Romans 1:24-25, The Permissive Will of God
Romans 1:24-25 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
When men wilfully and blatantly choose to reject God after He reveals something of Himself both in nature and in His Word to them, God gives men over to their sin. This is the permissive will of God. It described God’s judicial act of handing someone over to suffer the consequences of his wrongdoing. This described the present wrath of God upon men (Rom. 1:18) who chooses to go out of the way to satisfy the inordinate lusts of their own hearts through immoral behaviour.
Samson, in the book of Judges, was such a man. It was a time in Israel when men did what was right in their own eyes. Samson was attracted to a Philistine girl against the good counsel of his parents. He insisted to be unequally yoked to marry this Philistine girl and inadvertently imbibe the idolatrous culture of the Philistines.
This was the story in Judges 14:1-3 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
God had warned Israel even before they entered the land against defiling themselves by such inter-marriages with the people of Canaan incurring God’s wrath – Deuteronomy 7:1-4 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
Samson’s eyes were gorged out by the Philistines as judgement from God for lusting after the Philistine girl and finally he lost his life. Recall Jesus’s warning in Matthew 5:28-29 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Truly, as the Apostle Paul warned 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
May God’s people worship Him only. Amen.