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"They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to
birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things" (Rom. 1: 23).
Not only is there an exact parallel in the Gentile failure with the primal sin of Eden,
but there is also an absolute parallel in the downward movement of the Gentiles as
recorded in Rom. 1: with the downward movement of Israel as given in Psa. 106:
Gentile (Rom. 1:)
Israel (Psa. 106:)
"They changed the glory of the corruptible
"They made a calf in Horeb, and
God into an image....man...birds, beasts....
Worshipped the molten image. Thus
creeping things" (23).
they changed their glory into the
similitude of an ox that eateth grass" (19, 20)
"They did not like to retain God in
"The forgat God their Saviour" (21)
in their knowledge" (28).
"Wherefore God also gave them up" (24).
"Therefore He said that he would destroy them" (23).
"Uncleanness...vile affections" (24-27).
"The joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and
ate the sacrifices of the dead" (28).
"Inventors of evil things" (30)
"They provoked Him to anger with their inventions" (29).
As we contemplate the twofold departure from the revealed truth of God, the one,
the revelation of His Godhead in nature, the other, of Himself and His will in Scripture,
our hopes for man in himself must surely die, and all our hope must rest in God.
The Gentiles given Up.
We now approach the solemn fact towards which all which has been written since
verse 18 has been leading, viz., the giving-up of the Gentile nations by God; "Wherefore
God also gave them up" (verse 24). The word paradidomai (" to give up") occurs in
verses 24, 26 and 28. At this point it seems advisable to take notice of the structure of the
passage that we may see the setting of this threefold giving-up.