Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
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.
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:
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.
God wants all generations to know that rejecting Him will heighten the depravity of the lost. We know that the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah thought themselves to be wise people. They were insulted by Lot trying to interfere with their wicked plans. We know that the tribe of Benjamin assumed they were wise and they thought they could push their wicked agenda against the rest of the nation of Israel and against God.
God says that those who act in this manner become fools. This is clear from the Old Testament.
Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
We are seeing an increase of this wickedness in our day. We now have a government at all levels that is pushing a wicked agenda and threatening those who would not accept this wickedness.
In verse 23 we see that these fools changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man. Idolatry has been a plague on humanity since shortly after the fall. Cain developed the first false religion. There have been nations, including Israel that changed the incorruptible God.
We mentioned before that on October 7 the partiers, gathered in the open in Israel, had an idol of Buddha with them. God is the Creator. He has the right to demand that man worship Him. He does not need to accept man’s defiance of Him. He is judging the wicked now and it will only get worse for them.
The Catholics have Mary and many others that they have turned into idols. We know that Mary was a godly woman, chosen by God to be the vessel to give flesh to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Mary that the Catholics worship is not the Mary of the Bible. God also addressed the matter of making images of birds and fourfooted beasts and creeping things. The ungodly know no limits.
I read this week that a group of natives are upset that a private firm is sending a rocket up to the moon to deposit ashes. Apparently there are wealthy people who want their ashes taken up to the moon. This group of natives worships the moon and they find this offensive. Sadly, NASA has agreed to consult with this group of natives before sending any more ashes up there. It is foolish for those who are wasting their money to send the ashes of their loved ones to the moon. It is foolish as well to worship the moon.
In verse 24 we see that God gave these idolaters up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts. God gave His law. Adam knew there was only one true God. Cain knew there was only one true God. The people of Noah’s day knew there was only one true God. Every person alive knows there is only one true God. Yet, people choose to defy that knowledge and they invent false gods and false religions. God has warned people against that.
After a time of His choosing, He lets them go into their wickedness with less resistance from Him. God removed His hand from them in a greater way and allowed them to pursue their wicked plans to a greater degree. That is what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah. That is what happened in the tribe of Benjamin. We know that Sodom and Gomorrah do not exist today. They were allowed to exercise their wicked plans for a time. God destroyed them. We know the tribe of Benjamin was almost destroyed due to their sin. Today, Israel is still in defiance of God and is promoting sodomy.
Those who take the route that is described in this passage are in very serious trouble. When God no longer interferes in the wickedness of a segment of society, it is not a good thing. We have heard of areas in cities that are known as “no go zones.” The police are afraid of going there and lawlessness is at a heightened level. We have seen reports of Hamas supporters in Toronto who are intimidating a Jewish community and the police chose to deliver coffee to these protestors rather than move them out of that area. When tax dollars are used to support a terrorist organization, we are in trouble.
In our text, God says that these people who have rejected Him stooped to a place where they dishonour their own bodies between themselves. Not that long ago there was a recording of this type of activity taking place at the White House. What a shameful thing. I have not heard that there was any disciplinary action against those who participated in this wickedness. I have heard that there was concern that this was recorded and then published in certain places. There was more concern that this wickedness was exposed, than that it actually took place. The fall of both Canada and the U.S. is already in full effect.
In verse 25 we see that those who take the path spoken of here have changed the truth of God into a lie. God is the Creator. He created the world for His pleasure. Man has the privilege of benefitting from His creation. However, man has no right to worship any part of His creation. We see that these people worship the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever. We know there are cultures that choose to worship the creature. We know that in North America there is the worship of “mother nature”. Together with this there is Gaia worship. The United church has taught for years that God is not the Father, but rather the father/mother. They will even question whether God is male at all. They will promote the idea that He is a female. There is also the push to make Jesus Christ out to be a sodomite and a fornicator. Of course with the current wickedness, society wants a “transgender” deity.
In verse 26 God again warned that He gave these people up unto vile affections. It is not natural for a man to lust after a man and to act with immorality toward a man. It is not natural for a woman to lust after a woman and to act with immorality toward a woman. It is not natural for a human being to lust after an animal. It was reported last week that there is a woman on Vancouver Island that has an intimate relationship with a tree. There is even a picture of her. She is not ashamed. Pedophilia is also not a natural act of man. These are vile affections.
God explained that even their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature. This is what God says. This is not some man’s opinion.
In verse 27 we are told that men did the same thing. Rather than pursue a God-fearing relationship with a woman, they lust after men. God says they are working that which is unseemly. We are being told that these actions are all quite natural and must be accepted by society. We are being told that we, the taxpayers, must fund the mutilation of bodies who are being lured into wickedness by teachers and doctors and yes, even parents.
God warned that those who choose this path will receive in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. God gives people over to their lusts. They do not decide the end result of their wicked choices. God is still God and He is still in charge. He warns man of the consequences of wickedness. He also uses object lessons to demonstrate the dire effects of choosing to live in defiance of Him.
Our governments can try to normalize this wickedness. They can choose to intimidate those who would speak the truth in love. They can imprison and fine those who speak the truth. The judgment of God is upon those who are involved in this wickedness.
We do not taunt the government. We do not walk around with placards daring the government to come after us. Preaching and teaching the truth is not taunting anyone. Jesus declared:
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
People may choose to defy God. God loves them so much that He wrote down what His law is and what happens to those who defy His law. He commands His children to love others as well and to remind them of what He has already declared. We do not need to make up some different standard. When God’s people refuse to obey Him, they become complicit in the wickedness of those being described in this passage.
In a wicked world there are risks to serving God. The apostles faced persecution. They did not seek it. They simply obeyed God. That is what is required of us today.
Those who are saved need to pray for one another. The apostle Paul asked the saints to pray that he might have boldness. We also need to pray for the lost; that hearts would be broken and saved. God does not take any pleasure in the death of the wicked. Yet those who reject Him will face an eternity in the lake of fire.
Pastor Bartel
