Rough Outline of Romans 1:24-32

Romans 1:24-32 (NIV (c) 2002, International Bible Society) – Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 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. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

What would be left if God gave up on us? To the extent that we refuse Him, He has given us over to these, but there is still hope:

q Sinful desires and Sexual Impurity.

q Shameful lusts that lead to unrestrained indulgence.

q Sick minds that produce bad behavior.

q Stubborn persistence and silent approval.

We need help. We need to return to verses 16-17