Romans 1:26-27

Introduction

Welcome, my name is Stephen Dulwich and I'm in Kolding, Denmark. Today I want to speak on two verses from Romans chapter 1, verses 26 and 27. These verses concern homosexuality and lesbianism, and this is a major concern in the church and a major issue. It's very important to see what the Bible says.

Now some people will say that Jesus loved you just the way you are — well that's not scriptural. The Bible says that God is angry with the wicked every day and God hates the workers of iniquity. Jesus said that He did not come into the world to condemn the world, but He came that the world might be saved through Him.

Jesus did not come to condemn — no, He came to bear your sin and my sin so that we can have eternal life and be made completely new. The Bible says if any man or any woman is in Christ they are a new creation: old things have passed away, behold all things have become new. Jesus came to set us free.

The Nature of Sin and Addiction

We are born dead in sin and we have a natural attraction to sin. When we fall into sin it has this effect upon us that we can become addicted to these things. It's like an alcoholic — if an alcoholic stops drinking he still has a major problem because there's always that attraction to go back. All his life he has to be careful because there's this attraction to go back to that thing which would destroy him or her.

It's the same with homosexuality: once you get involved in it, there's an attraction towards it. This is why it's so awful that they're putting things into the schools and training the young people to think along these things which will become a problem to them for the rest of their lives.

"God Gave Them Up" — The Most Terrible Words

First of all in verse 26 it says: "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections." These are the most terrible words that you could ever hear — that God gives them up. When God removes His hand, God gives them up to follow their own lusts and withdraws His hand of restraint.

"Gave them up" is the Greek word paradidomi (the New Testament was written in Koine Greek), which means to give into the hands of another. What a terrible thing that God gives them up and He stops pleading with them, stops trying to pull them, and just gives them up to their lust which will destroy them.

The spread of homosexuality in society is evidence that God's restraining hand has been lifted. When people persistently follow after their lusts, God withdraws His hand of restraint. We need to urgently pray, especially for the young people who are being deceived with this teaching. We need the Holy Spirit to bring people to repentance and to hold back the destructive power of sin in our society.

1. Vile Affections — Dishonorable

The first word used concerning homosexuality and lesbianism is "vile affections." "Vile" is the Greek word atimia which actually means dishonorable.

Homosexuality and lesbianism is a dishonorable act. It dishonors God, it dishonors our body, and it dishonors the sanctity of mankind. God gives people up to something that is dishonorable both to God and to them. It's a shame upon the nation — it is a dishonorable thing.

2. Against Nature — Unnatural

Then it goes on to say: "For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature." Lesbianism is against nature — it's opposed to nature.

The word "nature" in the Greek is phusis, which means produced by nature. "Against nature" uses the Greek word para, which refers to being against or contrary to nature. Homosexuality is not a natural lifestyle — it is contrary to nature.

Marriage is the union between one man and one woman. It cannot be anything else. It is natural for a man and a woman to be joined together in marriage. Genesis 2:21-24 shows that God took Eve from the body of Adam and the two become one flesh.

In describing homosexuality as unnatural, the Bible stands opposed to the teaching that some people are born gay or born with a homosexual gene. You are not born gay — you are born in sin, and that sin is what leads into homosexuality. Then it gets a grip of you and it becomes a problem for the rest of your life — unless you're set free by the power of the Gospel.

3. Burned in Their Lust — Inflamed

Verse 27 says: "Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another." Here it's described as a lust. Homosexuality and lesbianism is driven by lust.

The word "burned" is the Greek word ekkaio, which is two Greek words combined — "out" and "burn" — meaning inflamed. It refers to an intense desire that consumes. It is a burning desire of lust. Homosexuality is an inflamed lust — it's not love, it's lust that takes hold of the person who's given over to it.

Love vs. Lust

The difference between love and lust is that brotherly love and agape love are always constructive, whereas lust is destructive. Homosexuality is driven by lust which seeks to destroy those given over to it.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

— John 10:10

4. Unseemly — Shameful

Then it goes on to say: "men with men working that which is unseemly." "Unseemly" is the Greek word aschemosune, which means shameful.

It is a shameful act. The feeling of shame from being involved in a homosexual relationship can remain long after the relationship has ended. It is shameful because it is an act of sexual perversion — the body was not created to be used in this manner. So here it says that it is shameful — dishonorable, unnatural, shameful. This is not what I say, this is what the Bible says.

5. Recompense — Consequences

Then it goes on to say: "and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet." This tells us that homosexuality and lesbianism has consequences.

The word "recompense" is the Greek word antimisthia, which means wages given in return. It's like the Bible talks about the wages of sin — this is the wages of an unnatural lifestyle.

The word "gay" is a total misnomer — there is nothing gay about homosexuality. According to the Scripture, the root of the problem is internal and dwells within, not outside. No matter how accepted homosexuality becomes in society, there would still be the internal consequences. The human body is not created for a gay relationship. According to Scripture these are the consequences of pursuing a lifestyle that is dishonorable, shameful, and unnatural.

The Reprobate Mind — Romans 1:28

"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."

— Romans 1:28

God gives them up to something that is unnatural, something that is shameful. It is certainly not "gay" — it is shameful, dishonorable, and unnatural. That's what the Bible says.

The Message of Hope: New Life in Christ

But we don't come with a message of condemnation — we come with the message of life. In Christ you can be born anew, you can be completely set free, and you can have a wonderful new life in Jesus.

Jesus came — this is the day of salvation. One day it will be too late, but right now, this is the day of salvation. If you would just turn from your sin and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you can have eternal life and be completely set free from a lifestyle that is shameful, dishonorable, and unnatural — one that causes immense pain.

You can be completely set free from it. Jesus came so that you might have life, and that you might have life eternal.

God bless you. Amen.