transmitted diseases, are examples of gay men receiving their penalty in their own person.
There is much debate in the modern world as to whether people are born with same sex attraction, or if it is something they become due to some sort of trauma or family disfunction. This passage in Romans informs us that same sex attraction is the result of God giving people over to sin as a result of their refusal to believe in the existence of God.
Rom. 1:28 ¶ And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to an unfit mind, to do those things which are not proper,
Notice again the phrase “God gave them over”. Since people do not see fit to acknowledge God, God gives them over to the litany of sins listed in the following verses.
Rom. 1:29 having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
Rom. 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, violent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
Rom. 1:31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
This list of sins is a good description of European and American culture in the 21st century. What we see in the modern world is the result of our culture suppressing the truth about God.
Many Christians want to fight sin and evil in the political sphere. I am not saying we should not get involved in politics, but Christians need to do so from the perspective that the sin in our society is a moral and religious issue, it is not a political issue. We will solve the ills of our society by proclaiming the truth about Christ, not by passing legislation.
Rom. 1:32 and although they know the righteous requirement of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Rom. 2:1 ¶ Therefore you are without excuse, O man, everyone who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
Paul condemned hypocrisy. The Cambridge Dictionary defines hypocrisy as “a situation in which someone pretends to believe something that they do not really believe, or that is the opposite of what they do or say at another time.”
There are at least 20 verses in the gospels in which Jesus condemned hypocrisy. The Bible makes it clear that God hates hypocrisy.
Rom. 2:2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
Rom. 2:3 But do you presume this, O man—who passes judgment on those who practice such things and does the same—that you will escape the judgment of God?
The phrase “such things” refers to the list of sins found in verses 29-31.
Rom. 2:4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Many people who sin are not judged by God immediately. God’s forbearance and patience in those situations is meant to give them time to repent.
Rom. 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
Rom. 2:6 who WILL REPAY TO EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS:
Rom. 2:7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
Rom. 2:8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and anger.
Every human will experience one of two destinies after life on earth. Each person will either receive eternal life in heaven, or wrath and anger in hell. There is no other option.
There is a philosophical belief in the modern world that rejects the idea that anything is binary. Binary is the belief that something is one of two things. Binary says that humans are either male or female. Non-binary says that the gender of every human is on a spectrum, meaning there are many different variations of gender.
Paul wrote that eternal destiny is binary. Every person either goes to heaven or hell.
Rom. 2:9 There will be affliction and turmoil for every soul of man who works out evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,
Rom. 2:10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who works good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Rom. 2:11 For there is no partiality with God.
Rom. 2:12 ¶ For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law.
There has been much debate in recent decades as to whether people are born with same sex attraction, or if it is something they become due to some sort of trauma or family disfunction. Several decades ago, Christianity argued against homosexuality by denying that people were born that way. When the culture became convinced homosexuals are born that way, then the church lost the argument against same sex attraction and homosexuality became normalized and accepted.
From a Biblical perspective, it doesn’t matter whether or not they are born that way. Homosexual activity is wrong because God says it is wrong. The Church should have stood their ground on that point from the very beginning of this debate.
This passage in Romans informs us that same sex attraction is the result of God giving people over to sin as a result of their refusal to believe in the existence of God.
How well does your pastor and church take a stand against homosexual activity?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”
This is one of the silliest takes on Romans 1 I've read. It's like you Googled it, and then you started to guess at what it said.