Meaning of Romans 1:28

This verse describes a tragic cycle of human rebellion against divine revelation, leading to a progressive moral and spiritual decay. Paul asserts that humanity's rejection of the innate knowledge of God, which is evident in creation, results in God's judicial abandonment of them to their own sinful desires. This abandonment is not an active instigation of sin by God, but rather a permissive judgment where He allows individuals and societies to reap the full consequences of their deliberate turning away from Him. Consequently, their minds become corrupted, leading them to engage in actions that are unnatural, irrational, and morally reprehensible, a stark contrast to the order and purpose God originally established.

Context and Background

The passage in Romans 1:18-32 is Paul's foundational argument for the universality of sin and the necessity of God's righteousness, which he will later expound upon in the gospel. He begins by demonstrating that both Gentiles and Jews are under sin. For the Gentiles (non-Jews), Paul argues that their sinfulness stems from their suppression of the knowledge of God that is readily available through creation (Romans 1:19-20). Despite this clear revelation, they chose not to honor God or give thanks to Him, leading to a progression of foolishness and a darkened understanding (Romans 1:21). The verse in question, Romans 1:28, represents the culmination of this downward spiral for those who have willfully rejected God's knowledge.

Key Themes and Messages

• Suppression of Divine Revelation: The core issue is the active suppression of the knowledge of God that is accessible through the natural world. Humanity, rather than acknowledging the Creator, chose to deify created things.
• Judicial Abandonment by God: The phrase "God gave them over" signifies a divine judgment. It is not that God causes them to sin, but He withdraws His restraining influence, allowing their sinful desires to manifest fully. This is a consequence of their persistent rebellion.
• Depraved Mind (ἀδόκιμον νοῦν - adokimon noun): This refers to a mind that is unfit for its intended purpose, like a coin that is rejected because it is counterfeit. It is a mind that has lost its ability to discern truth, morality, and righteousness because it has deliberately turned away from the source of all truth and goodness.
• Unnatural and Reprehensible Actions: The result of a depraved mind is the commission of deeds that are contrary to natural order and human dignity, reflecting a profound disconnect from God's created design for humanity.

Spiritual Significance and Application

This passage serves as a stark warning about the dangers of rejecting God. It highlights that spiritual blindness and moral corruption are not random occurrences but often the consequence of a deliberate turning away from God's truth. For believers, it underscores the importance of cultivating a mind that is constantly renewed by God's Word and Spirit, actively seeking to honor Him and retain the knowledge of His truth. It also calls for compassion and a clear understanding of the spiritual state of those who are lost, recognizing that their actions are often symptomatic of a deeper spiritual decay.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

Romans 1:28 fits within the overarching biblical narrative of humanity's fall and God's redemptive plan. The verse echoes the theme of rebellion seen from the Garden of Eden onwards, where humanity chose their own way over God's. It foreshadows the need for the gospel, which Paul introduces immediately after this indictment of humanity. The gospel offers a way to have the mind renewed and to be restored to a right relationship with God, overcoming the depravity described here. It also aligns with the concept of divine judgment, where persistent sin leads to hardening and consequences.

Analogies

• A Clock Without a Compass: Imagine a sophisticated clock that is designed to tell time accurately. If it is deliberately deprived of its internal mechanism that aligns with the sun (the ultimate timekeeper), it will begin to tell incorrect time, eventually becoming useless. Similarly, the human mind, designed to orient itself towards God, becomes functionally corrupted when it rejects Him.
• A Ship Adrift: A ship captain, knowing the stars and currents, navigates safely. If the captain deliberately ignores all navigational tools and charts, choosing to drift, the ship will eventually be battered by storms and run aground. Humanity, by rejecting God's "navigation" (His revealed truth), is left adrift in a sea of sin and destruction.

Relation to Other Verses

• Genesis 1:27-28: These verses establish humanity's creation in the image of God and their mandate to rule. The rejection described in Romans 1:28 is a perversion of this original design.
• Psalm 14:1: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good." This psalm captures the essence of the mindset Paul describes in Romans 1.
• 2 Timothy 3:7-8: These verses speak of individuals who are "always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth," likening them to the sorcerers Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses. This highlights a similar theme of resisting divine truth.
• Ephesians 4:17-18: Paul describes the Gentiles walking "in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart." This passage offers a parallel description of the spiritual condition resulting from rejecting God.
• 1 Corinthians 1:18: "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." This verse contrasts the human perspective of God's ways with God's divine wisdom, underscoring the "foolishness" of rejecting Him.