Why did God put them even lower in Romans 1:26?
Because of their behavior, unbelief, and rebellion, God judicially gave them up to vile affections, putting them one level lower. Since they were saturated with idolatry and refused to believe, a sovereign God let them go deeper into sin, as Romans 1:26 teaches.
Les explains that Romans 1 takes us back to the Tower of Babel, where idolatry and paganism began. Mankind changed the glory of the incorruptible God into images of corruptible man, birds, four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Because of their falling into idolatry, God gave them up to uncleanness, judicially causing them to go deeper into sin. Then when they went into a lower level of sin, at verse 26 God put them even lower. Why? Because of their behavior, their unbelief, their rebellion. Les emphasizes this is not loose language: a sovereign God judicially said, if you want to live at that level, then go down one level lower, giving them up to vile affections. He compares this to Israel in Romans 11, who had every opportunity and the Word of God, but ignored it and refused to believe.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
More Questions
Why did God give them up to vile affections in Romans 1:26?
God gave them up to vile affections because of their behavior, their unbelief, and their rebellion.
What are the 'vile affections' in Romans 1:26 that God gave people over to?
In Romans 1:26, God gives people up to a still lower level than 'normal' immorality between the sexes, namely to vile affections.