Romans 1:29, commentary and pictures

The list names the specific sins of unrighteousness that fill those who hold the truth in unrighteousness and against whom the wrath of God is revealed from heaven. Its catalogue of envy, murder, deceit and kindred evils is to be particularly noticed, weighed and grasped as part of the whole first chapter of Romans. Those evils are done when people do not like to retain God in their knowledge and God gives them over to a reprobate mind to do things which are not convenient, including being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity and whispering, with the rest of the list that follows. This human evil follows from ceasing to recognize God, for forgetting God inclines people more strongly to evil, and a heart that loves sin imagines God to have its own sinful attributes, and this false conception strengthens sin.

Rejecting God's precepts to give oneself to lust makes sin seem acceptable and righteousness undesirable, producing a lawless, licentious society. These sins of unrighteousness and corrupt acts bring judgment upon the heathen. God's judgment declares that those who commit such things are worthy of death. Whispering, or backbiting, is classed with grave wrongdoing such as hating God, inventing evil things, being without natural affection, implacable and unmerciful, and being full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malignity. It is therefore serious sin and not harmless talk, in contrast to the truthful speech and restraint expected of those who belong to God.

The description belongs to the world before Christ's second appearing, a world marked by vile habits and corrupt indulgence that must be abandoned for the sake of health and salvation. The same description exposes the true condition of many families who have their names on the church record and claim to be sons and daughters of God yet fail in accountability as faithful, exemplary believers and laborers together with God, and of souls in every congregation who are called for the last time to repent. Like the Jewish nation, this class has advanced step by step almost imperceptibly in resistance to the Spirit of God until spiritual blindness has taken the place of light once enjoyed. Under unbelief, envy and criticism become questioning and doubt, Satan stands close beside to turn the spoken word into suspicion and distrust, and those who resist and provoke the Holy Spirit to depart do these evils unperceptively though they once saw them as decidedly sin, following Satan step by step until every appeal is meaningless, every word misconstrued, solemn warnings laughed at and ridiculed, and reproof refused, while they know God's judgment that such things are worthy of death and not only do the same but have pleasure in those who do them.

The verse names part of every species of iniquity from which this class must become cleansed. Mere knowledge of the truth does not cleanse, because cleansing comes only through obedience to the truth in righteousness and the sanctifying grace of God working in the home, and to hold supposed belief while denying it in works leaves the heart unsanctified. Fathers and mothers especially are charged to seek the Lord and awaken to this strangely neglected work in home life, which they cannot neglect and be guiltless. The whole first chapter of Romans, with this list to be particularly noticed, weighed and grasped, is to be read in every church and family and given in its full force to ministers, churches and families as a call to be converted and sanctified through belief of the truth, because churches need a thorough work done in them.