In the Book of Romans, Paul wrote about God giving them over to a reprobate mind. Who was God giving over to a reprobate mind? What will happen when God turns you over to a reprobate mind? What are the consequences of a reprobate mind? What is a reprobate mind? What does the Bible say about a reprobate mind? What are the characteristics of a reprobate mind?
Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation
In the first chapter of the Book of Romans, Paul wrote to the saints in Rome about being a bondslave of Jesus Christ, and that he was permanently separated to the gospel. Paul wasn’t ashamed of the gospel, because Paul knew that the gospel is God’s power, which leads to salvation to everyone, who believes. But the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, upon every one, who has a lack of reverence and upon every unrighteousness of man, who is holding down the truth in unrighteousness and have rejected God.
Although the creation testifies of God, they’ve rejected God and have become vain in their imaginations. Their foolish heart has darkened. They claim to be wise, but they’ve become fools instead. Because of the fact, that they’ve rejected God, God delivered them over in the passionate cravings of their hearts to bestial profligacy, which had for its purpose the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves; who were of such a character, that they’ve exchanged the truth of God for a lie.
They worshipped and rendered religious service to the creation; people, rather than to the Creator. Therefore they’ve placed man above God.
That’s why God gave them up to vile affections:
- Women, who exchanged their natural use with men (a woman having sex with a man) for that which is against nature; a woman having sex with another woman (lesbians, gays)
- Men, having put aside the natural use of the females (man having sex with a woman), burned themselves out in their lustful appetite toward one another, men with men carrying to its ultimate conclusion that which is shameful (homosexuals, gays)
Because of these vile affections, they’ll receive in themselves, that retribution which was a necessity in the nature of the case, because of their deviation from the norm. This retribution is eternal death. Because the Word says:
Or do you not know that unrighteous individuals will not inherit God’s kingdom? Stop being deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor those who are of a voluptuous nature, given to the gratification of sensual, immoral appetites ( a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man, a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness, a male prostitute (Thayer)), neither men who are guilty of sexual intercourse with members of their own sex (one who lies with a male as with a female, a sodomite, a homosexual), nor thieves, nor those who are always greedy to have more than they possess, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit God’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 6 9-10)
You will recognize a reprobate mind by your actions
When people do these things, it shows that they do not acknowledge God and His Truth in life. They can say, that they believe in God and that they love God and Jesus, but their actions prove otherwise. On the Day of Judgment, Jesus shall judge everyone according to their works (Rev 20:12-13).
Therefore your deeds and works in this life determine if you really believe in God and the Word; Jesus Christ and if you love Him or not. Your actions determine to whom you belong: God or the devil.
You can say and confess whatever you want, but if your actions don’t line up with your words, your words mean nothing and have no value.
If God created a man and woman to become one flesh, and that it is God’s will, that a man has natural use with a woman, but people decide otherwise, then they don’t live according to God’s will, but according to their own lusts and desires.
When a woman is having a sexual relationship with another woman, and a man is having a sexual relationship with another man, then they belong to the world (ungodly, those who don’t know God); the kingdom of darkness and not to God’s people and His Kingdom.
What are the signs of a reprobate mind?
A reprobate mind doesn’t acknowledge God and His will, but approve those things, that go against His will.
Because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge and their life, by doing these things, God gave them up to a reprobate mind. A reprobate mind is a mind that will not meet the test, for that which a mind is meant. A mind of which God cannot approve and which must be rejected by Him. A reprobate mind is false, a counterfeit, spurious, unapproved i.e. rejected; by implication, ungodly and worthless*.
With this reprobate mind, they practice those things, which are not becoming or fitting:
- being filled with all unrighteousness
- fornication
- wickedness, pernicious evil
- covetousness, avarice
- maliciousness,
- full of envy
- murder
- debate, wrangling
- deceit, guile
- malignity; whisperers, malicious craftiness; secret slanderers
- backbiters
- haters of God
- despiteful, insolent
- proud, haughty
- boasters, swaggerers
- inventors of evil things
- disobedient to parents
- without understanding, stupid
- covenant breakers, faithless
- without natural affection
- implacable
- unmerciful
A reprobate mind delights in sin and takes pleasure in those, who practice sin
Although they knew the judgment and the will of God, that these, who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do they habitually do the same things, but they also take pleasure in those, who practice them.
In other words, they not only delight in sin and habitually sin, but they also approve those things, that go against God’s will (sin), and even encourage others to do them, and delight themselves in it. Yes, they have pleasure in them, that do them.
All these things come forth out of a reprobate mind. A mind, that is equal to the mind of the old man; the old creation, who walks after the flesh. Because if you compare these works and behavior, with the works of the old man and the fruit of flesh, then there is no difference.
The old man, who walks after the flesh is not saved, because the spirit of the old man is still dead. Only when the spirit is raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit then the old man has become a new man.
When the new man puts off the old man and puts on the new man, and walks after the Spirit, then the person shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
Due to the fact that the deeds and works of a person derive from the mind, the works and deeds of a person testify if a person has a reprobate mind. When a person produces the things, which are mentioned above and when a person exchanges the natural sexual use for the unnatural sexual use; men having sex with men and women having sex with women, then that person has a reprobate mind. When a person has a reprobate mind, (s)he has rejected God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Call to repentance
The only thing, that can save this person from death is faith in Jesus Christ, a conviction of sins revealed by the Holy Spirit, repentance, which means to change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, and put away the works of the old man, that come forth out of a reprobate mind. Be born again, put on the new man and walk after the Spirit. It’s not too late! As long as Jesus hasn’t returned, there’s still a time of grace, which means that there is still time to repent, turn to Christ, and be saved.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
Sources: DSV, KJV, NBG, Interlinear Greek New Testament, KW, Thayer, Vine’s, Strong’s
