WHEN GOD “GAVE THEM OVER” A Study of Romans 1:18–32
Paul does not begin his discussion with homosexuality. He begins with the rejection of God. Romans 1:18 says that God’s wrath is revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness because people “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”
The problem begins in the heart before it ever becomes an outward behavior. They knew God, but they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful (Romans 1:21). They exchanged the glory of God for images and creatures (Romans 1:23). Then comes the repeated statement: “God gave them over.”
1. GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO UNCLEANNESS — ROMANS 1:24
“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves” (Romans 1:24).
Notice the progression. They rejected God, exchanged the truth, and God gave them over. Paul is describing divine judgment through God allowing people to pursue the desires they have chosen.
Questions we need to ask:
Did God force these people to become sinful, or did He give them over to desires they had already embraced?
Is “gave them over” describing God creating a desire, or God withdrawing restraint?
If God’s judgment consists partly in allowing people to experience the consequences of rejecting Him, could the same principle extend beyond sexual behavior to the entire list Paul gives later?
Why does Paul eventually include envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossip, pride, and disobedience to parents in the same discussion (Romans 1:29–31)?
Those questions matter because Paul’s argument is considerably broader than homosexuality.
2. GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO VILE PASSIONS — ROMANS 1:26-27
Paul then says that “God gave them up to vile passions,” and describes women exchanging natural relations and men likewise leaving natural relations with women and engaging in sexual relations with men (Romans 1:26–27).
This is unquestionably one of the major texts Christians must take seriously when discussing same-sex sexual behavior. But we should be careful about saying more than Paul says.
Questions every interpretation should answer:
What exactly does Paul mean by “natural” and “against nature” in this particular context?
Is Paul discussing sexual behavior generally, or is there a specific cultural situation behind his argument?
Why does Paul connect this behavior so directly with idolatry and the rejection of God?
Is Paul addressing sexual orientation as modern people understand that concept, or is he addressing sexual conduct?
Does Paul distinguish between temptation, desire, and behavior?
Does the passage teach that every person experiencing same-sex attraction has personally rejected God?
If “God gave them over” means God caused their desires, how does that fit with Paul’s preceding statement that they first exchanged the truth of God for a lie?
If it means God permitted them to pursue sinful desires after rejecting Him, what does that tell us about the nature of divine judgment?
These are not questions designed to weaken Scripture. They are questions designed to make us read Scripture carefully.
3. GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO A DEBASED MIND — ROMANS 1:28
Then Paul says something extremely important:
“And even as they did not retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind” (Romans 1:28).
Notice the progression:
They rejected God.
They exchanged the truth.
God gave them over.
Their thinking became corrupted.
Their behavior followed.
And what follows is a long catalog of sins, including covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, deceit, gossip, pride, and disobedience to parents (Romans 1:29-31).
That creates another question that is sometimes overlooked:
Why do we take Romans 1:26–27 and make it the entire point of Romans 1 when Paul himself continues for several more verses describing a much larger rebellion against God?
And there is an even harder question.
Why does Paul immediately turn the spotlight toward the person who is judging others in Romans 2:1?
“You are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself” (Romans 2:1).
That transition is crucial.
Paul does not give us Romans 1 so that we can stand above sinners and congratulate ourselves. He gives us Romans 1 so that by the time we reach Romans 2, we realize that we are all standing beneath the judgment of God.
Romans 1 says, “They are guilty.”
Romans 2 says, “You who judge are guilty too.”
Romans 3 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
That is where the gospel becomes the center of the discussion.
The Christian cannot honestly read Romans 1 and say, “Look at what those people have done.” Romans 2 will not allow it. Neither will Romans 3. The proper response is, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
The cross does not excuse sin, but neither does it give sinners permission to boast over other sinners. We proclaim truth because we love people, and we love people because Christ first loved us.
BDD
