And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
( Romans 1:28 ) KJV
I was recently told that being gay causes a person to have a reprobate mind. This came as a surprise for two reasons:
- The person who said it is a gay man and the context was the relationship he has with his Christian mom,
- that’s not the chain of causality that we can deduce from Romans chapter 1.
The person, a neighbor and friend, insisted that it is in the book of Leviticus. I waited patiently while he looked it up on his phone and, when he couldn’t find it, I explained that the passage he was referring to is Romans chapter 1, but that the chain of causality that is described is that homosexuality is an outcome, not a cause of the reprobate mind. The passage which describes the reprobate mind is in Romans 1:18-32. Let’s take a look:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in 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 God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
( Romans 1:18-21 ) KJV
This is the first part of the passage which describes a person to whom the truth about God has been made abundantly obvious. Imagine someone like Charles Darwin. He had an opportunity to see first hand the unspoiled natural beauty of the world from the perspective of someone who had been raised up for the clergy. This was a man whose world view was shaped from his childhood around God the creator and his mysterious and unfathomable ways.
So imagine being able to see first hand the incredible diversity of life on earth and to have the opportunity to examine it’s intricate detail. Then imagine deciding that no, it had nothing to do with God, there must be another explanation for it.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
( Romans 1:22-23 ) KJV
This boils down to a denial of cause and effect. Today we see it as the atheist denial of cause. Ask an atheist, what caused the universe? The answer is provided without a second thought because it is so ingrained: who said the universe needs a cause?
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
( Romans 1:24-25 ) KJV
Here we see the outcome of denying the self-evident truth that God is the creator: carnal depravity.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
( Romans 1:26-27 ) KJV
Denying the relationship between cause and effect has the effect of making us believe that there will be no consequences for our actions, as such, anything goes – with anyone. Receiving in themselves the recompense of their error? In the old days, when I was a kid, people used to think that this was the AIDS virus. People don’t talk about that anymore.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 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.
( Romans 1:28-32 ) KJV
It started with the denial of the truth about God, it ended with depravity.
So what if someone is gay for completely different reasons which have nothing to do with any of this? Like, for instance, how about the fact that it’s not illegal and it is socially acceptable? What if someone believes in God but, through circumstances, finds themselves questioning their sexuality and being able to find peace and comfort with someone of the same gender?
What if someone was raised by same-sex parents and experienced the love and joy of family life while watching their parents makes sacrifices so that they could have the very best opportunity to succeed?
What about the billion kids being raised by Facebook and Instagram to believe that its normal to wonder and question, and the only weird ones are those hateful Christians?
Identifying as LGBTQIA+ is not the cause of a reprobate mind, and the majority of people who self identify as LGBTQIA+ are not reprobates. It’s time that evangelical Christianity got up to speed.
Matty (Headwind) 