The Operation of God's Wrath in the World (6): Idolaters Given Over to a Reprobate Mind (Romans 1:28-32) by Rev. Martyn McGeown
I. The Dreadful Judgment
II. The Awful Depravity
III. The Evangelical Hope
John Murray on Romans 1:28: “They did not deem God fit to have in their knowledge.’ The godlessness of the state of mind is apparent: they did not cherish the knowledge of God because they did not consider God worthy of such thought and attention. The corresponding retribution is that ‘God gave them over to a reprobate mind,’ to a mind that is rejected because deemed worthless. A reprobate mind is therefore one abandoned or rejected by God, and therefore not fit for any activity worthy of approbation or esteem.”
Richard C. Trench: “[κακοήθεια or malignity] is that peculiar form of evil which manifests itself in a malignant interpretation of the actions of others, a constant attribution of them to the worst imaginable motives. Nor should we take leave of κακοήθεια without noticing the deep psychological truth attested in this secondary meaning which it has obtained, namely, that the evil which we trace in ourselves makes us ready to suspect and believe evil in others. The κακοήθης [malignant person], being himself of an evil moral habit, projects himself and the motives which actuate him into others round about him, and sees himself in them; for according to our profound English proverb, ‘Ill doers are ill deemers’” (Synonyms of the New Testament, p. 40).
Richard C. Trench: “The three words [ἀλαζών, ὑπερήφανος, ὑβριστής; despiteful, proud, boasters], then, are clearly distinguishable, occupying three provinces of meaning; they present to us an ascending scale of guilt; and as has been observed already, they severally designate the boastful in words, the proud and overbearing in thoughts, the insolent and injurious in acts” (Synonyms of the New Testament, p. 105).
Herman Hoeksema: “Is there any hope? What shall we do in such a world? Shall we build up institutions of education? With these institutions of education the world goes to hell. Shall we reform the world? With this reformation the world goes to hell. Shall we have federations? Men who slide down, when they federate, slide down together. No. We shall say, ‘I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation’” (Righteous by Faith Alone, p. 40).