When God Gives Us Up, Pt. 3: The Woes of the Debased Mind
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Rev. (Rtd.) Osei Kwabena Nkrahene | June 11, 2026 | Romans 1:28–32
KEY VERSE: “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.” (Romans 1:28, ESV)
MESSAGE:
As we consider the terrible consequences of a life without the Triune God, we have already looked at two areas: a corrupted heart and dishonourable passions. In this final part, we examine the debased mind. The mind matters because it shapes judgment, choices, conduct, and how people relate to God and others.
To debase means to reduce the intrinsic value of something, to degrade it, or to bring it lower than its proper state. The key verse makes clear that God is responding to a human decision: the refusal to acknowledge Him. It is the decision to live as though we can make it without God. It is the decision to push God away from life. Such audacity is sobering, and yet it has been humanity’s reality since the fall.
Verses 29–31 show what people do to themselves and to others when they live without acknowledging God. Paul lists many expressions of moral disorder, broken relationships, and destructive conduct. This can only come from a degraded mind, or as the NIV Bible puts it, “a depraved mind.” We do not see these things only on the pages of Scripture. We also see them in human history and in our daily lives.
Verse 32 confirms the foolish audacity of this condition. People may know the adverse consequences of their actions, yet continue in them and encourage others to do the same. This reveals a mind that has become morally corrupted and spiritually darkened. Yet God has not left humanity without hope. He has given us the way out through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul stands before us as a worthy example of one rescued by grace and made an agent of change. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Acknowledge God in your thoughts, choices, and conduct. Let His Word guide your mind and response to others. Examine what you excuse or encourage. Ask the Lord to renew your mind so you will not call wrong things normal. Point others to Christ with humility, truth, and love. In Him there is mercy, renewal, and freedom.
PRAYER:
Father God, thank You for Your mercies. Let Your mercy reach those who think they do not need You. Search our hearts, renew our minds by Your truth, and use us as agents of change for Your glory. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING
DAILY word study: DEBASED
Adokimos is the Greek word translated “debased” in Romans 1:28. It means rejected after testing, unapproved, or failing to meet the proper standard.
In this passage, Paul uses the word to describe a mind that has refused to acknowledge God. When the mind rejects God’s truth, it loses sound judgment. It begins to approve of what dishonours God and to practice what should be rejected.
A renewed mind begins with acknowledging God. Let His Word test your thoughts, correct your judgment, and guide your conduct today. Reflect on this: A mind that acknowledges God is not left to drift. Let His Word examine your thoughts today, correct what is wrong, and guide you into what honours Him.
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