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A couple of weeks ago I was in Omaha on a business trip. I was meeting two colleagues for breakfast downstairs at the hotel. One man I have worked with for years but the other was a woman that works in another state and I had never met her before. She came downstairs for breakfast with another woman, walked up to the table where my male colleague and I were sitting and proceeded to introduce us to her 'wife'. This wasn't a woman who was ashamed or trying to hide anything. It was a person who was proud of her perversion.This really got me thinking over the next couple of days about Romans 1.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. - Romans 1:24-31
You'll notice that 3 times it says that God 'gave them up' or 'gave them over'. The Greek word used here is 'paradidomi' - which means to 'commit' or 'cast in prison'. I've heard a couple of messages on this over the last year or so stating the fact that the verses here carry the idea of judgement - that when a person, people or nation engage in the sin of homosexuality that judgement has already come.
So what do you think - has judgement come? Is there still hope for this nation to repent and turn back to God or do you believe the acceptance of our nation of the sin of homosexuality is a sign that judgement has already come?
I look forward to your comments.
I think in some ways, judgment has come. Matthew Henry commentary says this:"God gave them over to a wilfulness in the grossest sins, here called a reprobate mind-eis adokimon noun, a mind void of all sense and judgment to discern things that differ, so that they could not distinguish their right hand from their left in spiritual things. See whither a course of sin leads, and into what a gulf it plunges the sinner at last; hither fleshly lusts have a direct tendency. Eyes full of adultery cannot cease from sin, 2Pe. 2:14. This reprobate mind was a blind scarred conscience, past feeling, Eph. 4:19. When the judgment is once reconciled to sin, the man is in the suburbs of hell. At first Pharaoh hardened his heart, but afterwards God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Thus willful hardness is justly punished with judicial hardness."
ReplyDeleteSee where a course of sin leads...James 1:14-15,"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."
Is there hope for those who have already been given over to a reprobate mind? It doesn't appear so as they have made their choice and continue in it.
Is there hope for the sinful men and women who struggle daily with the "willful" wrong choices they make? I think, yes. I cannot imagine that God has stopped calling out for us to return to Him, that He can show us mercy, any less than He did in the past, and will continue to do as long as this world exists. The question is, will we hear and respond to His call to repent and return?
It always amazes me when people flaunt their sins and appear to enjoy "shocking" others. I have to ask, is there no conscience there at all? I do think that the acceptance of the sin of homosexuality by the masses in this country (even so-called christians) has resulted in the judgment of God...added to this would also be the acceptance of the sin of abortion. It's my belief that judgment has indeed already come. I respect Matthew Henry's writings, so thank you Jerri for taking the time to explore this & share with us.
ReplyDeleteI believe it's already come also.
ReplyDeleteThose who have embraced (forgive the pun)their homosexual lifestyle have rejected the natural order which is all around them..."clearly seen" as the chapter says. Having been tempted in that sin they succumb to it, accept it, flaunt it, and then characterize those who reject it as unloving and prejudice. Satan blinds their eyes to the hurt it does to themselves and others and then even brings false teachers to them who will "give hearty approval to those who practice" that sin.
I'm among those who believe that some are born with homosexual tendencies; in their DNA so to speak. Just as we inherit physical traits I also believe we surely inherit sin trends also. Having said that I stand with God's word that that is no excuse. We are not left the freedom to express our sin just because it's there. Whether it's anger, self-pity, self-righteousness, tendencies to lie or steal, or be promiscuious...whatever...we can not excuse them by saying we were born that way.
Christ died for the sin of homosexuality. I'm grateful that that is not my area. I have genuine pity for those who try so hard to justify themselves and for their parents who love their children and struggle to maintain their relationship and remain faithful to God's word.
I believe judgement has truly come for those who openly defy God's commands. This is a global err and mankind will surely suffer for the tolerance of these abrasive acts. As commented earlier, homosexuality is not the only blatant sin, there is also idolatry, abortion and abuse of God's special ones, the children. I pray for those who still have a chance to repent and change their lives. As Christians, we must do as we are commanded by Christ, be ambassadors of his kingdom and spread the word.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking on this since you posted. Judgment? What do we consider judgment to be? Judgment first entered the world through Adam and Eve; since then, there have been horrible horrible things happening throughout the ages. Is what is happening in today's world different or would we dare to describe it as worse?
ReplyDeleteJerri quoted Matthew Henry as saying "willful hardness is punished with judicial hardness." Indeed there is much willful hardness in our land today. When the judicial hardness is executed, I don't know. Sometimes it might be in this world, but for sure it will be at the Judgment Seat of God.
God's Spirit is still calling people to Him. Therefore, it would seem that 2 Chron 7:14 is still applicable for us as a people to repent.
Have we compromised God's truth and grown too complacent to repent?
I have not answered your question very well, but this is a good topic to discuss. Several of us have talked about it since you posted.
Do you think we are hesitant to answer your question because we are a bit scared of judgement? Do we think if we put our head in the sand and don't deal with the issue of personal sin and national sin that it will all go away?
ReplyDeleteI think as people we always want to think that if we just change (as a nation) that the judgement can be deferred or cancelled. But I guess my question is this - is there a point where the judgement has come and there is nothing that can be done? And yes, we are absolutely terrified of that.
ReplyDelete