QuickThoughts: God’s Wrath of Abandonment

God’s wrath of abandonment and its effects are described in striking detail in Romans 1:24-31.

Here, Paul instructs the Roman believers on what they should expect from a pagan culture that has rejected the obvious truth of God and have turned instead to worship idols (vv. 18-23).

📘 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 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.

Romans 1:24-25

What does that mean, that “God gave them over?” Did God force this wickedness upon them as a part of His wrath?

Absolutely not!

The wickedness Paul goes on to describe is brought out from the “lusts of their hearts.” These sins are those that they naturally, as fallen sinful men, desire most deeply.

We will explore how that looks in a moment, but Paul uses a specific example in the following verses:

📘 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions; for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 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. 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,

Romans 1:26-28

While Paul specifically calls out homosexuality here, sexual depravity comes in many, many forms, as we see every day in our culture. Fornication, adultery, pedophilia, rape, incest, cross-dressing, trans-genderism, general debauchery, etc., are rampant.

This inevitably leads to their bodies being dishonored (v. 24) as a penalty for their errors (v. 27).

God gives these unbelievers over to such degrading passions because they hate Him and have rejected His glory and perfect design for their sexuality.

Paul then expands the list of resulting sins beyond homosexuality to include a dramatic range of wickedness:

📘 having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, violent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;

Romans 1:29-31

Christians often tend to focus on the homosexuality in view in the prior verses, which DO deserve greater attention today due to that being the most visual and widely accepted in society, but neglect to reflect on the rest here. That is improper, as this list reflects the total corruption of Man as a result of God “giving them over.”

Again we must ask, though, if God is giving them over to these sins, doesn’t that mean God is forcing these sins upon them? Again, absolutely not!

This is the wrath of abandonment. God has abandoned them and removed His restraining grace from them, allowing them to pursue the sinful lusts of their hearts (v. 24), the degrading passions they long for (v. 26), and indulge every whim of their depraved minds (v. 28).

He is no longer restraining them in His mercy, keeping them from the most grievous of sins. He is allowing them to store up wrath for themselves on the day of judgment (Romans 2:5).

All this, and Paul again reminds his readers that these unbelievers are without excuse. They know better (which the next chapter explores in even greater depth).

📘 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.

Romans 1:32

Before he moves on in the next chapter to address the hypocrisy of those in the Roman church, Paul segues by specifically calling out those who stand by the debauchery just described and approve, encourage, celebrate, and advocate for it. They too fall under God’s wrath, often being guilty of the same sins, whether in deed or in their hearts.

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Brethren, this is a heartbreaking reality of our day. It is heartbreaking to watch the consequences of God’s common grace being withdrawn from our friends, family, children, neighbors, and country as a whole.

But be encouraged and rejoice in knowing that God is never fighting to keep up; He is never caught by surprise and forced to quickly react to events; He is never out of control.

All these things must take place and will further showcase the glory of our Savior when He comes again in power and majesty.

Pray for these people. Preach to these people. Share the soul-redeeming power of Christ and His gospel with these people!

But also remember, such were ALL of us! If Jesus can redeem a man such as myself, not even those who have been “given over” are beyond His mercy and grace.