Part VII
In studying an epistle such as Romans, where Paul offers intricate explanations of the multi-faceted gospel, it’s easy to lose sight of the larger context when we focus too much on a single facet. Interpretations often skew when we concentrate only on specific verses—examining just one aspect—without considering how they fit within the broader narrative. To understand Paul’s argument correctly, we must consistently recall where he began and trace the logic of his purposeful path. Paul is explaining the gospel—indeed, the entire structure of redemption. He just summarized the gospel in Romans 1:16-17 and began its unfolding in verse 18. However, by verse 24 and beyond, if we aren’t careful, we may lose track of his larger purpose, especially when attempting to harmonize his discussion with contemporary cultural pressures.
Paul’s discussion begins with the need for redemption—because humanity, God’s image bearers, broke the covenant of life God had established with them. This covenant was simple: God gives life (relationship with Him) for the joy and satisfaction of both parties, with God’s loving care providing truth, goodness, and beauty. Humanity receives life through trusting acceptance of God’s loving care, which satisfies the deep longing of the soul for truth, goodness, and beauty. This covenant, therefore, involves purpose, benefits, and obligations. Breaking the covenant results in death—separation from God, the loss of life, and eternal estrangement.
Because Paul is discussing the gospel—the restoration of relationship through righteousness—it makes sense that he begins, not with relationship intact, but with the brokenness that necessitates restoration. Thus, Paul starts with the wrath of God, the separation that results for the world when it rejects God’s care and seeks fulfillment in itself. This is the conclusion Paul reaches in verses 22 and 23.
The result of humanity’s sinful attitude is that God allows them to separate from him. This is not an active turning away by God, as he always acts in love. God’s nature is one of mercy, continually inviting restoration, and he never forces anyone into relationship. Instead, when humanity chooses to pursue its own way, God permits this separation, respecting the freedom of his image-bearers. This allowance is not coercion; it is the natural consequence of humanity’s desire to seek truth, goodness, and beauty from corrupted sources. As humanity pursues its own cravings, God does not actively withdraw but allows them to experience the consequences of their own choices—experiences that reflect the absence of TGB.
The phrase Paul uses—“God delivered them over”—appears in verses 24, 26, and 28. It’s crucial to understand that this does not suggest that God actively sends them to destruction, but rather that he allows them to depart from him to seek fulfillment in their own desires. This phrase marks the point at which God, in love, respects humanity’s freedom and allows them to experience the emptiness that comes from pursuing distorted sources for TGB.
In verse 24, Paul begins by noting that humanity is "given over" to the cravings of their hearts. The first specific craving he mentions is sexual impurity. But why does Paul begin with this particular craving? There are many sins Paul could have discussed, but sexual impurity takes precedence here because it represents a fundamental breakdown in the relational structure that reflects God’s nature. Sexual immorality is not merely a moral failure; it is an assault on the image of God’s relational design.
Let’s step back and look at this in a broader context. Remember, Paul is discussing the gospel—the restoration of fallen creation to its original purpose. There is a clear connection between this discussion and what Moses presented in Genesis 1–2. In Genesis 1–2, we see creation; in Romans 1, we see gospel. In Genesis 1–2, we see relationship established; in Romans 1:16–17, we see relationship restored. It is immediately after Genesis 1–2 (in Genesis 3) that we see the fall—the destruction of the created relationship. And it is in that fall where Paul begins his discussion of that condition resulting from the fall (Romans 1:18–3:20). Following that discussion of condition, Paul begins his discussion of restoration (Romans 3:21 onward). If we outline these ideas, they might look something like this:
Now, something important is highlighted in Genesis 1-2. The relationship God sets up between humans mirrors the relational structure of the Trinity. In Genesis 1:26-27, God creates humanity in His image, and the relational structure of male and female reflects the Trinitarian "multiple-in-one" nature. Let’s step through this understanding carefully to grasp its full significance.
In Genesis 2:18, God declares, “It is not good for the human to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.” This seems straightforward, but in the English translation, something important is lost. The term "the man" is actually the Hebrew word adam, which, in this context, refers to humanity or humankind, not just a male individual. The word adam is used generically to describe humanity, not the male human alone. So when God says, “It is not good for the human to be alone,” He is not addressing the male specifically, but rather humanity as a whole.
Why is this important? Understanding this opens up the broader meaning. God is not merely addressing the loneliness of the male; He is recognizing the inherent incompleteness of humanity in its original state. So, God’s solution is not simply to create a woman for a man but to create a complementary being—a counterpart—that together would fulfill the relational purpose for which humans were created.
Furthermore, the word "helper" in this context (ezer) does not imply subordination, as many have assumed. Ezer refers to help given to someone who cannot accomplish something on their own due to vulnerability or need. It is used elsewhere in the Old Testament to describe God Himself as the helper of humanity. So the creation of woman is not an answer to the male's deficiency but to the relational need of humanity itself.
In Genesis 2:23b, when Adam exclaims, "This one will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from man,” the text highlights the essential oneness of humanity, now differentiated into male and female. The key here is not that one is superior or more capable than the other, but that they are two parts of a whole, designed to complement each other and reflect the relational nature of God’s image.
The differentiation of the sexes is not arbitrary. God created male and female for a specific purpose: to image the Trinitarian relationship and the relationship between God and humanity. This relational structure is the foundation for the concept of "one flesh" in Genesis 2:24, which signifies the unity of male and female, not only in marriage but in their mutual reflection of God’s relational nature.
Now, returning to Paul’s argument in Romans 1, he uses the breakdown of sexual purity as the first sign of humanity's fall from the original relational design. The breakdown of the image of relationship, represented in the distortion of male-female sexual purity, is a visible mark of humanity’s rejection of God’s care and the pursuit of TGB from corrupted sources.
This is why Paul addresses sexual impurity first—it is a direct attack on the relational structure established by God. The degradation of sexual morality is a reflection of the broader breakdown of relationship with God. And as Paul continues, he shows how humanity’s rejection of God leads to the exchange of truth for lies, a theme he picks up again in verse 25. Here, humanity worships and serves creation rather than the Creator—exalting created things over God, just as Eve and Adam did in the garden by believing the serpent’s lie.
