Abandoned & Abandoning
I'm captivated by the concept of God giving people over to their lusts in much the same way as people are captivated by a car crash. The concept of being totally abandoned to sin is terrifying, yet it's not completely unknown to us.
After all God will let you go out and sin any old time you want too. The Spirit will convict you and tug at your heart, and perhaps God will lead other people to cross your path in an attempt to turn you around. but in the end, if we want to sin, we will sin.
God gives us this freedom. We can choose to please him or please ourselves and others, that particular ball is always in our courts.
Here again we see that this total abandonment by God is followed by their abandonment of all thing godly. This is seen first in the arena of our sexual appetites. Paul says "even women" showing how much he honored and looked up to them. This entire passage also shows us how our desires continue to escalate, and that you can never get enough of whatever it is you want.
We see this strongly today in our culture. What was repulsive 30 years ago is called "normal" today. The mind trembles at what we'll be claiming is "normal" behavior twenty years hence.
Note however, that Paul points out that sooner or later we do reap what we sow, and that sexual immorality in particular is usually paid for in a physical form, as well as others.
May the fear of being abandoned by God drive us into his loving arms of grace!
After all God will let you go out and sin any old time you want too. The Spirit will convict you and tug at your heart, and perhaps God will lead other people to cross your path in an attempt to turn you around. but in the end, if we want to sin, we will sin.
God gives us this freedom. We can choose to please him or please ourselves and others, that particular ball is always in our courts.
Here again we see that this total abandonment by God is followed by their abandonment of all thing godly. This is seen first in the arena of our sexual appetites. Paul says "even women" showing how much he honored and looked up to them. This entire passage also shows us how our desires continue to escalate, and that you can never get enough of whatever it is you want.
We see this strongly today in our culture. What was repulsive 30 years ago is called "normal" today. The mind trembles at what we'll be claiming is "normal" behavior twenty years hence.
Note however, that Paul points out that sooner or later we do reap what we sow, and that sexual immorality in particular is usually paid for in a physical form, as well as others.
May the fear of being abandoned by God drive us into his loving arms of grace!
