Only God can satisfy that deep sense of longing for complete identity and unity with another person. Sex is a desire to possess another body and to be possessed by another. But because men run after other gods and refuse the testimony of their own hearts and do not glorify or thank the true God, God removes his restraints from society so that what is done in secret is allowed to break out into openness and acceptability. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is … (H) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. So he removes the restraints and allows immoral sexual practices to become widely accepted, understanding that men indulging in these things will finally find themselves just as dissatisfied, empty and hopeless as they were when they started. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Subject to permission policy, all rights reserved. Romans 1:24. 24 Therefore God gave them over(A) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. Many people think this account describes all the evil things men do, and then says that God washes his hands of evil people because they are so filthy and dirty. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. New International Version (NIV), NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture, NIV, Quest Study Bible, Comfort Print: The Only Q and A Study Bible, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Luke, Comfort Print, NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Personal Size, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story. The wickedness at work among human beings follows a process which is identified in this passage by the thrice-repeated phrase, God gave them over. Daily Devotion © 2014 by Ray Stedman Ministries. There is good reason why God allows sexual practices to come to the surface. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts, to sexual impurity, for the degrading of their bodies with one another. God has abandoned man. (I) 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. Website © 2020 by Ray Stedman Ministries. Romans 1:24-32 New International Version (NIV) 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. Amen. Only God can give that fulfillment. They really want a sense of total fulfillment, a oneness, an identity. But what both are really after is not sex at all; they are after worship. Do we react to the prevalent cultural immorality with self-righteous condemnation? They have become filled … He allows it to show us what is going on in our spiritual lives. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. They are gossips,(L) 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;(M) 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,(N) no mercy. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. (F), 26 Because of this, God gave them over(G) to shameful lusts. New Living Translation So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. But, the final result is not sexual sins, but sins of the spirit. That is what we call worship. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. This phrase identifies what is going on in our culture. Of the most popular English versions in use today, only the New International Version and New American Standard Bible use the phrase God gave them over. 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. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.