The Flip-Side of Romans 1:18-32
For the pleasure of God is revealed from heaven upon all godliness and righteousness of men, who by their righteousness celebrate the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 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. For because they know God, they honor him as God and give thanks to him, and they become fruitful in their thinking, and their humble hearts are enlightened. Having become fools for Christ, they became wise, and received the glory of the immortal God and saw his glory in mortal man, birds, animals, and creeping things. Therefore, God restored them in the desires of their hearts for purity, to the honoring of their bodies among themselves, because they gladly received the truth about God instead of lies and worshiped and served the Creator, who is blessed forever, rather than the creature. Amen. For this reason, God renews their desires and delights and passions. For the women glory in the masculinity of their husbands, and the men likewise revel in the femininity of their wives, and are consumed with passion for them, men honoring the marriage bed and receiving in themselves the due reward for their obedience. And since they saw fit to acknowledge God, God has reoriented their renewed minds to do what ought to be done. They are filled with all manner of righteousness, goodness, contentment, benevolence. They are full of gratitude for others’ gifts, brotherly love, peace, truth telling, magnanimity. They are edifiers, encouragers, lovers of God, courteous, meek, humble, inventors of good, obedient to parents, wise, faithful, compassionate, merciful. Because they know God’s decree that those who practice such things will receive eternal life, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Rigney, Joe. The Things of Earth (p. 169). Crossway. Kindle Edition.