Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
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Jack Gutknecht
Romans 1:28 exposes both the nature and the judgment of sin. Humanity’s fundamental rebellion is not merely intellectual; sinners refuse to retain the true knowledge of God. They reject Him as Creator, refuse gratitude and worship, exchange His truth for lies, and desire autonomy from His rule (Romans 1:18-25).
Therefore, God’s judgment includes giving rebellious people over to the consequences of the depraved mind they have chosen. “Depraved” (“REPROBATE” in the King James Version of this verse) means morally unfit, disqualified, or corrupted. A mind that rejects God does not become neutral or enlightened; it becomes unable to judge rightly concerning God, truth, morality, and human conduct. The resulting actions are “improper,”contrary to God’s created order and holy law.
The phrase “God gave them over” occurs 3X in this section (Romans 1:24, 26, 28). It is a fearful form of present judgment: God hands unrepentant sinners over to their own sinful desires and their destructive fruit. This does not mean people are innocent victims of God’s action. They are held responsible because they first suppressed the truth and refused to honor Him (Romans 1:18-21).
Yet Romans 1 is not written merely to identify other people’s sins. Romans 2:1 warns every moral judge, and Romans 3:10-23 concludes that all people are guilty before God. The only remedy is Jesus Christ: His righteous life, substitutionary death, and resurrection save all who repent and trust in Him alone.