Yes — God gave people up because they rejected the knowledge of Him and turned to idolatry and rebellion.
The Bible shows that although people knew God, they changed His glory into images made like men and animals. Les Feldick places this at the Tower of Babel: within 200 years of Noah, the descendants of the ark were ready to embrace pagan worship. God's giving up was a judicial act that allowed them to descend from the higher place where they had begun.
Romans 1:24 — This is the exact verse in which 'God gave them up' appears, and it directly follows the description of mankind's exchange of God's glory for idols.
In Romans 1, the Scripture explains that when mankind knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, neither were they thankful. Instead they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Because of this exchange, Scripture says, 'Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.' The giving up is not arbitrary; it is the direct result of swapping the truth of God for a lie and worshipping the creature rather than the Creator. When they went even lower, Scripture says God then gave them up unto vile affections.
Les Feldick teaches that the practical starting point for this giving up is the Tower of Babel. Only about 200 years after the Flood, the expanding population from Noah and his three sons — people who had a knowledge of God — gathered at Babel and were ready to embrace pagan worship. They refused to listen to what God said. From Babel, idolatry and paganism permeated the whole human race. Les describes God's giving up as an act. Because mankind had become saturated with man-made idols, God gave them up to uncleanness. God judicially caused mankind to go even deeper into sin, and when they reached a lower level, He put them even lower because of their behavior, unbelief, and rebellion. This was not God granting them something better; it was allowing them to descend. People had received God's dealings for 2,000 years and had stepped them underfoot, ignoring and rebelling, so the decline went from bad to worse.
'Gave them up' is not God granting people something better. It is an act of judgment in response to rebellion. Les teaches that because mankind fell into idolatry, God gave them up to uncleanness, and then to an even lower level of lifestyle when they continued downward. God even judicially causes mankind to go deeper into sin because of their unbelief and rebellion.
After the Flood, Noah and his three sons and their wives had a knowledge of God. Yet within 200 years, their descendants gathered around the Tower of Babel ready to embrace pagan worship. They refused to listen to God. Les says the introduction of idolatry and paganism came at Babel, and from there it spread throughout the entire human race. God then confused their languages and scattered them.
Yes. Les points out that empires have started with something better and then ended up on the same downward track. From Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 11, God had been dealing with the whole human race for almost 2,000 years, giving all of them knowledge of what He expected. Instead of responding, they ignored it, stepped it underfoot, and rebelled. God, in His foreknowledge, saw that humanity would have continued the same way, going gradually from bad to worse.
The Turning Point at Babel
Les places the beginning of this 'giving up' at the Tower of Babel: within 200 years of Noah, the people refused to listen to God and embraced pagan worship.
God Gave Them Up Is an Act
Les explains that verse 24's 'God gave them up' is an act that occurred when mankind turned from the one true God to idolatry and images.
Rejecting God's Offer
Les shows that after the Flood, the offspring of Noah rejected God's offer of salvation and were in total rebellion by the time of Babel.
Lowered Even Further
Les says the giving up was to an even lower lifestyle — vile affections — as a result of their original behavior of rejection.
A Judicial Causing
Les says God judicially causes mankind to go deeper into sin because of their idolatry, unbelief, and rebellion.
Different Circumstances, Same God
Les contrasts the new circumstances after the Flood, Babel, and Abraham to show God changed His dealings while remaining the same.
Idolatry From Babel Onward
Les traces the introduction of idolatry and paganism to Babel, noting it permeated the whole human race.
Two Thousand Years of Warning
Les says God had dealt with the whole human race for 2,000 years; they ignored and rebelled, so the giving up was consistent with their behavior.
Romans 1:21: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Shows that the problem began with refusing to honor God with the knowledge they already had.
Romans 1:23: And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Describes the idolatrous exchange that preceded God giving them up.
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:
The central verse answering why God gave people up.
Romans 1:25: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Explains the root cause: worshipping the creation instead of the Creator.
Romans 1:26: 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:
Shows a second, even lower stage of being given up after further rebellion.
Scripture presents it as a judicial act in response to prior rejection and idolatry. Les explains that God judicially causes mankind to go deeper into sin because of their behavior, unbelief, and rebellion. It is not God granting them something better; it is giving them over to the downward path they chose.
At the Tower of Babel. Les says within 200 years after the Flood the descendants of Noah were gathered there, ready to embrace pagan worship, and from Babel idolatry and paganism permeated the whole human race.
Watch the Teaching: Why God "Gave Them Up" — Romans 1 & the Wrath to Come