Romans 1:28-32 states, “Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud,boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving ofdeath, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
Our world has become the opposite of what it used to be. The moral and character flaws that are listed in Romans 1:28-32 have always been part of life in a fallen world, but there has long been a clearly defined line between good and evil. Even during the periods of history when evil seemed to be dominant and tyrants were brutal in their rule, people knew the difference between right and wrong, and good and evil. Good was still good, and evil was still evil. Yet Paul says in Romans 1 that when a nation (or the world) rejects God’s existence and authority, a moral perversion will spread and lead to a time when the moral and character flaws in Romans 1:28-32 will become dominant. Paul closes this passage with what we could call the end of the digression and the point of no return. Society will have hit rock bottom, so to speak. He says in verse 32 that not only will moral perversion be practiced, it will be approved of.
I believe that one of the most significant signs of the last days is recorded here in Romans 1:32, even though the context of Paul’s statement is general and not specific to eschatology. The word “approve” is the reason for this belief. “Approve” means “to feel good about, to be pleased with, to consent, agree to, or applaud.” That’s how people will feel about the practices listed in Romans 1:28-31.
We could summarize Paul’s conclusion by saying that in the last days, moral depravity will become a human right.
I need only mention two examples to confirm this is happening: women’s rights marches and gay pride parades. We have all seen footage of the hundreds of thousands of women and men marching in women’s rights marches. The “right” they are marching for is to legally kill an unborn child if they so choose—a moral depravity. In doing this, they outright reject long-recognized facts. The baby inside the mother’s womb is a separate individual with its own DNA, with genetic contributions from both mother and father. The baby is not part of the mother’s body; he or she is an individual human being that, when left to the normal processes, will arrive into the world having features of both genetic contributors yet being distinct in their own way from them both. These facts are contrary to the unscientific mantra “My body, my choice.”
When I was a boy growing up in Southern California, life was far different than it is now. On Sunday morning, churches were full, and the local parks were empty. I remember when those who did not attend church were respectful of those who did. Today the parks are full of soccer, baseball, and football games, and church attendance is determined by sports schedules or personal plans that will allow for it. And the unchurched are not as respectful as they used to be about the churched.
In the past, homosexuality was not a topic of discussion in the way it is today. There was a season of time when, as things began to change, that we heard about people coming out of the closet, announcing that they were gay. In a single generation, this has transitioned to marching in pride parades on city streets. It’s gotten to the point where grown men march naked in front of young children while their parents cheer and wave rainbow flags. The sad reality of how far our culture has fallen is revealed by the fact that a person who would normally be arrested for exposing themselves to a child isn’t apprehended because the context is a gay parade.
Today, we not only have people who practice the kinds of behaviors described in Romans 1:28-31, but others who openly approve of and support them. Morally, people are the opposite of what they used to be. The world has become corrupt before God, just as it was in the days of Noah.
