18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
St Paul uses the sin of Homosexuality as the illustration of the unrighteousness of men. The wrath of God is shown against all ungodliness. God is set against all those who are unrighteous. God hates these sins. God urges his people to turn from this abominable acts.
God gives these people over to their depraved minds. God has handed many over to these disgusting acts. This is not to say there is no salvation. This is not to say there is no redemption. These are still just sinful desires of the flesh. These sins are no different than the unrighteousness, which plagues all of humanity.
St Paul would urge us all to turn from our wicked ways. St Paul would desire for people to live their lives in holiness. This is the same as God's desire. But they also desire for people to come to faith. Christians should know that their salvation is found in Christ. You know that your redemption is found in Christ crucified. You know God's righteous decrees, it would be a gracious thing for you to live by them.
Even as you fail, God has offered you forgiveness. God has separated these deeds from your past. God has delivered them from your hands, to those pierced by nails. Your sins are no longer your own, but removed. You are made pure and holy before God and his wrath. May the Lord God keep you from further sinful desires.
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