God's Righteous Decree

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. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 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.
Romans 1:28-32
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God's Righteous Decree
Sin separates us from God. The desires of our hearts push the righteous things of God away from us and replace him with all manner of Gods of our own creation. The human heart can only produce envy, murder, strife, etc. Notice how much of the list Saint Paul gives us is separation and division. Jesus comes that we might be united: united to each other and united to him. He comes that we would be divested of our sins, that they would be stripped from us, and placed on his cross. In his death, we are made new. We are called Children of God and made holy. In our world, we see lots of approval being given to those who practice the ways of the human heart. God strengthens us by the work of his Holy Spirit to stand in the midst of this world and proclaim the righteousness of God. Sin separates, but God, in his love, unites. He continues to send his Word into the world for all to hear. That all might be saved and come to his love. Thanks be to God for his gifts.