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heard so-called Christian missionaries make a similar claim, suggesting that Christians
should be willing to learn from other religions. Scriptures makes it plain that `there is
none other Name' and the Lord has stated clearly "My glory will I not give to another".
Satan's perversion of the truth is often so persuasive, reasonable and logical. It is
difficult to understand how professing Christians, if they have `received the love of the
truth', can make such claims, or accept them.
Those referred to in Rom. 1: clearly had not received the love of the truth. Notice the
progression (1: 18) men who restrain or suppress the truth, become (1: 23) those who
change the glory of the uncorruptible God, and finally (1: 25) change the truth of God in
the lie. But notice also the progression of retribution, (1: 24) God gave them up to
uncleanness, (1: 26, 27) God gave them up to unnatural lusts, (1: 28) God gave them up
(gave them over A.V.) to a reprobate mind: a worthless, base mind, one which will not
pass the test. It is the mind described in verse 32:
"Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy
of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
This is the ultimate in corruption, the ultimate in the perversion of both conscience
and mind. The word for mind (Rom. 1: 28) is nous, a word which we use to signify
common-sense, intelligence. The perverted, reprobate mind is devoid of common-sense
and intelligence, intent on self-destruction and the destruction of others under the guise of
being `liberal' and `liberated'. It is the mind which rejects the divine order in creation,
speaks of the `equality of the sexes' (cf. 1: 26, 27), excuses or even applauds gross
perversions condemned in Scripture, and seeks to corrupt the innocent.
Verse 30 in the A.V. describes such as `haters of God', and clearly in view of verse 32
they are such. But the word used (theostuges) really mean `hateful to God', and then
"Godforsaken". These are not innocents deluded by misrepresentation, they are those
who step by step have taken a path in deliberate defiance of what they know of God.
"Who knowing the judgment of God" (1: 32): the word is epignontes, acknowledging, or
perhaps `having full knowledge' of the just sentence of God, nevertheless they
deliberately continue in their perversity and corruption, and as if that were not bad
enough `have pleasure in' or `approve of', `sympathize with' them that do them. This
would almost seem to be a stage further than the position outlined in verses 19-21:
"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in (or among) them; for God
hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew (came to
know) God, they glorified Him not as God."
But here (1: 32) are some who acknowledge, or have full knowledge of God's just
sentence. How deserving are such, then, of the hatred of God, how deserving to be
God forsaken. And of such the Apostle has already said three times "God gave them up":
as we might say "God washed His hands of them".