*See this post for explanation and ground rules, commentary on vv 18-20 and this post for commentary on v 21.
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
They chose to ignore the wisdom of God, yet continued to seek knowledge and wisdom. But this is rather like trying to know everything about a novel after having removed the main character from the events of the plot. All that remains is a series of decontextualized events around which a matrix of new fictitious ideas must be wrapped. Removing God from their worldview the gaps left needed to be filled. This becomes foolishness very quickly. Only by reinstating the main character of the story will the story ever cease to be foolishness.
(see also 2 Corinthians 4:4 – “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”)
In v 23 we see the result of removing God from the story. What is left without God is what God has created… I guess we could call these parts of his visible attributes, or at least clues to the existence of his INvisible attributes. At any rate, since they are snubbing God, the next best thing they can find to worship is “images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”
The exchanging of the glory of what is immortal for that which is mortal is a grievous sin and a result of a) rejecting God and b) attempting to recreate truth with your own details.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
“Therefore” indicates that what he is about to say is because of the preceding ideas. BECAUSE they claimed to be wise while rejecting the truth of God, they became fools. And so, having made themselves fools, God “gives them up” or “hands them over” to fully pursue that which they are already pursuing.
Series index:
Romans 1:18-20
Romans 1:21
Romans 1:22-25
Your turn.
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I have read through this passage a few times now before making comment. And each time I am first drawn to the state in which we find our countries (Canada and the US – I can speak to both because my father is Canadian and my mother is American). Any way I see the passage clearly describing the current governemental, economic, social, and ethical environments that we are now in.
Secondly and maybe more importantly, it causes me to retract the pointing finger at the decay that is gathering around me and look at the decay with in my own soul. It is the literal kick in the Christian couch potatoe (potato – US) stumach.
My father told me something along time ago when I was but an early teen “never let the voice of the Holy Spirit go quiet within you”.
I can’t help but think of someone who is addicted to a drug or something when reading this passage. An addict or someone so focused on a worthless meaningless thing that they can’t see the inherent beauty and value of life. That’s the what I would consider the wrath of god right there.
You get the impression from these people that they have been given up in a way. In more ways then one they have had the back of the world turned to them and they are left to ruin.
Just my first impression.