What does Romans 1:24 mean when it says God gave them up to uncleanness?
Romans 1:24 means God gave them over to uncleanness because they first exchanged the true God for idolatry. This uncleanness is normal sexual immorality between men and women, dishonoring their own bodies. When mankind replaces God with man-made gods, their moral fabric begins to rot, as seen in idolatrous cultures.
Les teaches that Romans 1:24 follows the first step of idolatry. He says, "God gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of the desires of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves." Les maintains this is normal sexual immorality between the sexes, men and women, to dishonor their own bodies. He explains that as soon as mankind replaces the true God with a man-made God, their moral fabric begins to rot. He points to the Orient, steeped in idolatry, Buddhism, and Hinduism, asking what their moral status is and answering that they have none. He also notes this has been the track of the human race ever since the Tower of Babel.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
More Questions
Why was there nothing to restrain people in Romans 1:24?
People in Romans 1:24 had nothing to restrain them because they were under idolatry, and idolatry has no moral code.