We are reading the Bible through together this year, using the Discipleship Journal Reading Plan published by the Navigators. You can download it free of charge from: https://www.navigators.org/resource/bible-reading-plans/

Today’s 4 readings are: Matthew 21:33-46; Romans 1:18-32; Psalm 49, Numbers 3-4.

If there are politically and culturally incorrect passages in Scripture – and there are – Romans 1 is surely near the top of the list. But it is a passage often cherry-picked and not taken as a whole. Watch the stunning progression – or better – digression in it.

(21) Failure to honor God as God (give Him His rights over our lives), or give thanks to Him produces:

a. Futile thinking – A thought process that produces nothing of eternal value in the individual. Preoccupation with the material, temporal and personal.

Which in turn produces:

b. A foolish, darkened (uninformed by the truth) heart – one which loves supremely that which has no light in itself (as only God does) and thus has as its object that which is ultimately dark and fabricated.

(22) See it for what it is – no matter HOW wise they claim to be or seem – they are in fact fools.

(23) A mind which does not have as the foundation of its understanding of truth – the truth about God, His person, work and purposes – MUST then by default, have a heart which has its affections set on some other god.

So, not only do we suffer these effects in and of themselves – but as a result, God responds as well. This He does by:

(24) a. Giving such over to the impure lusts of their dark hearts which displays itself first in a dishonorable sexual lifestyle. Driven by or bound by – sexual lust.

(25) And because they actually exchanged the revelation of God for imaginary gods –

(26-27) b. They were given over to homosexuality.

And because they would not acknowledge God for who and what He is –

(28) c. They were given over to a debased mind which is displayed in 29-32.

Note then how some camp on vss. 26-27 as the highest disorder. But it is not.

Continuing to digress in sin under God’s judgment results in “all manner of unrighteousness.” covetousness. Malice. Envy. Murder. Strife. Deceit. Maliciousness. Gossip. Slander. Hatred of God. Insolence. Haughtiness. Boastfulness. Inventors of evil. Disobedient to parents. Foolishness. Faithlessness. Heartlessness. Ruthlessness.

Let us condemn and renounce EVERY vestige of our fallenness – and not just one or one category. For Christ has died to delivers us as much from the things on that last list as He did from bondage to sexual sin.

Oh how we need the delivering power of Jesus Christ to bring us back to the sanity of knowing and serving the true and living God.

What a good and gracious God He is to continue to strive with us in it. May we learn to strive along with Him against every manifestation of indwelling sin – and not point the finger at those we don’t personally struggle with as somehow more vile.

And let us not approve of the practice of any of them under any pretense. But seek the Christ who alone can redeem us form them all.