Given Over to a Reprobate Mind Romans 1:28

Paul the apostle wrote to the church members in Rome about people who did not “glorify” or “thank” God, “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever”, and he added, “for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections:

for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature”. Paul continued to share, “like wise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.” In chapter one and verse twenty-eight of Romans, Paul told with the church members how, “God gave them over to a reprobate mind” where we read:

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;:

The verse begins, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, ...” Paul began with the words, “and even as they” or “and since, even as, seeing that and when these people of whom Paul is writing” “did not like” which means “did not test, examine, prove, scrutinize, approve and deem it worthy” “to retain” which means “to have, hold, own and possess” “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “in their knowledge” or “in their full discernment and acknowledgment”. Paul shared about people who “did not deem it worthy” to “possess” and “acknowledge” God.

The verse continues, “... God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;:” Paul added the word, “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “gave them over” or “delivered them up treacherously” “to a reprobate” which means “an unfit, unproved and spurious” “mind” or “intellectual faculty and understanding”, “to do those things” which means “make ready, produce and prepare things” “which are not convenient” or “that are not becoming and unfit”. Paul told how God “delivered” these people to an “unfit and spurious” way of thinking which caused them to “act” in a way that is indecent.

When we think through these words of Paul, we see how there was a point in God's mind where He permitted “unbelieving people” to think as they desired. Even though their ways would lead them to destruction, God “delivered” them over to their own thoughts which were against Him. Jesus Christ came not only to forgive the sins of people, but also to correct their “thinking” when it differs from God's. This was and is not God's plan, and lest we be as those to whom God has “given over” to their “unfit and spurious” minds, may we receive Jesus Christ as our “Savior and Lord” and allow God's mind to be in us.

Next time Paul tells the church members how these are, “filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness” and more, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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