GOD LET THEM GO…
Therefore God gave them over… —Romans 1:24, 26, 28
He was not happy at all about it and did not take any pleasure in it, but he gave the would be thief over to the police. The young man had attempted to break into the house in the middle of the night, but the owner over powered him and called the police. Now he would pay the penalty as a law breaker.
God does not take any pleasure in giving over people to their own natural and base desires. But if they do not want to live for Him there is a line they cross and then He does let them go to live according to their own evil, fleshly nature. Individuals and nations are in danger of this judgment from God.
I know of a situation where a person was falling off a cliff and a much smaller person grabbed their arm. It was in the pitch black of night and there was no way of seeing how much of a drop it was. The smaller person could not hold them and let them go… Fortunately it was only a 10 foot drop.
When God gives people over or lets them go to live out their own desires, the consequences are much worse than a 10 foot drop and the final end is eternal judgment in hell. But here is how it looks for a person or nation when God lets them go.
*A heaven sent judgment– God eventually judges a person or nation who rejects Him. -*A suppression of truth by wickedness– Evil (Satan’s realm) seeks truth censorship. – *A denial of the plain truth about God– Plain truth about God is rejected. *A denial of God’s creation revelation– Creation by God is rejected. *A futile mind– The thinking processes of these people are pointless, vain and wasted. *A foolish, darkened heart– They have no wisdom without God’s Light *A fool– They claim to be wise, but in God’s eyes they are unintelligent, not sensible. *A focus on created things and not the creator– Concerned with the planet, not God. *A given over by God–They do not want to live for God, so He lets them go their way. –*A heart for degrading sexual impurity–Without God sexual promiscuity practiced. *A lust for shameful homosexual acts– Without God homosexuality practiced. *A received penalty for their error– Deviants will be judged. *A depraved mind to do what they should not do— filled with wickedness, evil, greed, depravity, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, God-hating, insolence, arrogance, boastfulness, inventing of evil, dishonoring of parents, lack of understanding, unreliability, unloving, unmerciful, knowingly rebelling against God, knowing the judgment to come, approve of others in rebellion (Romans 1:18-32).
As we read through this list we should be really concerned for the state of America and Americans as well as for the rest of the world. “Those who do these things also approve of others who do them.” Here are my questions: Who is approving these things? It is our government who is passing laws promoting these things. Who put them in office? We did! So, who is approving these things? We the people! I’d say the church needs to be in the forefront standing for what is right and be vocal about it. Individual believers need to be sharing the truth of what God says. Yes, God changes people through the gospel and He also desires us to have the proper “fast” (Isaiah 58:6-11). Just less than 80% of Americans “claim” to be Christian, but only 6% may really only be disciples from the statistics I read! Regardless, the church is the light for this dark world. Oh, that we would be shining and not… hiding.
Dear Father, please help us to shine the Light of Jesus wherever You desire us to!