Why does God give people over to a reprobate mind?

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,095
4,919
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Romans 1:
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature,27 and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, 29 people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips,
 

Robert Gwin

Well-Known Member
Mar 19, 2021
6,888
1,587
113
69
Central Il
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Romans 1:
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature,27 and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, 29 people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips,

May I ask you to define "gave them up" Matt
 

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,095
4,919
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Why did God do it?’

Paul is very clear.
 

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,095
4,919
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I believe this wrath of God would come upon the nation of Israel for having killed the Son of God Paul explains clearly what happened and why God had gave them up.

Romans 1:18-26
 

atpollard

Well-Known Member
Jun 30, 2019
1,879
938
113
62
Port Richey, Florida
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Why does God give people over to a reprobate mind?
Because it's the one they prefer to love.
:thumbsup:
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."
- John 3:19-20 [NKJV]​
 

atpollard

Well-Known Member
Jun 30, 2019
1,879
938
113
62
Port Richey, Florida
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I believe this wrath of God would come upon the nation of Israel for having killed the Son of God Paul explains clearly what happened and why God had gave them up.

Romans 1:18-26
Italy killed the Son of God ... Israel rejected Him.
(So the wrath should fall on the Roman Empire ... which took a lot longer than God discarding the superfluous Temple in AD 70.)
 

Ronald David Bruno

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2020
3,808
1,855
113
Southern
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Romans 1:
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature,27 and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, 29 people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips,
God knows who the reprobate are, we don't. We are given hints like "by their fruit you will know them." A reprobate (an unredeemable person) has been given ample opportunities throughout their life to come to the Lord. The Bible says God draws all men to Himself, yet many resist, actually we all do for a time. But then after awhile a person is either enlightened and comes when he is called or gets callous, falls further into darkness. God draws a line with those individuals who resist, reject but also practice evil _ all the time and at a certain point (which is His prerogative and judgment) He let's them go to do what they desire. He says okay, have it your way! AND THAT IS IT, THEIR FATE IS SEALED. But God knew way before they actually reached that point of no return.
 

atpollard

Well-Known Member
Jun 30, 2019
1,879
938
113
62
Port Richey, Florida
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Anyone else like to share?
"Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
- Joshua 24:14-15 [NKJV]​

Ever has God laid before men an EITHER/OR choice.
  • His or Not His.
  • Follow or Do Not Follow.
  • Life or Death.
Ever have some chosen (or more precisely, "been chosen for") LIFE and others have chosen (and "given over to") DEATH.
 

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,095
4,919
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Italy killed the Son of God ... Israel rejected Him.
(So the wrath should fall on the Roman Empire ... which took a lot longer than God discarding the superfluous Temple in AD 70.)

Okay.

God knows who the reprobate are, we don't. We are given hints like "by their fruit you will know them." A reprobate (an unredeemable person) has been given ample opportunities throughout their life to come to the Lord. The Bible says God draws all men to Himself, yet many resist, actually we all do for a time. But then after awhile a person is either enlightened and comes when he is called or gets callous, falls further into darkness. God draws a line with those individuals who resist, reject but also practice evil _ all the time and at a certain point (which is His prerogative and judgment) He let's them go to do what they desire. He says okay, have it your way! AND THAT IS IT, THEIR FATE IS SEALED. But God knew way before they actually reached that point of no return.

Hey if you have someone coming up to you asking if it’s a good thing to murder someone, it’s definitely fruit being shown of the heart of the person.

We try to lead them away from doing something like hopefully by the spirit.
 
Last edited:

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,095
4,919
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
"Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
- Joshua 24:14-15 [NKJV]​

Ever has God laid before men an EITHER/OR choice.
  • His or Not His.
  • Follow or Do Not Follow.
  • Life or Death.
Ever have some chosen (or more precisely, "been chosen for") LIFE and others have chosen (and "given over to") DEATH.

People make that choice, it’s very personal.
 

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,095
4,919
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
@atpollard 2/3rds of Rome burnt up when Nero was their emperor. Perhaps it was a part of the wrath of God, on them then, but to follow later would be the divorcing of Israel.
 

Mr E

Well-Known Member
Aug 17, 2022
3,494
2,465
113
San Diego
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Romans 1:
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature,27 and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, 29 people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips,

The answer doesn't have to be speculated. It's given in the preceding verse--

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.
 

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,095
4,919
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
The answer doesn't have to be speculated. It's given in the preceding verse--

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.

Mr. E, that sounds very specific does it also have to deal with the devil in this case?

It doesn’t really seem to indicate that it deals with the devil as most would say.

It seems that even by todays standards there are those certain individuals out there that exchange the truth of God for something else… which probably is they themselves, they rather have not God in their life moving them but themselves moving them by their own flesh rather than the spirit.

Because of this God will give up people to allow them to have their own desires, can they repent? I believe assuredly so.
 

Mr E

Well-Known Member
Aug 17, 2022
3,494
2,465
113
San Diego
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Mr. E, that sounds very specific does it also have to deal with the devil in this case?

It doesn’t really seem to indicate that it deals with the devil as most would say.

It seems that even by todays standards there are those certain individuals out there that exchange the truth of God for something else… which probably is they themselves, they rather have not God in their life moving them but themselves moving them by their own flesh rather than the spirit.

Because of this God will give up people to allow them to have their own desires, can they repent? I believe assuredly so.

Matthew-- about the best 'specific' concrete example of this that I can find is from the old testament account of the Nehustan.

Numbers 21--

Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

Some five hundred years later as recorded in 2 Kings 18 we see that the people had "exchanged the truth for a lie" and were serving the created thing instead of the Creator who saved them from destruction.

He (King Hezekiah) removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.

It's significant (but mostly ignored by Christians) that Jesus says this>>

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in him have eternal life."

Jesus makes a direct comparison between himself and the Nehustan, which was to be looked upon in faith, but not worshipped. It is God who saves. The Nehustan was a means to an end in that one had to 'look upon' it in faith, not that it saved you-- but knowing that it's purpose was to bring about salvation, which only comes by the will of God through whatever manner He chooses. The created versus the Creator. It's specifically why the messenger (angel) of Jesus Christ in his Revelation tells John when he falls on his knees to worship--

“Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God.”
 

ElieG12

Well-Known Member
Oct 8, 2022
915
266
63
Atlanta
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Romans 1:
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature,27 and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, 29 people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips,
The question about WHY should be related to the question about TO WHOM ... In verse 18 (Rom. 1) it says who is this passage about:

Rom. 1:18b ... against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness.

There it is; it says to whom and why ...

TO WHOM: to ungodly and unrighteous men
WHY: because they hinder the truth in unrighteousness.

A similar passage here, talking about people who are plagued by their own wrong ideas and unhealthy behaviors, brazenly acting improperly, and opposing the truth out of sheer vice:

(The Emphasized Bible) 2 Tess. 2
6 And what now restraineth ye know, To the end he may be revealed in his own fitting time; 7 For the secret of lawlessness already is inwardly working itself,—Only until he that restraineth at present shall be gone out of the midst:
8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one,—Whom the Lord [Jesus] will slay with the Spirit of his mouth, And paralyse with the forthshining of his Presence:—
9 Whose presence [shall be] according to an inworking of Satan With all manner of mighty work and signs and wonders of falsehood, 10 And with all manner of deceit of unrighteousness in them who are destroying themselves, Because the love of the truth they did not welcome that they might be saved;—
11 And for this cause God sendeth them an inworking of error, To the end they should believe in the falsehood,— 12 In order that all should be judged Who would not believe in the truth But were well-pleased with the unrighteousness.

Apostasy is about that: a certain class of people who blatantly oppose truth and righteousness, even believing themselves to have the authority to do so.

Apostates and others who act in the same way as them, even if the latter claim to be "Christian" people, religious, or believers, are the people whom God hands over to the inevitable result of their own misconduct and love of evil. We can see these consequences in the real life of people who say they are Christians, but who do not like the biblical principles, nor do they really want to learn biblical truths but, since those principles conspire against their own "style of life" and those truths do not converge with their own ideas, THEN they become direct opponents, enemies of the ones who do differently. They carry in their personal lives the consequences of their actions. And those who don't, at the end, will see what those consequences are.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nancy

Behold

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2020
15,224
6,250
113
Netanya or Pensacola
Faith
Christian
Country
Israel
I believe this wrath of God would come upon the nation of Israel for having killed the Son of God Paul explains clearly what happened and why God had gave them up.

Romans 1:18-26

The verse said they were given up for having a depraved sexuality..

"Men burning with men".

"burning". "with men".... "men wanting men". "sexually".

There is a Queen James Bible, that was written by Homosexuals, and ive not read it, but im sure that all those verses have been "remodeled", as they would conclude that Paul and those verse are "hate speech".

Its interesting to note that God isn't "politically correct'.
And dont look for it.
 

ElieG12

Well-Known Member
Oct 8, 2022
915
266
63
Atlanta
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Devoting one's life to temporary pleasures and get some bad personal consequences is not the only result of departing from biblical principles. Paul only mentioned the tendency to perform improper acts due to rejecting biblical principles, but it is obvious that this rejecting the truth has many more bad consequences. The bad consequences extend much further than just the personal life of each individual; they affect the society and even the planet. The passage has a very general meaning, but it is always about rejecting the truth and the correctness from God's point of view.

PS: the Bible that is quoted in the first post is the New American Standard Version ... It looks that you got a fixation problem.
 
Last edited: