This is the plight of all mankind apart from Jesus. In this passage, we understand the problem and the resulting descent into sin that occurs because of it. It tells us that all of us have perceived “(God’s) invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature” in the things that have been made, leaving us without excuse. In other words, we cannot credibly claim that there is no God, for we know there is and we even understand a good deal about his nature! Yet, even though we (humankind) knew God, we chose not to honor or thank him. Instead, like Eve with the fruit, we chose to go our own way.

From here you see the progression: “they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” “Claiming to be wise, they became fools,” and chose to worship the things of the earth (which, for us, are things like money, possessions, sexual expression or “freedom,” success, etc). “Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.” Some forms of sexual sin are then identified here, but every form of sexual sin (including heterosexual sin) is meant to be understood. From here, Paul identifies a long list of sins (vs 29-31) that flow out of a heart given over to our passions and selfish desires. The last thought in this passage speaks to our desire to seek blessing for the sin from others, since we will not get it from God.

The fact that this passage feels harsh and antiquated to us today should remind us of just how far away we have moved from the holiness of God. It is meant to drive us to the feet of Jesus! We are reminded here that sexual sin is not the only sin (or the unforgivable sin), but just one sin amongst a long list of sins that each stem from the original sin of Adam and Eve: the sin of wanting to become like God and choosing our own way. That is a sin that each of us deals with and that sin (together with all of the sinful ways it manifests itself in our lives – see Paul’s non-exhaustive list) separates us from God. But Jesus came to save us! In his death and resurrection, he has broken the power of sin and death for us. He offers us salvation, if we will repent of our sin (of our desire to be god for ourselves and to go our own way), surrender to his authority, and make him the Lord of our life. He is inviting us to choose life!

Yet, even after we trust in Jesus and find forgiveness and true life and freedom in him, we will still sin and struggle with self in this world in which we are constantly bombarded by a different ethic than his. A Christian life is a life of continual repentance. Not unto guilt, but unto joy! A life that is constantly submitting to God and agreeing with his word for our lives. It is in this surrendered walk (not in perfection) that we find the fullness and joy that God offers us as his children! It is in this place that he works in us the power to overcome!