God Gave Them Up

"Save Yourselves From This Corrupt Generation"

 

Be careful what you desire

“Therefore God gave them over in

 the sinful desires of their hearts”

God Gave Them Up

In Romans 1, the invisible Author of scripture

uses the pronouns “Them or They or Their”.

He does not tell us who “Them” are,

 so the what must be more important.

“Therefore God gave them over in the sinful

desires of their hearts” Romans 1:24 NIV

“God gave them over to shameful lusts.” Romans 1:26 NIV

“Since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge

 of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind…” Romans 1:28 NIV

Three times God says… “He gave them over”.

God gave up on these people.

He removed His restraints and let them

do the things they wanted to do.

Although they deserve death (verse 32), God allows

them to live out the evil in their hearts and minds.

So what was their problem to cause

 such a strong reaction from God?

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified

 him as God nor gave thanks to him” Romans 1:21NIV

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and

served created things rather than the Creator” Romans 1:25 NIV

“Since they did not think it worthwhile to retain

 the knowledge of God” Romans 1:28 NIV 

It seems there have always been the “Thems”…

Those who do not think it is worthwhile

to retain the knowledge of God.

In my life time, I have seen the “Thems”

 increase in my nation, America.

In 1962, the Supreme Court ruled that a teacher-lead

prayer in our schools was unconstitutional. (Engle v. Vitale)

 

 

The prayer that provoked this discussion read…

"Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and

ask Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our country."

In 1963, reading of the Bible was banned.

 The courts wrote…

 "If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, 
they could be and...have been psychologically harmful to the child." 
(Abington v. Schempp)

In 1980, Kentucky schools were forbidden

to post the 10 Commandments. 

 

The courts ruled…

"If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments are to have any effect at all,

it will be to induce the school-children to read, meditate upon, perhaps to
 venerate and obey the commandments. This is not a permissible objective." 
(Stone v. Gramm)

I love my fellow Americans.

But we must not compromise the knowledge of God…

Lest God give us up to our lustful desires.  

 

Scripture Reading

Acts 2:37-41 NIV

What shall we do?

38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you,

 in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off

 — for all whom the Lord our God will call."

40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them,

 "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."

Romans 1:21-32 NIV

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.