Lessons #43 and 44
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New American Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ HCSB = Holman Christian Standard Bible +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
+ 4. Text is based on 1984 edition of the NIV +
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Punishment of handing over idolaters to sexual perversions (Rom 1:26-27)
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
We have been considering Apostle Paul’s exposition of God’s punishment towards idolaters he discoursed in Romans 1:24-32. As we have previously stated, there are three forms of punishment the apostle discoursed. The first is the handing over idolaters to immorality stated in verses 24 and 25. The second is the handing over idolaters to sexual perversions presented in verses 26 and 27. The third is the handing over of idolaters to all kinds of sinful conducts the apostle discoursed in verse 28 through verse 32. There is a progression to these punishments directed to idolaters in that each punishment is more severe or more extensive than the one preceding it. We have considered the first punishment of God handing over the idolaters to immorality. So, we proceed to the second that is more severe and more extensive in form than the first.
The second punishment as we have stated is God handing over the idolaters to sexual perversions, specifically to homosexuality. Of course, some of you may wonder if there are other sexual perversions other than homosexuality. Yes! There are at least two sexual perversions that are not commonly mentioned but do take place. There is what is known as necrophilia which is defined as “a pathological fascination with dead bodies, which often takes the form of a desire to engage with them in sexual activities, such as intercourse.” Another sexual perversion is “bestiality” that refers to sexual intercourse between a human and an animal that is prohibited in Leviticus 18:23:
“‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
This aside, the focus of the second punishment for idolatry is handing over idolaters to sexual perversions that are best described as homosexuality. Thus, the message of the section we are considering is that God punishes idolaters by handing them over to sexual perversions resulting in further judgment.
It is our assertion that God’s punishment for idolatry Apostle Paul expounded progresses in the degree of punishment. The first we considered concerns God handing over idolaters to immorality. The immorality would involve what may be described as a normal sexual relationship in that it is between a male and a female member of the humankind although sinful because it is the type that is outside marriage. However, the second is worse in that it involves sexual relationship between same sex individuals. Such sexual relationship is a direct rejection of God’s order in sex. God did not create two men or two women for each other. No! He created a male and a female, thereby affirming that sexual relationship that will exist between humans should involve members of opposite sex in marriage bond. Any other thing is a distortion in God’s order and purpose for sex. An important reason for sex other than expression of love in marriage is procreation as in the command given to the first parents as recorded in Genesis 1:28:
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
There is no way for humans to increase in population if there is no normal sexual relationship between members of the opposite sex in marriage bond. Imagine that all people living today became homosexuals that would immediately ensure that there would be no increase in the world’s population. In fact, that guarantees that there will be a decrease in the world’s population. Such a situation would mean a direct assault to God’s purpose of continued increase of the world’s population. Furthermore, God’s design is that the fundamental unit of the family consists of male and female who are united together in marriage as stated in Genesis 2:24:
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Without male and female in marriage relationship, the family unit as God conceived it in creation is dismantled. It is because of these cases that we have presented that homosexuality is in a class by itself in that it attacks God’s purpose from every angle that seeks to destroy the family unit as God created it. So, it is because of the serious negative impact of homosexuality that it is to be considered a more serious judgment of God against idolatry in comparison with the punishment of immorality that would involve sexual sin that is jointly committed by a male and a female. The point is that the second punishment of handing idolaters to sexual perversion is an intensification of the first punishment that involves immorality that includes sexual intercourse outside of marriage.
Be that as it may, we asserted that the second punishment we are considering is directed to idolaters. This assertion is supported by the beginning phrase of Romans 1:26 Because of this. The Greek phrase translated Because of this in the NIV could be translated “therefore” or “for this reason.” Using the translation “for this reason” raises the question of the reason for the second punishment that we are considering. The apostle had indicated the reason for God’s punishment on the objects of His wrath is idolatry. He first introduced that reason as involving idolatry in replacing God with images or idols that are worshipped in Romans 1:22–23:
22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
He then restated that reason in terms of worshipping idol that involves replacing truth about God with a lie or idols in Romans 1:25:
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
So, it should be clear that when the apostle began Romans 1:26 in the words of the NIV Because of this that he meant that it is because of idolatry and rejection of truth about God that what he wrote took place.
The apostle having referenced the reason for the second punishment, stated the punishment in terms of handing over the idolater to sexual passions although he started with a general statement that described the second punishment in terms of shameful passions given in the sentence of Romans 1:26 God gave them over to shameful lusts.
The word “gave” is translated from a Greek word (paradidōmi) that we considered in our last study, but we will repeat what we said about it. The word may mean “to deliver” as the word is used to describe Jesus’ prophetic assertion that the Jews would turn Him over to Gentiles to be crucified as we read in Luke 24:7:
‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’”
The word may mean “to hand over” as the word is used by Apostle Paul to describe the action, he took against two men that were teaching falsehood which is to turn them over to Satan as we read in 1 Timothy 1:20:
Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
In our passage of Romans 1:26, the word is used in the sense of “to deliver” or “hand over” to punishment.
The thing God handed over the idolaters and those who reject truth about Him is given in the phrase of Romans 1:26 shameful lusts. Literally, the Greek reads passions of dishonor. This is because of the Greek words used. The word “shameful” of the NIV is translated from a Greek word (pathos) that may mean “lust” as it is used to describe one of the things believers should resist in their lives as we read in Colossians 3:5:
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
In our passage of Romans 1:26, it has the sense of “passion,” that is, “experience of strong desire.”
The passions involved are connected with the word “lusts” of the NIV that is translated from a Greek word (atimia) that refers to “a state of dishonor or disrespect,” thus, the word is used with the meaning “disgrace” in Apostle Paul’s commentary concerning long hair on a man as stated in 1 Corinthians 11:14:
Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,
It is with meaning “shame” that Apostle Paul used it in his sarcasm addressed to the Corinthians as we read in 2 Corinthians 11:21:
To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! What anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.
In our passage of Romans 1:26, the word has the sense of “dishonor,” that is, “a state of shame or disgrace.”
The two Greek words that we have considered are related in the Greek in such a way that the literal Greek reads passions of dishonor. This should be understood as “passions that disgrace a person” or simply “shameful passions.” It is this later meaning that is reflected in the NIV with the phrase shameful lusts.
The apostle did not leave the reader to second guess what the shameful passions are so that he proceeded to explain what he meant. Hence, the apostle began his next sentence with a Greek phrase consisting of two Greek particles that the NIV and a handful of English versions translated “even.” Some English versions translated the phrase simply with the word “for” or “for even.” The phrase could be translated “for indeed” or “for the fact is that.” Other English versions did not translate the phrase. Since the Greek phrase consists of two Greek particles used together, it appears that the apostle used the first Greek particle (te) that may mean “so” or “and so” to put stress on the second particle (gar) that may be used for explanation with the meaning “for.” Regardless of how the phrase is translated in our English versions, the Greek phrase is to be understood as a marker of introduction to an emphatic explanation of what the apostle meant in the phrase of Romans 1:26 shameful lusts or literally passions of dishonor.
The first explanation of the apostle is that phrase of Romans 1:26 shameful lusts or literally passions of dishonor refer to what is described today as lesbianism. It is this the apostle stated in Romans 1:26 Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. Before we proceed with our analysis of the clause, you should be aware that there are interpreters who seek to get around what we believe Apostle Paul meant in the clause. In other words, they dispute that the apostle had in mind what we call today “lesbianism” or “female homoeroticism.” Hence, some interpret the clause to mean “prostitution.” Others recognizing the difficulty created by the Greek word translated in verse 27 of the NIV as “in the same way,” presented interpretations that they think removes the difficulty. One such interpretation is that it refers to “oral or anal penetration instead of normal sexual intercourse.” This, they say is to avoid pregnancy and so it is similar to homosexuality of men that does not lead to pregnancy. We reject any of these interpretations and maintain that the apostle is concerned with “lesbian behavior” or “female homoeroticism” as will become clearer in our analysis of the clause.
Literally, the Greek of the clause of the NIV Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones reads for even their women exchanged the natural function for the (function) contrary to nature. We should note that the pronoun their refers to idolaters or those who are described as rejecting the truth about God evident in their conduct as stated in Romans 1:18:
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
By the way, the phrase wickedness of men may be translated wickedness of people. Hence, it is the women of the people who reject truth about God and so are in idolatry that are meant in the sentence of Romans 1:26 their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
The word “women” is not translated from the normal Greek word that the apostle used several times in his epistle. There is a Greek word (gynē) that apostle used at least twenty-five times in his epistle that means “woman.” For example, the apostle used it once in his epistle to Romans regarding a married woman who is no longer under marriage obligations at the death of her husband in Romans 7:2:
For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.
However, in some contexts, the apostle used the Greek word with the meaning “wife” as in his instruction to the Corinthians that limits sexual relationship only between a man and his wife as we read in 1 Corinthians 7:2:
But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
The sentence each man should have his own wife is rendered each man should have sexual relations with his own wife in the 2011 edition of the NIV. Literally, the Greek reads each man should have his own woman. Thus, we know that the apostle had used the Greek word that is more commonly translated women in his epistles in the sense of wife but the word he used in Romans 1:26 that the NIV translated “women” is a Greek word (thēlys) that means “female” and one wonders why he used this word. Outside verses 26 and 27 of Romans 1, the Greek word is used three other times in Greek NT with the meaning “female”: twice in the gospels and once by the apostle. The use of the word in the gospels is for reporting the same event when the Pharisees tested Jesus Christ regarding the lawfulness of divorce that was authorized through Moses. In answering them, Jesus referred to creation as we read in Matthew 19:4:
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’
The parallel passage where the same event is recorded is in Mark 10:6:
“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’
Apostle Paul used the Greek word as he taught there is no distinction in Christ in Galatians 3:28:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
The apostle mentioned three elements involved in classification of people in the ancient world. The first is ethnicity. The second is social standing. The third is gender. The social standing the apostle mentioned is of man’s making and can be changed without anything done to the human body but both ethnicity and gender are determined at birth. Thus, the function that humans could perform as it relates to sex is determined at birth. It is probably for this reason that Apostle Paul used the Greek word that means “female” in our passage of Romans 1:26. People’s sexual function is determined by God at birth and so it is not surprising that the apostle used a word that refers to sexual status that eventually determines sexual function as determined by God in our passage. You see, the apostle knew that the Greek word he used that means “female” is the word that is used in the Septuagint to describe creation as Jesus Christ referred in the passage of Matthew that we cited. In fact, the Greek word the apostle used was used first in creation narrative in the Septuagint of Genesis 1:27:
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
It is the same Greek word that is used in the Septuagint in the instruction of God to Noah regarding the animals he was to bring into the ark to ensure that after the flood the various species of animal would continue to exist through the different functions of male and female species in increasing animal population as implied in Genesis 6:19:
You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.
In both passages in Genesis we cited, it is our Greek word that is translated “female” in the Septuagint that translated a Hebrew word (neqēḇāh) that means “female,” either of humans or animals that is used. The Hebrew that is translated with our Greek word in the Septuagint is a word that is used to distinguish male and female regardless of age as we may gather, for example, when a redemption price is to be determined based on age, our Hebrew word translated by our Greek word is used in Leviticus 27:5:
If it is a person between the ages of five and twenty, set the value of a male at twenty shekels and of a female at ten shekels.
The Greek word that means “woman” Apostle Paul did not use in Romans 1:26 is usually for an adult female but the apostle was concerned with status and so the function assigned to an individual at birth and so the use of our Greek word that means “female” is proper. The point we are arguing is that the apostle used our Greek word because he was thinking of the sexual status and so sexual function assigned at birth to a person. By the way, although the Scripture nowhere directly addressed the issue of sex change, but such an activity is a direct insult to God who assigned a certain sexual status and so sexual function to a person at birth. It is not a matter of whether people could manipulate on sexual status and so on function of another but that that means a rejection of God’s creative act. Hence, sex change would in a sense be a part of sexual perversion that God handed over those who reject Him.
Be that as it may, the apostle described or explained the first of the “shameful lusts” or “passion of dishonor” as lesbianism as in the sentence of Romans 1:26 their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones or literally women exchanged the natural function for the (function) contrary to nature. We should note that although the word “exchanged” in the English used in this sentence gives the impression of what was done in the past, but the tense of the Greek word used is not concerned with stating what happened in the past as such. As far as translation is concerned, the use of past tense in the English is justified but the apostle was not concerned with what happened only in the past. He was concerned about stating a universal truth. In effect, he stated what happened in the past and what was going on when he wrote and what would take place in the future from the time he wrote. In effect, he stated a timeless truth and for those who know Greek, we are asserting that the apostle’s use of aorist tense is to be understood as gnomic. He meant that those who are in idolatry or reject God’s truth would be involved in the action described with the word “exchanged.” It seems that the apostle purposefully used the Greek word (metallassō) translated “exchanged” to convey that there is a connection between idolatry and rejection of God’s truth and homosexuality. We say this because the Greek word he used in verse 26 is the same that he used in verse 25 where he described idolatry and rejection of God’s truth. This is different from a related Greek word (allassō) translated “exchanged” in Romans 1:23, that the apostle referenced idolatry. The point is that no one gets involved in homosexuality without being in idolatry and or without rejection of God’s truth regardless of what many try to claim today.
The thing exchanged is described in the phrase of Romans 1:26 natural relations. The word “natural” is translated from a Greek word (physikos) that pertains to being in accordance with the basic order of things in nature and so may mean “natural” in relation to humans but may mean “instinct” as it relates to animals as the word is used by Apostle Peter in describing false teachers in 2 Peter 2:12:
But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
In our passage of Romans 1:26, the word means “natural,” that is, “in accordance with the attributes and purposes which are proper in view of one’s origin.” The word is used to qualify the word “relations” that is translated from a Greek word (chrēsis) that in classical Greek may mean “usage.” It is used only twice in the Greek NT in our passage, that is, verses 26 and 27 of Romans 1; it refers to “state of intimate involvement with a person” and so means “relations, especially of sexual intercourse.” Hence the phrase natural relations refers to normal sexual relationship between a male and a female.
The apostle indicates that there is natural sexual intercourse that is exchanged for something else that is given in the phrase of Romans 1:26 for unnatural ones or literally for the (function) contrary to nature. This is because firstly, the apostle used a Greek preposition (para) that may be used as a marker of source and so may mean “from.” It can also be used as a marker of contrast hence means “instead of.” In our passage of Romans 1:26, it has the sense of “contrary to.” Secondly, the apostle used a Greek word (physis) that is predominantly used in the Greek NT by Apostle Paul in that, of the thirteen occurrences of the Greek word, he used it eleven times. The word may mean condition or circumstance as determined by birth hence may mean “birth” as Apostle Paul used the word to distinguish Jews from Gentiles in Galatians 2:15:
“We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’
The phrase by birth is literally by nature. The word has the sense of “characteristic” when Apostle Paul used it to describe pagan gods in Galatians 4:8:
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
The word “nature” here refers to one’s essential character or characteristic so that our Greek word has the sense of “characteristic” or “disposition.” Apostle Paul used it to describe what can be said about the law in relationship to Gentiles when they fulfil the law’s demands by following the natural order (of things) as stated in Romans 2:14:
(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law,
The word may mean “specie” or “kind” of animals as it is used in James to describe the taming of various kinds or species of animals in James 3:7:
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,
In our passage of Romans 1:26, the word means “nature,” as “the regular or established order of things.”
Anyway, when the apostle wrote in Romans 1:26 women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones he meant that some female individuals exchanged having sexual relationship that is natural which is that between a female and a male to one that is contrary to nature. The one that is contrary to nature is for a female to exchange sexual function assigned to her by God for a function she was not intended. A female is a receiver in sex, so it is contrary to nature for a female to be a giver of sex that by creation she is not equipped to do. Thus, for a female to have sexual relationship with another female is contrary to God’s creation. Anyway, the apostle’s first explanation of what is meant by the phrase shameful lusts or literally passions of dishonor is a female having sexual relationship with another female, that is, lesbian behavior or female homoeroticism. This is not what God intended in creation.
The second explanation of what the apostle meant in the phrase of Romans 1:26 shameful lusts or literally passions of dishonor is “gayness” or “male homoeroticism.” By the way, our use of the word “gayness” indicates how English word changes in meaning in time because the word “gay” in the time past meant “happily excited” or “keenly alive and exuberant” but today it has to do with “male homosexual.” This aside, the apostle indicated in an emphatic way that what happens to females happens to males as well hence the phrase of Romans 1:27 In the same way or literally and likewise also. The word “likewise” in the literal translation is translated from a Greek word (homoiōs) that pertains to being similar in some respect, hence means “likewise, similarly, in the same way.” We indicated that the apostle was being emphatic in what he said. This is because the word “and” in the literal translation is translated from a Greek particle (te) that may mean “and” but here it is used probably to strengthen what is said. Further emphasis is indicated with the literal word “also” that is translated from a Greek conjunction (kai) that may mean “and” but here it is used for emphasis, so that the apostle was emphatic in the similarity he stated.
The similarity of the second explanation of what the apostle meant in the phrase shameful lusts or literally passions of dishonor to the first is given in the sentence of Romans 1:27 the men also abandoned natural relations with women. Literally, the Greek reads the males having abandoned the natural sexual function of the female.
The word “men” in the NIV is translated not from a Greek word (anēr) that may mean “man, as an adult male” or “husband” as the word is used by Apostle Paul to provide an explanation of the reason husbands and wives should not deny sexual relationships to each other as he provided in 1 Corinthians 7:4:
The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.
Instead, the apostle used a Greek word (arsēn) that means “human male” that apart from our verse of study is used in the same passages where we noted that the Greek word that means “female” is used. Therefore, the comment we made regarding the Greek word translated “female” in Romans 1:26 is applicable in our verse. In other words, the apostle used the Greek word he did to focus on status and so on the function of being a male or the sexual role God in creation assigned to the male specie. We mean that the apostle was more interested in the sexual function assigned to a male at birth that he used the Greek word he used in Romans 1:27.
The apostle indicates that the action that males took, described in verse 27 is not part of the function God assigned to male species at creation. This point is underscored in the Greek sentence the men also abandoned natural relations with women or literally also the males having abandoned the natural sexual function of the female.
The word “abandoned” is translated from a Greek word (aphiēmi) that may mean “to cancel” a debt as it is used in the parable of the Lord Jesus regarding the unfaithful servant that refused to be merciful to his debtor after he received relief from his own debt as stated in Matthew 18:32:
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.
The word may mean “to forgive” as it is used in the prayer of the Lord Jesus on the cross regarding those who crucified Him as narrated in Luke 23:34:
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The word may mean “to leave” in the sense of abandoning a person as the word is used to describe what the Lord Jesus said to His disciples regarding how they would desert Him when He is arrested, as recorded in John 16:32:
“But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
In our passage of Romans 1:27, the word means “to give up” or “to abandon,” that is, “to stop maintaining or insisting on.” The Greek used what is known as an “aorist participle” that because of the Greek construction involved in our verse implies that the act of abandoning occurred about the same time that males in view did what is ascribed to them that we will get to shortly. The Greek construction requires the interpretation that both the abandoning and the action stated later happened about the same time although the action of abandoning would slightly precede the action specified in the verse we are considering.
The thing that is abandoned is described in the phrase of Romans 1:27 natural relations with women or literally the natural sexual function of the female. The phrase natural relations we have considered in verse 26 and it refers to natural sexual function. It is this that some male individuals abandoned. The action that occurred about the same time of this abandoning of natural sexual function is something that was not in God’s original creation. It is this that is described in the verbal phrase of Romans 1:27 were inflamed with lust for one another.
The word “inflamed” is translated from a Greek word (ekkaiō) that means “to be inflamed,” that is, “to have strong desire for” or “to become aroused.” The Greek used a passive voice to indicate that a subject acted on the one who is inflamed. This would imply that it is when God brought judgment on an individual for rejection of truth or rejection of Him that the person became inflamed with lust. The word “lust” is translated from a Greek word (orexis) that means a condition of strong desire, hence “desire, longing.” You see, God’s original design in creation was for a male to have a desire or longing for a female but because of God’s punishment some males have sexual desires for other males as implied in the phrase of Romans 1:27 lust for one another.
It is not only that the apostle stated what happened to the males that were under God’s punishment for rejecting Him, but he stated the result of males desiring fellow males in Romans 1:27 Men committed indecent acts with other men. Again, let me state that there are those who interpret this sentence to deny it has anything to do with homosexuality. They say that it refers only to “male prostitution” or “pederastic sexual activity” and so does not involve other homosexual practices. This interpretation is not in keeping with the context or the context of the OT Scripture that clearly forbids homosexuality.
Anyway, literally, the Greek reads men with men committing the shameful deed. The word “committed” is translated from a Greek word (katergazomai) with several meanings. The word may mean “to achieve, accomplish, to do” as the apostle used the word to describe his focus of what Christ did through Him as it pertains to the gospel message in Romans 15:18:
I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—
The Greek word may mean to cause a state or condition, that is, “to bring about, produce, to create”, as it is used to describe what the right kind of sorrow will bring about in believers in 2 Corinthians 7:10:
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
The Greek word may mean to cause to be well prepared, that is, “to prepare someone” for something, as it is used in 2 Corinthians 5:5:
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
The translators of the NIV used the word “made” to translate our Greek word, but many other English versions used the word “prepared.” For example, the clause Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose of the NIV is rendered Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God in the NET. Another suggested meaning of our Greek word is “to overpower, subdue, to conquer”, that is, to be successful in the face of obstacles. It is this meaning that is reflected in the TEV and the GW. In our passage of Romans 1:27, the word has the sense of “to perform, do.” The Greek used a present participle so that we recognize that what is performed or done is a result of being inflamed with desire or longing by males for other males. The men in view have formed the habit of homosexuality.
The resultant act of those inflamed with desire for fellow males is given in the phrase of Romans 1:27 indecent acts with other men. The expression “indecent acts” is translated from a Greek word (aschēmosynē) that is used in the Septuagint to translate a Hebrew word (ʿěrwāh) that means “nakedness,” that is, “the genital area of a man or of a woman” as it is used to prohibit sexual relationships with close relatives that are considered dishonorable and shameful, as for example, in Leviticus 18:6:
“‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.
The verbal phrase to have sexual relations is literally to expose nakedness. Our word in the NT has the same meaning of “nakedness” as it is used in our Lord’s instruction to the church at Laodicea to appeal to believers to stop their spiritual stupor as in the command of Revelation 3:18:
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Outside the NT, the Greek word is used for an appearance that deviates from a standard and so may refer to “embarrassing condition.” In our passage of Romans 1:27, the word means “indecent behaviors” or “shameless deeds,” that is, behavior that elicits disgrace. Consequently, the males with strong desire for males get involve in sexual activities with other males. This is certainly contrary to creation. Males are givers in sex and not receivers. So, for a male to be a receiver in sexual relationship is a complete rejection of creation order by God.
Anyone who distorts God’s order in sexual relationship should be regarded as wicked. Hence, the men of Sodom were described as wicked in Genesis 13:13:
Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.
What it means that the men of Sodom were wicked is explained later in the book of Genesis as those involved in homosexuality. So, we read of the men of the Sodom demanding to have sex with the two angels that appeared as men that came to destroy Sodom as stated in Genesis 19:5:
They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
The request of the men is considered wicked thing by Lot in Genesis 19:7:
and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing.
The thing Lot described as wicked thing is homosexuality. This means that anyone that gets involved in such a sin is wicked. Of course, we can be sure that no one who distorts God’s order goes unpunished as implied in what is stated in Proverbs 11:21:
Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
Hence, in keeping with this truth, Apostle Paul indicates that God brings further punishment on all those who distort the order He created. It is this fact the apostle stated in Romans 1:27 and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
The word “received” has the implication of something that is deserved since the word is translated from a Greek word (apolambanō) that is used to indicate receiving back something that one previously possessed and so it is used with the meaning “to repay” as it is used in the question of the Lord Jesus in His teaching that is intended to show that believers should love even those who hate them if they are going to distinguish themselves from unbelievers as we read in Luke 6:34:
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full.
The word may mean “to receive,” that is, “to obtain something from a source” as Apostle Paul used it regarding the inheritance believers will receive from the Lord as stated in Colossians 3:24:
since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
In our passage of Romans 1:27, the word is used in the sense of “to receive deservingly.” The Greek indicates that what is received deservingly, results from the act of being inflamed with homosexual desires.
What is received deservingly is in the word penalty that is translated from a Greek word (antimisthia) that refers to “requital based upon what one deserves” and so it is used with the meaning “exchange” by Apostle Paul in appealing to the Corinthians to open their hearts to him as he and his team had done for them as stated in 2 Corinthians 6:13:
As a fair exchange — I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.
The word may mean “recompense” either positively in the sense of “reward” or “negatively” in the sense of “penalty.” In our passage of Romans 1:27, the word is used in a negative sense and so means “penalty.”
The penalty the apostle referenced is not directly stated. It could be a reference to handing over to the sin of sexual perversion or any punishment God will decide to bring on the offenders. If the guilty person does not repent and believe in Jesus Christ, the ultimate penalty will be eternal punishment since that is one of the things the apostle implies as eventual fate of such individuals in his declaration of 1 Corinthians 6:9–10:
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
In any event, the penalty God will bring is because He would not tolerate disregard for His word. Consequently, the penalty is described as a necessity in the phrase of Romans 1:27 due penalty. The word “due” of the NIV is how the translators rendered a Greek word (dei) that in our passage has the sense of “to be necessary.” God’s nature renders punishment necessary on any sin but the focus in our passage is sin of homosexuality. God will not tolerate people ignoring His word.
The reason for this penalty, as we have already implied, is the sin of homosexuality since we have the phrase of Romans 1:27 penalty for their perversion. The word “perversion” is translated from a Greek word (planē) with a primary meaning of “roaming, wandering” but in the NT usage refers to wandering from the path of truth hence means “error, deceit, deception, delusion.” In our passage of Romans 1:27, the word has the sense of “perversion,” that is, “the act of perverting something by turning it to a wrong use.”
In any case, the penalty is one that those involved in homosexual sin will receive personally as implied in the phrase of Romans 1:27 in themselves. In effect, the penalty that God gives will be felt by those involved in such a sin. We can be sure that God who would not allow His word to go unfulfilled, will inflict penalty of the type He chooses on individuals involved with such sin. We say this because God specifically instructed Israel to kill anyone involved in such perversion as given in Leviticus 20:13:
“‘If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
The instruction given to Israel indicates how God views such a sin. Today, no nation is Israel of the old and so God will have to step in and carry out this punishment in His own time. The point is that no one that gets involved in homosexuality will go unpunished in this life. So, let me close by reminding you of the message of this section we have considered which is that God punishes idolaters by handing them over to sexual perversions resulting in further judgment.
08/30/24