“For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” – Romans 1:26-27
In this chapter, the apostle Paul is laying out a foundational argument in his letter to the Christians in Rome. He begins by introducing the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1–17), proclaiming that it is “the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.” From there, he moves into an indictment of humanity’s condition apart from God (Romans 1:18–32).
Paul was well aware of the moral climate of Rome. In the Greco-Roman world, same-sex acts were often practiced openly and even accepted culturally, especially among the elite. Yet Paul identifies such behavior as evidence of what happens when people abandon God’s design. Having become bored or unsatisfied with “the natural use,” they turned to what was “against nature” to fulfill the desires of their lust.
Paul addresses how we have all fallen into idolatry. Whether Jew, Greek, or any other person, we come from different cultures and backgrounds but share the same human tendency: to turn away from God and worship created things rather than the Creator.
Worshiping created things isn’t limited to bowing before statues or visiting temples. It can take many modern forms either worshiping ourselves, success, fame, pleasure, or addictions. The expressions may differ, but the root is the same: we give our hearts to things of this world instead of the One who created it.
If you want to go deeper into this part of Romans, you can click the link where I’ve previously expounded on Romans 1:24.
Now, let’s focus on what Paul says, “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions.” — Romans 1:26. Before we can understand the gravity of that statement, we must know what vile passions means.
The Greek word translated “vile” is atimia, meaning shame, dishonor, or disgrace. The word “passions” comes from the Greek pathos, meaning affection, lust, or an emotion so strong that it overwhelms reason. When we put these two words together, Paul is describing shameful affection or disgraceful passions, desires that lead people to act in ways that are not pleasing in God’s sight. This happens when we are led purely by emotions or by what feels good, rather than by the truth of God’s Word. The scriptures reminds us that,
““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
When feelings rule, corruption follows because we are led by the flesh, fleshy cannot pelase God because it only produce sins and the wages of sins id death. but life eternal to Jesus Christ.
The second most frightening phrase in the Bible, for me, is when it says, “God gave them up.” To be given up by God is one of the most fearful conditions a person can ever experience. God is sovereign. He’s not a tyrant. He won’t force us to love Him. If we choose to walk away, He’ll let us.
The first three chapters of the Bible, God declares His design for all of us. Then we fell in the third chapter. But the rest of the Bible is God pursuing us. From Genesis to Revelation, it’s not about man finding God, it’s about God coming after us. Didn’t Jesus put on flesh for us? Didn’t He say, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost”? (Luke 19:10) When God steps back that’s the scariest place to be and says, “Have it your way.” Not because He stopped caring, but because we stopped listening. When God “gives up” on us, it means He allows us to go our own way, to follow our desires without His restraint or guidance.
Why is this terrifying? Because God is the source of everything good. He is the source of life, righteousness, goodness, and moral order. He is also the source of love, joy, and peace. When we lose God, we lose all of that. Imagine living a single day without love, peace, or hope that’s what it means to be separated from Him. That’s why hell is not only a place of fire and torment; it is ultimately a place of separation from God. It’s the absence of His presence, His comfort, and His goodness. And that’s what sin does, it separates us from God. But praise God, He sent Jesus to bridge that separation. Through His death on the cross, He paid for our sins and made it possible for us to be restored to fellowship with the Father. Without what Jesus did on the cross, we could never come near to God again. But Scripture says,
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” — Ephesians 2:13
Then Paul specifically describing what this practice looks like, “Even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another…” — Romans 1:26–27. Notice that Paul did not say that only homosexuality is sin. Anyone who acts outside of God’s design is committing lawlessness and sinning against Him. He is is pointing us back to Genesis 1 and 2, where God purposefully designed and created male and female to be joined together in covenant and to reproduce. God’s design for sexuality was clear: one man and one woman, joined together in marriage, reflecting His creative purpose.
When Paul says they “exchanged the natural use for what is against nature,” he’s explaining that these acts go against God’s original design. In simple terms, any act outside of God’s design whether men with men, women with women, or even a man and a woman engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage is vile in God’s eyes, because it rejects His purpose and perverts His gift of intimacy. The acts may differ in form, but they all share one category, they are done outside of God’s purpose and design.
You know what the bible defines sins, its says that anyone who committed sins, is committing against law.
“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. I John 3:4
What is lawlessness? It’s walking outside of God’s Word.
In Genesis, God said that a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. That’s marriage. Then He said, “Be fruitful and multiply.” That’s God’s purpose, for man and woman to come together, united in covenant, and bring forth life. But look at what we’ve done with that design. We’ve twisted it. We don’t follow it anymore. Anything that goes against what God intended is sin, because sin goes against God’s law.
Then Paul continues,
“Burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” — Romans 1:27
When we’re led by vile passions, when lust takes control, we burn in desire for things God never intended. That’s what happens when we stop letting His Word lead us and start following what feels good. Paul continues in Romans 8:5–8, where he sums up the works of the flesh that When we are led by the flesh, we can’t please God
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” — Romans 8:5–8
You and I can twist Scripture to try to justify our choices or to validate what the world says is right, but that doesn’t change what God has already spoken. And when Jesus returns, no one will be able to twist His Word anymore. If sin were acceptable, then Jesus wouldn’t have needed to die but He did, to pay for our sins and destroy the power of sin once and for all.
We can’t live by our vile passions and still claim to follow God’s truth. If we continue to live in rebellion and ignore His Word, it shows that we haven’t truly repented or understood the depth of His love. There comes a point when God may give us up to a debased mind and that’s a dangerous condition to have. (Romans 1:28) I’ll talk more about that in my next blog.
If I ever get a chance to speak to any man who identifies himself as a woman, I have one question: What drives you to make that decision? Is it because you want to be a woman? Because you’re attracted to men? But do you truly know the purpose of God when He created man?
Or if you identify yourself as a man but are biologically a woman, I’d ask the same question: Have you really asked God about His purpose for you?
When Paul addresses men again toward the end of the passage, it’s because men carry a God-given responsibility of leadership and authority on the earth. God established that order in creation, You are the head of the woman. God gave you authority here on earth to rule and reign. You are created in the image and likeness of God. And the Bible says that woman is the glory of man.
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…’” — Genesis 1:26
“Man is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.” — 1 Corinthians 11:7
When you say you want to be a woman, you are denying the design and purpose God gave you, same thing with a woman. You are telling Him, “I don’t like being in Your likeness or image. I don’t like Your authority and power. I believe satan is right and You are wrong.”
God gave man authority to rule and reign with wisdom, humility, and love. That authority was never meant for domination but to represent Jesus character on earth. When a man rejects God’s design or distorts that authority, he loses sight of who he truly is.
Do you know what you’re doing? You are letting Satan steal your true identity and your place here on earth. When God said you have dominion, that means you are meant to rule, to reign, to be a king and receive power. Yet you throw all that away and choose to corrupt yourself, just like satan. he corrupted himself. Remember, The enemy’s strategy has always been the same, to steal identity, to corrupt purpose, and to make us doubt what God said was good.
If you are having identity issues, pray and call upon Jesus!, It’s scary to be in a position where God gives up on us. I find that terrifying myself. Ask Jesus to guide you and help you, just like He did for me. Only Jesus can transform us. You don’t have to come to Him perfect, no one is perfect. Just follow Him.
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