²⁸ And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips …

Depraved mind—another descriptor in God’s assessment of a life straying from Him. We normally reserve such a pejorative word for the worst kinds of sin, but the list includes some of what appears on the surface to be “tame” sins. Gossip, greed, deceit and strife are so fairly common that we may not even call them sins, but rather shortcomings or failings. But every item in this list is attributed to a depraved mind and is “not proper.” This latter description indicates that these traits of the depraved mind are completely unsuitable to the life of God’s image-bearers, completely contrary to the purpose for which we humans are designed. When we engage in these activities, we are denying the God-image in us, that which distinguished us as the pinnacle of His creation, the reflection of His image.

The first descriptor in the list is “unrighteousness,” for that is the theological catchall for sin. This is the diametric opposite of righteousness, dividing all traits and activities into black and white categories. The problem with many today is wanting to live in the shaded or grey areas, where some sins are relatively small, like “white lies.” Or declaring that gossip is not as serious as murder, both of which are included in the category of “unrighteousness.” If gossip is not righteous, then it must be unrighteous, something God has given us over to when we do not “see fit to acknowledge God any longer.”

Wickedness carries the sense of maliciousness. Greed is the accumulation of ever-increasing wealth. Evil is “the perverting of virtue and moral principles from their purposes to evil ends” (BDAG). Envy is “spite and resentment toward the success or possessions of another.” Murder is the wrongful killing of another human being. Strife is ongoing bitter disagreements with others. Deceit goes beyond lying to the study of and skill at deception. Malice desires the misfortune of others. Gossip is that common trait that seeks to discredit and diminish the reputation of another through spreading rumors, stories, lies or half-truths.

When a human refuses to acknowledge God’s sovereignty in his life, he doesn’t just choose to do these things. God gives him over to them. The central choice leads inexorably to all other choices, like dominoes falling in sequence. It leads to unbridled rushing after the “lusts of their hearts” (vs. 24).

Lord, I acknowledge You as the Sovereign, Creator Lord over my life. Help me never forget that You are God and I am not!