The problem with humanity is not just some krinkles that can be ironed out or cratchets that can be brushed out, they are deep seated malignancies. In clinical terms the patient has to die and be resuscitated by the Holy Spirit to a new life. One of the symptoms listed by Paul in Romans 1 is ἀδόκιμον (adokimon). It means reprobate, or literally unable to stand trial or stand in a court and therefore worthless.
We have to go back to another word, παρέδωκεν (paredōken). This means hand over, to deliver, to give up. Three times this word is used in Romans 1:24-28. – 24:Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 28: Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a reprobate mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
So here is a frightening picture. God “gives over” to them everything they need (think first article) so that a thinking person would see God’s goodness and mercy and trust him. But they see all the goodness of God and instead of “giving over” to him proper worship and praise they “give it over” to worthless idols and myths. In a sense they put God on trial and find him wanting and leave him. So God gives them over to what they want. The Expositors Greek Testament says “Virtually, they pronounced the true God ἀδόκιμος, and would have none of Him; and He in turn gave them up to a νοῦς ἀδόκιμος, a mind which is no mind and cannot discharge the functions of one, a mind in which the Divine distinctions of right and wrong are contused and lost, so that God’s condemnation cannot but fall on it at last. νοῦς is not only reason, but conscience; when this is perverted”. It cannot be supported in court and cannot stand trial because it is so perverse, therefore reprobate.
They would not approve of God so he disapproves of them. In their determination to forget him, he left them to a state of mind which was evil, and which he could not approve. In this word we have picture of true insanity. Everything that should be up is down Everything is dark and doom filled. The νοῦς, (Nous) listed above is the God given ability to think and reason. People reasoned that God was reprobate, not worthy of care so God reprobates them. This is mess we are in and unless we get a new mind and heart in Christ we are lost.
Some one said as an example of what our world is like today that being psychotic and delusional is a right to be protected and not an illness to be treated.
