Depravity. Romans 1:28-31 V.28. When men do not approve of God, God does not approve of them, and turns them over to depravity that comes as a result of a debased mind. When the knowledge of God has been deliberately resisted and ignored, the moral sensitivity that is characteristic of those who love and know God, is gone. The restraints God has placed in people no longer controls their actions, thoughts and decisions. Willful blindness to righteousness is caused by not wanting nor liking the knowledge of God
A mind that is devoid of moral sensitivity because it does not like the constraints and restraints of morality, brings vices that come from depraved minds which seem to have no boundaries. Depravity when let loose to work its havoc, affects the world and people who are around those who are debased. Plotting with evil intent finds its vent in words and acts of evil that break out in every area of one's life. Without divine control there is no real constraints at all in those who follow that life-style.
The seared conscience is past feeling and goes against the light of righteousness and holiness. Even the law of nature is “not convenient” because of a wicked desire to engage in gross activities that appeal to an uncontrolled fleshly appetite. When a person does not “bring every thought into captivity,” they have no boundaries of moral control. They want God to depart from them and leave them alone in their darkness. There is no limit as to how far a person who lacks moral judgment will go.
V.29. Repressing every thought of God and paying no attention to the consequences of sin, leads to unrestrained immoral activity. This list of twenty-three sins and sinners, is best described by the words, “all unrighteousness.” Unrighteousness in simple terms is anything that is not right according to God’s standards. The sense of right and wrong has been put in everyone, but we have been given the free-will to choose which one we will do.
Sexual immorality of any kind heads this list. Then comes wickedness which is a choice to willfully do what is evil. Covetousness is greed that is never satisfied and following right behind it, and to a degree because of it, is malicious intent that goes farther than anger against another person. That leads to premeditated murder, like Cain did because of envy toward Abel. Contention with guile toward another is a malignancy that wants the worst toward another person and is promoted by whispering slanderous ideas to other people.
V.30. Speaking evil toward or against another person is promoted by the devil who hates God and moves those who follow him to do the same. Violent, arrogant, boasters try to arrange for all kinds of evil things to do, even though they describe them as merely mischief. This is evident when children are excused from punishment by evil being called mischief, rather than a disobedient child who is rebellious against any restraint and authority.
Even life in a family loses any sense of purpose and joy. What should have been and could have been like heaven on earth becomes a foretaste of the bitterness of being separated from God and of the darkness of hell itself. A child who is disobedient to parents and cannot be trusted is part of what comes from debased parents. It seems like one act of depravity follows the next until the "cup of iniquity" is full.
V.31. Those without understanding are wise in the ways of evil, but without the knowledge to do what is right. They are without a functioning conscience because it has been seared and allowed to run rampant over that which is normal and right. Such a person cannot be trusted and is a covenant-breaker who has antisocial behavior toward parents, the law and God. You can try to to help implacable people but they are unreasonable. They are without any sense of mercy and are simply cruel people who want to harm others.
V.32. There is no excuse for such actions because people are inherently aware of the fact that judgment for sin will come someday and they will stand before God. Yet, in spite of all they know or have been taught, they persist in continuing to do what is wrong and push others to do the same things. They know what is wrong but, “I want to because I like it. It’s fun and worth the risks.” Instead of shame and guilt, they defend and try to justify what they know is sin. Not only do they excuse themselves, but they try to entice others to follow the same road they are on.
For those who live by faith in such a society, there is a defiling effect even though such people would not participate in any way in the depraved activities of such a place. The spirit of a just man named Lot, "was vexed from day to day" by what he saw was going on around him. There must be care taken to keep close to the Lord and His people, in order to remain strong in the faith. The new nature of the believer will make us conscious of the dangers of immoral, depraved living that goes on around us.