The lack of natural affection is caused by God judicially giving people over to a reprobate mind when they refuse to retain Him in their knowledge.
Les Feldick teaches that this is a judicial act of God, like the hardening of Pharaoh. When God removes restraints from a person, they no longer care what God or other people think, and society begins to fill with unrighteousness, violence, and even pleasure in evil.
Romans 1:28 — This is the key verse where God gives people over to a reprobate mind after they refuse to retain Him in their knowledge.
Romans 1:31 — This verse directly names 'without natural affection' as one of the results of the reprobate mind.
In Romans 1:24, God gives people up to uncleanness because they turned from Him. Then Romans 1:28 says that because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. Romans 1:31 lists what that reprobate condition looks like: 'Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.' Romans 1:32 adds that they know the judgment of God, yet continue doing these things and even have pleasure in others who do them. Genesis 6:5 shows a similar condition in the days of Noah: 'And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.' So the Bible presents this as a judicial judgment from God on a society that has pushed Him out.
Les teaches that the root cause is humanity's deliberate rejection of God. When people replace the Creator with any anti-God attitude, idolatry, secular humanism, or atheism, their moral fabric begins to rot. When they refuse to retain God in their knowledge, God moves judicially and gives them over to a reprobate mind. Les compares this to Pharaoh: every time Pharaoh said no, God judicially hardened him further. Once God removes restraints, there is no inhibition in their personality; they don't care what people think or what God thinks. This results in a society filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, violence, and even applause for evil. Les also notes that we have pushed God out of our schools and homes, and then we decry the things that are going on.
Les explains that Romans 1:28 is a judicial act of God. When people have an anti-God attitude and do not want to retain God in their knowledge, God removes all restraints from them. He says there is no inhibition in their personality; they don't care what people think or what God thinks. He compares this to Pharaoh, who was hardened every time he said no.
Les describes the results as being filled with all unrighteousness, immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, debate, deceit, and malignity. He points out that people who know the judgment of God still not only do these things but take pleasure in others who do them, even applauding them. Before the Flood, society's thinking was so evil that every imagination was only evil continually, and violence increased to unprecedented levels.
Les teaches that idolatry is the first step. When mankind replaces the true God with a man-made god, their moral fabric begins to rot. God first gives them up to uncleanness, then to a reprobate mind, and eventually to vile affections. This shows a progressive judicial hardening rather than an immediate loss of natural affection.
Reprobate Mind as Judicial Act
Les teaches that God gives people over to a reprobate mind when they refuse to retain Him in their knowledge, and this is a judicial act that removes all restraints.
Pushing God Out of Society
Les says society today is in its shape because God has been pushed out of our thinking, schools, and homes.
Idolatry Rots Moral Fabric
Les teaches that replacing the true God with a man-made god causes moral fabric to rot, leading to uncleanness and further judgment.
Societal Violence and Murder
Les describes how a society under judgment can inflict such demise on itself that murder becomes common and unborn generations are threatened.
Mankind Rejects God's Laws
Les points out that even though God's laws are clear, mankind rejects them and those in the flesh cannot please God.
Given Up to Vile Affections
Les teaches that when people continue rejecting God, He gives them up to still lower levels, such as vile affections, which are against nature.
Pleasure in Evil
Les explains that people under judgment are filled with unrighteousness and, knowing God's judgment, still take pleasure in those who do evil.
Evil Continually
Les uses Genesis 6 to show that a society without God can only think evil continually, leading to God's grief and judgment.
Romans 1:24: Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
This is the first step of God's judicial judgment after idolatry.
Romans 1:28: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
This is the key judicial act that removes moral restraints and leads to the lack of natural affection.
Romans 1:31: Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
This verse directly mentions the lack of natural affection as a result of the reprobate mind.
Romans 1:32: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
This shows that those in this condition are aware of judgment yet continue and even applaud evil.
Genesis 6:5: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
This describes the same kind of societal corruption before the Flood.
Romans 8:8: So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
This supports Les's point that those who are not in Christ cannot please God.
Les says it is the result of a judicial act of God. When people refuse to retain God in their knowledge, God gives them over to a reprobate mind and removes restraints from them. Once restraints are removed, they no longer care what God thinks or what people think.
Every time Pharaoh said no, God judicially hardened him further. In the same way, when people continually say no to God, He gives them over to a reprobate mind and they become more hardened and less restrained.
Les points out that we have pushed God out of our schools and homes and then decry the things that are going on. The condition of society reflects the removal of God from thinking rather than a sudden change in individuals.
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