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.  

Rom 1:24-25 

Explanation:

There is a descent being described here.  In the previous verses, the descent started with not acknowledging God’s eternal power that is so evident in the created world.  This lead to the worship of the created things over the Creator, which is a great definition of idolatry. 

God’s response to the descent continues in verse 24.  Sometimes God’s wrath comes by giving people that which they desire and the outcomes that are attached to those pursuit of those desires.  This is the case with those who begin to not only worship the creation, but worship themselves, and through these evil desires dishonor their own bodies through engaging in all forms of godless pleasure. 

To engage in this descent they participate in what is described in verse 25.  They change the truth of God into a lie.  How do they do this?  They deny the truth that is so obviously evident before them.  They deny God’s existence.  They make claims about the created order that are not true.  They publicly and privately take the opposing position to what God has revealed through the book of creation, the book of conscience, and the supernaturally revealed Word of God.

Application:

It is amazing how relevant these words written 2000 years or so ago are to our present day circumstance.  There are people in our culture denying that God exists at all.  This is not surprising or new.  There are also people in our culture that take a position that nothing created everything.  Even this is not totally new.   It has progressed to the point now that there are those in our culture that are beginning to deny that gender and biology are tied together, stating that gender is on a spectrum and is merely a societal construct.  Now you can identify as something other than what you are, and can demand that someone accept your identification of yourself even if it is objectively not the case.  

The Truth in all of this is that God loves those who are on this descent. He has sent His Son to die for them.  We, as believers, must love these people by caring for them personally, and calling them to belief in the Truth, and repentance of the heart, while modeling that same course of action ourselves.

Response:

• Take some time today to evaluate where you are in this description.

• What should your personal response be to someone who is on this descent?