Sermons on Romans 1:28-32

Romans 1:28-32 Interpretation:

Responding to Moral Chaos with Hope and Love (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) interprets Romans 1:28-32 as a vivid diagnosis of societal collapse that results when a culture deliberately eliminates God from its collective consciousness. Begg uses the metaphor of “social pathology” to describe the list of vices, likening it to a medical diagnosis of a diseased society. He highlights the Greek term for “depraved mind” (adokimon noun, meaning “unapproved” or “failing the test”) to emphasize that the mind is not merely ignorant but actively malfunctioning, unable to discern or choose the good. He draws a unique analogy between the “debased mind” and the breakdown of melody and harmony in modern art and music, suggesting that the loss of God leads to a loss of beauty and order in all areas of life. Begg also notes the collective nature of the passage (“they were filled”), arguing that Paul is describing a societal phenomenon rather than just individual sin. He further interprets the approval of evil (v.32) as a deliberate, communal effort to normalize and celebrate what is wrong, using the analogy of a thief recruiting others to join in his crime to illustrate how shared guilt eases individual conscience.

Aligning Hearts: Embracing Divine Truth and Stewardship (Dallas Willard Ministries) offers a distinctive interpretation by framing Romans 1:28-32 as an analysis of the disintegration of the human self. Willard describes the “depraved mind” as a mind that “doesn’t work”—not just morally, but functionally, unable to align desire, will, and truth. He uses the metaphor of “integrity” as the integration of heart, soul, mind, and strength, and contrasts the disintegrated self (as described by Paul) with the integrated self that loves God and neighbor. Willard uniquely connects the passage to the concept of “political correctness” as a modern manifestation of a society that has lost any recognized body of moral knowledge, arguing that when God is removed, only will and desire remain, leading to institutionalized approval of evil.

Living Surrendered: Finding Freedom in God's Will (Dallas Willard Ministries) interprets Romans 1:28-32 as a powerful analysis of the uncrucified self and the consequences of living from the “impulsive will.” Willard uses the analogy of “weeds and bugs” in farming to illustrate how the category of “sin” has been lost in modern explanations of human dysfunction, leading to surprise at the prevalence of evil. He highlights the passage as a description of what happens when the self is not surrendered to God, resulting in a society filled with implacable, unappeasable people. Willard also draws a parallel between the “depraved mind” and the inability to exercise the “reflective will,” which chooses the good upon reflection rather than impulse.

"Rejecting God: The Path to Moral Decay" (Alistair Begg) closely parallels the interpretation in “Responding to Moral Chaos with Hope and Love,” but adds the analogy of “prisoners of your own supposed freedom,” suggesting that the freedom sought by rejecting God becomes a form of bondage. He also emphasizes the “collective experience” of societal decay and the idea that sin distorts not just actions but the very faculties of human thought, leading to “crooked thinking.”

Understanding Assurance: True vs. False Salvation (Ligonier Ministries) only references Romans 1:28-32 in passing, using it to illustrate the universal awareness of guilt and the tendency of fallen humanity to approve of evil. It does not provide a unique or detailed interpretation of the passage and is therefore omitted from this section.

Humanity's Rebellion and the Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) offers a nuanced interpretation of Romans 1:28-32 by emphasizing the phrase "God gave them up" as a judicial act of divine abandonment, not as a sequence but as a single, repeated action. Begg uses the analogy of a cancer specialist's anger at a disease to describe God's wrath—not as capricious rage, but as a necessary, loving revulsion against what destroys humanity. He highlights the Greek term for "debased mind" (adokimos nous), explaining it as a mind that is "anti-God," unable to reason rightly about moral reality. Begg uniquely frames the loss of "oughtness" in society as the evaporation of shared moral standards, using the metaphor of a society where "anything goes" and the only remaining options are legislation or domination. He also draws a distinction between the root (rejection of God) and the fruit (the list of vices), arguing that the behaviors listed are not the cause but the result of a deeper exchange and abandonment of God. The passage is seen as a mirror for self-examination, warning against self-righteousness and the temptation to judge others, and instead calling for confession and humility.

Hope Amidst Human Depravity: The Gospel's Power (Desiring God) interprets Romans 1:28-32 with a focus on the psychological and spiritual reality that all people, regardless of their conscious beliefs, "know" God's standards and their own guilt. The sermon introduces the idea of a "knowing beneath consciousness," where the suppression of truth leads to psychological and societal sickness. The analogy of "spiritual suicide" is used to describe not only personal sin but the active encouragement of others to join in sin, likening it to a "murderous love affair" with evil. The preacher also uses the metaphor of "drinking arsenic" to describe the self-destructive nature of sin, especially in the context of pornography, and the societal complicity in promoting it. The passage is interpreted as both a bleak diagnosis and a hopeful starting point for evangelism, since everyone carries an innate awareness of God and moral accountability.

Understanding Human Depravity and the Hope of the Gospel (Desiring God) provides a distinctive interpretation by asserting that the "giving over" described in Romans 1:28 is not merely a consequence but itself the present judgment of God. The sermon uses the metaphor of being handed over to a "swamp" or, more vividly, to "Taffy"—a sticky, suffocating substance—to illustrate the inescapable, self-chosen bondage of sin. The mind is depicted not as a neutral observer but as a "lackey" or servant to the desires of the heart, justifying whatever the heart wants. The analogy of choosing a "black fly" with a blinding parasite over the glory of God is used to illustrate the irrationality and self-destruction of sin. The list of vices is seen as the natural outflow of a mind and society abandoned to its own devices, and the sermon challenges the listener to recognize that immorality is not just deserving of judgment but is itself the evidence of God's judgment.

Re-Centering Life Around God's Glory and Hope (Desiring God) offers a unique and vivid interpretation of Romans 1:28-32 by employing the metaphor of the solar system, where the glory of God is the sun at the center, and all human passions are planets held in proper orbit by its gravity. The sermon argues that when God is displaced from the center, the "planets" of human passions—sexual, social, emotional—fly out of orbit, resulting in chaos and destruction. This disorder is not merely a natural consequence but a divine judgment: "God gave them over" to a depraved mind, which is described as the solar system of the soul losing its center. The preacher emphasizes that the root of all human problems, without exception, is the exchange of God's glory for lesser things, and that the resulting disorder is both a sign and a consequence of God's judgment. The analogy is extended to suggest that even physical and natural calamities are part of this cosmic disordering, dramatizing the horror of exchanging God's glory for idols. The sermon also briefly touches on the Greek term for "depraved mind" (adokimon noun), suggesting a mind that is "disqualified" or "unfit" for its intended purpose, further reinforcing the theme of disorder and malfunction.

Transformative Insight: Enlightenment of the Heart (Desiring God) interprets Romans 1:28-32 through the lens of spiritual perception, focusing on the "eyes of the heart" and the nature of spiritual blindness. The sermon uniquely identifies the root problem in Romans 1:28-32 not as mere ignorance but as a "hardness of heart"—a deep-seated preference not to have God in one's knowledge. The preacher highlights the Greek verb "dokimazo" (to approve, test, or value), noting that the people "did not approve to have God in their knowledge," which is interpreted as a willful rejection of God's worth and beauty. The sermon draws a distinction between intellectual knowledge and heart knowledge, arguing that the depraved mind is the result of a heart that prefers idols over God, leading to darkness and futility. This interpretation is distinct in its psychological and affective focus, emphasizing desire and preference as the root of depravity rather than simple lack of information.

Honoring Marriage: A Call to Holiness and Faithfulness (Desiring God) references Romans 1:28-32 to illustrate the consequences of rejecting God from one's knowledge, particularly in the context of sexual ethics. The sermon interprets the passage as describing a progression: when people "do not want to have God in their knowledge," God gives them over to a debased mind, resulting in all manner of unrighteousness, including sexual sin. The unique angle here is the application to marital faithfulness, arguing that untethered passion leads to chaos and that the refusal to honor God in one's mind is the root of sexual immorality. The preacher uses the language of "exchange" from Romans 1 to highlight the idolatrous nature of this rejection, but the interpretation is less metaphorically rich than the previous sermons.

Authentic Faith: Standing Firm in Christ's Truth (SermonIndex.net) only briefly references Romans 1:28-32, noting its mention of reprobation and homosexuality, but does not provide a unique or detailed interpretation beyond stating that the passage is for all to read and that it lists various sins as a result of God giving people up. Therefore, it does not meet the criteria for inclusion in this section.

Romans 1:28-32 Theological Themes:

Responding to Moral Chaos with Hope and Love (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) introduces the theme of “social pathology” as a theological lens, arguing that the list of vices in Romans 1:28-32 is not just a catalog of sins but a diagnosis of a society in systemic collapse. He adds the nuanced theme that the approval of evil is not mere passive tolerance but an active, communal project to normalize and celebrate what is wrong, which he likens to the way shared guilt eases individual conscience. Begg also highlights the insufficiency of conscience and knowledge of God’s decree to restrain evil, arguing that only the “goodness and loving kindness of God” (Titus 3) can break the cycle, not mere awareness of judgment.

Aligning Hearts: Embracing Divine Truth and Stewardship (Dallas Willard Ministries) presents the theme of the “disintegrated self” as the root of societal evil, arguing that the loss of God leads to a breakdown in the integration of heart, soul, mind, and strength. Willard’s fresh angle is to connect the passage to the institutionalization of moral confusion (“political correctness”) and the loss of any shared moral knowledge, suggesting that the approval of evil becomes embedded in social structures, not just individual choices. He also introduces the idea that the human capacity to know the good is distorted by the will’s pursuit of desire, making divine revelation essential for moral knowledge.

Living Surrendered: Finding Freedom in God's Will (Dallas Willard Ministries) adds the theme of the “impulsive will” versus the “reflective will,” arguing that the depraved mind described by Paul is one that cannot choose the good upon reflection but is dominated by immediate desire. Willard’s unique contribution is to frame the passage as a call to crucify the self and cultivate the reflective will, which aligns with God’s will and leads to true freedom and joy, even in the midst of a corrupt society.

Rejecting God: The Path to Moral Decay (Alistair Begg) introduces the theme of “prisoners of your own supposed freedom,” arguing that the autonomy sought by rejecting God results in a new form of bondage. He also emphasizes the “total depravity” of the mind, not in the sense that everyone is as bad as possible, but that every faculty is affected by sin, leading to a collective inability to discern or do the good.

Humanity's Rebellion and the Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) introduces the theme that God's wrath, as expressed in "giving over" humanity, is simultaneously an act of love—a refusal to be indifferent to human self-destruction. Begg adds the facet that the loss of "oughtness" in society leads to chaos that cannot be remedied by legislation or education, but only by a return to God as the source of morality. He also highlights the collective nature of sin ("they were filled...") and the danger of self-righteousness, urging confession rather than condemnation.

Hope Amidst Human Depravity: The Gospel's Power (Desiring God) presents the unique theological theme that every human being, regardless of outward denial, possesses an innate, God-given knowledge of divine standards and their own guilt. The sermon explores the psychological consequences of suppressing this knowledge, suggesting that much of societal and personal dysfunction stems from this repression. The preacher encourages evangelism with confidence, knowing that the gospel addresses a universal, latent awareness of God and judgment.

Understanding Human Depravity and the Hope of the Gospel (Desiring God) adds the theme that the present experience of societal and personal moral chaos is itself the outworking of divine wrath—not merely a precursor to future judgment. The sermon emphasizes the non-neutrality of the mind in sin, arguing that intellectual justifications for evil are themselves products of a depraved heart. The analogy of the mind as a "lackey" to the heart's desires is a fresh angle on the relationship between intellect and will in sin.

Re-Centering Life Around God's Glory and Hope (Desiring God) introduces the theological theme that all forms of human disorder—sexual, social, physical, and even natural disasters—are ultimately rooted in the exchange of God's glory for lesser things. The sermon presents the idea that God's judgment is not always direct punishment but often takes the form of "giving people over" to the consequences of their idolatry, resulting in a cosmic disorder that affects every aspect of creation. This theme is further developed by connecting the futility and corruption of creation (Romans 8) to the original exchange described in Romans 1, suggesting that the entire universe is groaning under the weight of this judgment, but also that this futility is intended to point people back to the hope of redemption and restoration in Christ.

Transformative Insight: Enlightenment of the Heart (Desiring God) offers a distinct theological theme by focusing on the nature of spiritual blindness and the necessity of divine intervention for true knowledge of God. The sermon argues that the depraved mind described in Romans 1:28-32 is not merely a cognitive defect but a result of a willful, affective rejection of God's worth. The preacher emphasizes that only God can overcome this hardness of heart by shining the light of His glory into the heart, enabling people to see and desire Him as He truly is. This theme highlights the necessity of regeneration and the ongoing need for believers to have their hearts enlightened by God.

Honoring Marriage: A Call to Holiness and Faithfulness (Desiring God) adds a new facet to the theme of idolatry in Romans 1:28-32 by applying it specifically to marital faithfulness. The sermon suggests that when sexual desire is "untethered" from holiness and honor, it leads to the same kind of chaos and disorder described in Romans 1. The unique contribution here is the application of the passage to the practical ethics of marriage, arguing that honoring one's spouse is a reflection of honoring God and that the refusal to do so is a manifestation of the same idolatrous exchange described in Romans 1.

Romans 1:28-32 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Responding to Moral Chaos with Hope and Love (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) provides historical context by noting that the duty to parents was foundational in Roman culture, and its breakdown signaled a deep societal crisis. He also references the prevalence of similar vice lists in other Pauline letters, suggesting that Paul was drawing on a familiar rhetorical device to his audience. Begg further situates the passage in the context of first-century Rome, where the collapse of moral standards was both a Jewish critique of Gentile society and a lived reality for Paul’s audience.

Rejecting God: The Path to Moral Decay (Alistair Begg) echoes and expands on this by noting that the vice of “disobedience to parents” was especially shocking in Roman culture, where family hierarchy was a bedrock of social order. He also highlights the Jewish perspective that viewed certain sins (like homosexuality) as “Gentile problems,” and explains how Paul uses the vice list to confront Jewish self-righteousness in the following chapter.

Humanity's Rebellion and the Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) provides historical context by noting that Paul wrote to first-century Rome, a society already experiencing the "moral chaos" described in the passage. Begg explains that the Jewish audience would have viewed certain sins (e.g., homosexuality) as uniquely Gentile and abhorrent, and that Paul's inclusion of more "respectable" sins in the list was meant to confront Jewish self-righteousness. He also references the foundational role of parental authority in Roman and earlier Western cultures, noting that the breakdown of this authority was seen as a sign of societal decay.

Divine Obedience: Honoring Parents and God (Alistair Begg) offers historical insight into the Greco-Roman and Stoic valuation of parental authority, explaining that obedience to parents was considered essential for a stable society, though often enforced through brutality rather than love. The sermon notes that Paul's inclusion of "disobedient to parents" in the vice list would have been striking, as it was seen as a foundational sign of cultural collapse.

Re-Centering Life Around God's Glory and Hope (Desiring God) provides historical and contextual insight by situating Romans 1:28-32 within the broader narrative of the fall and the subsequent disordering of creation. The sermon explains that Paul's audience would have understood the language of "God gave them over" as a reference to divine judgment, drawing on Old Testament themes of exile and punishment for idolatry. The preacher also references the cultural context of the Greco-Roman world, where idolatry and sexual immorality were rampant, and argues that Paul's list of sins in Romans 1 would have been seen as a comprehensive indictment of both pagan and Jewish audiences. Additionally, the sermon connects the futility and corruption of creation described in Romans 8 to the original sin and the ongoing consequences of humanity's rejection of God's glory, providing a sweeping historical-theological context for understanding the passage.

Romans 1:28-32 Cross-References in the Bible:

Responding to Moral Chaos with Hope and Love (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) cross-references Romans 2:15, where Paul speaks of the law written on the hearts of Gentiles and the role of conscience in bearing witness to right and wrong. Begg uses this to argue that knowledge of God’s decree is universal, but insufficient to restrain evil. He also references Titus 3:3-5, where Paul reminds believers that they too were once enslaved to passions and malice, but were saved by the “goodness and loving kindness of God,” not by fear of judgment. Additionally, he alludes to Genesis 2-3 (“in the day you eat of this you will surely die”) as the original divine decree known to all humanity.

Rejecting God: The Path to Moral Decay (Alistair Begg) references Romans 2:1-3, where Paul warns religious people against self-righteous judgment, and Luke 18 (the Pharisee and the tax collector) to illustrate the danger of spiritual pride. He also alludes to Psalm 139 as a contrast to the godless worldview, and to 2 Timothy 3 (another vice list) as a parallel to Paul’s catalog in Romans 1.

Aligning Hearts: Embracing Divine Truth and Stewardship (Dallas Willard Ministries) cross-references Genesis 1:26 (the creation mandate), Psalm 8 (the dignity and vocation of humanity), Isaiah 63:11-12 (God’s partnership with Moses), Luke 16 and 19 (parables of stewardship and ruling), Hebrews 1-2 (the destiny of humanity in Christ), Matthew 11:11 (the greatness of those in the kingdom), and Revelation 22:5 (the future reign of the redeemed). Willard uses these passages to build a theology of human nature and destiny, arguing that the loss of God’s knowledge in Romans 1 is a loss of the very purpose for which humanity was created.

Living Surrendered: Finding Freedom in God's Will (Dallas Willard Ministries) cross-references 2 Timothy 3 (another vice list, focusing on the word “implacable”), James 3:13-18 (the contrast between earthly and heavenly wisdom), Isaiah 6 (the vision of God’s holiness and human sinfulness), and 1 Corinthians 15:58 (steadfastness in doing good). Willard uses these passages to illustrate the difference between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom from above, and to encourage believers to cultivate the reflective will and steadfastness in good works.

Humanity's Rebellion and the Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) references several passages to expand on Romans 1:28-32. He draws on Psalm 139 to contrast a God-centered worldview with the "practical atheism" described in Romans. He also references Luke 18 (the Pharisee and the tax collector) to warn against self-righteousness, and Titus 3:3-5 to remind believers of their own past and the transformative kindness of God. Additionally, he mentions 2 Timothy 3, where a similar list of vices appears, and Philippians (Paul's own self-righteousness before conversion) to illustrate the universality of sin.

Divine Obedience: Honoring Parents and God (Alistair Begg) cross-references Ephesians 6 ("children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right") and 2 Timothy 3 (vice list including "disobedient to parents") to show the biblical consistency of the theme. He also references Genesis (creation order) and the Ten Commandments to ground the principle of obedience in creation and law.

Hope Amidst Human Depravity: The Gospel's Power (Desiring God) references Matthew 5:27-29 (Jesus on adultery and lust) to illustrate the seriousness of sin and its consequences, and Romans 1:18-21 to support the claim that all people know God and his standards. The sermon also cites Charles Hodge's commentary on the innate knowledge of God's wrath.

Understanding Human Depravity and the Hope of the Gospel (Desiring God) references Romans 1:16-18 to explain the need for the gospel and the nature of God's wrath, as well as the repeated "God gave them over" statements in Romans 1:24, 26, and 28 to show the progression and nature of divine judgment.

Re-Centering Life Around God's Glory and Hope (Desiring God) makes extensive use of cross-references to expand on Romans 1:28-32. The sermon references Romans 8:20-23 to explain the cosmic consequences of humanity's exchange of God's glory for idols, arguing that the "futility" and "slavery to corruption" experienced by creation are direct results of the judgment described in Romans 1. The preacher also cites Romans 3:9-10 to emphasize the universality of sin, stating that "all are under sin" and that "there is none righteous, no not one," reinforcing the idea that the disorders listed in Romans 1:28-32 are not limited to any particular group but encompass all humanity. These cross-references are used to build a comprehensive theological framework that connects individual sin to cosmic disorder and ultimate redemption.

Transformative Insight: Enlightenment of the Heart (Desiring God) cross-references Ephesians 1:17-19 and Ephesians 4:17-18 to discuss the nature of spiritual blindness and the need for enlightenment. The sermon also references Romans 2:4-5 to illustrate the connection between hardness of heart and the refusal to repent, and Matthew 13:13-15 (Jesus' teaching on parables) to draw a parallel between physical and spiritual perception. These passages are used to support the argument that the root problem in Romans 1:28-32 is not ignorance but a willful rejection of God's worth, and that true knowledge of God requires divine intervention to overcome this hardness.

Honoring Marriage: A Call to Holiness and Faithfulness (Desiring God) references 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 and 1 Peter 3:7 to discuss the importance of marital faithfulness and honor, using Romans 1:28-32 to illustrate the consequences of rejecting God from one's knowledge. The sermon also cites earlier verses in Romans 1 (verses 23 and 25) to highlight the theme of "exchange" and idolatry, and applies these themes to the practical context of marriage and sexual ethics.

Romans 1:28-32 Christian References outside the Bible:

Responding to Moral Chaos with Hope and Love (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) explicitly references C.S. Lewis, quoting his analogy of children making mud pies in a slum instead of enjoying a holiday at the sea, to illustrate the poverty of human desire apart from God. Begg also cites John Murray’s commentary, quoting his statement that sinners are “content in damning themselves but in congratulating others in doing these same things.” He mentions Rosaria Butterfield’s testimony as an example of how kindness, rather than condemnation, can break down resistance to the gospel.

Aligning Hearts: Embracing Divine Truth and Stewardship (Dallas Willard Ministries) references C.S. Lewis’s “The Abolition of Man,” highlighting Lewis’s prophetic warning that the loss of objective moral knowledge leads to the domination of the many by the desires of the few, and the eventual abolition of humanity as free moral agents. Willard also recommends Jonathan Edwards’s treatise on virtue as a profound treatment of love as the principle of the kingdom of God.

Living Surrendered: Finding Freedom in God's Will (Dallas Willard Ministries) quotes C.S. Lewis’s idea that God ultimately says to the unrepentant, “thy will be done,” as a description of the final consequence of rejecting God’s will. Willard also shares a statement from George Müller about dying to self, and concludes with John Wesley’s exhortation to “do all the good you can, by all the means you can…” as a model of Christian service.

Humanity's Rebellion and the Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) explicitly references J.B. Phillips' paraphrase of Romans 1:25-32, highlighting the heading "The fearful consequences of deliberate atheism" as a helpful summary. He also cites John Murray's commentary, quoting Murray's statement that sinners not only damn themselves but "congratulate others in doing these same things that they know result in damnation." Begg further references C.S. Lewis's analogy of children making mud pies in a slum, failing to grasp the greater joy God offers, and mentions Rosaria Butterfield's testimony as an example of transformation through kindness.

Hope Amidst Human Depravity: The Gospel's Power (Desiring God) explicitly references Charles Hodge, quoting his statement: "The most reprobate sinner carries about within him a knowledge of his just exposure to the wrath of God," to support the idea of innate moral awareness.

Romans 1:28-32 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Responding to Moral Chaos with Hope and Love (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) uses several secular illustrations to bring Romans 1:28-32 to life. He references a Little League game where a parent’s outburst illustrates the loss of “oughtness” in society, and the subsequent need for legislation to control behavior. Begg discusses the transformation of art and music, referencing the destructive performances of Keith Moon and The Who, and the rise of discordant, “ugly” modern art as symptoms of a culture that has lost its sense of beauty and order. He also recounts the story of Simon & Garfunkel singing “Silent Night” over a news broadcast, using it as a metaphor for the coexistence of human potential for good (“angel”) and evil (“ape”). Additionally, he references the book “Modern Art and the Death of a Culture” by Hans Rookmaaker to support his argument about the cultural consequences of rejecting God.

Aligning Hearts: Embracing Divine Truth and Stewardship (Dallas Willard Ministries) uses the example of political debates (John Kerry and George Bush) to illustrate the “politics of contempt” that arises from a depraved mind, suggesting that genuine discourse about the good is almost impossible in a culture that has lost its moral bearings. He also humorously references efforts to “reforest Mars” and the rescue of whales as examples of humanity’s built-in sense of responsibility for creation, even when disconnected from God. Willard further uses the analogy of children making gifts for their parents to illustrate the innate human desire to do good and leave a legacy.

Living Surrendered: Finding Freedom in God's Will (Dallas Willard Ministries) uses the example of angry customers at a poorly run McDonald’s to illustrate the prevalence of the “impulsive will” in society. He also references Starbucks’ shift from “humbly serve” to “proudly serve” as a sign of cultural change toward self-centeredness. Willard quotes Ogden Nash’s poem “The Thing That Couldn’t Be Done” to illustrate the joy and perseverance possible even at a purely human level, and contrasts it with the futility of life without God. He also references Martin Luther King Jr. as an example of someone who stood against injustice without anger, embodying the meekness and strength of the reflective will.

Humanity's Rebellion and the Transformative Power of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth For Life) uses several detailed secular illustrations. He references Paul Simon and Simon & Garfunkel's rendition of "Silent Night" sung over a news broadcast detailing violence and tragedy, using it as a metaphor for the coexistence of beauty and depravity in human culture. Begg also discusses the destructive behavior of rock musicians like Keith Moon and The Who, smashing instruments and hotel rooms, as an example of the irrationality and chaos that result from a "debased mind." He further uses the example of contemporary art in Ohio, describing it as "absolute filth," to illustrate the replacement of beauty with ugliness in a culture that has abandoned God. Additionally, he recounts a personal anecdote about a centenarian and the perceived connection between honoring parents and longevity, as well as a story about a retired minister welcoming drug addicts into his home as an example of Christlike kindness.

Hope Amidst Human Depravity: The Gospel's Power (Desiring God) uses the analogy of "drinking arsenic" to describe the self-destructive nature of habitual sin, particularly in the context of pornography, and the complicity of those who profit from it. The preacher also uses the metaphor of "spiritual suicide" and "murderous love affair" to describe the active encouragement of others to join in sin, and the analogy of "sinking in Taffy" to illustrate the suffocating, inescapable nature of sin when God gives people over to their desires.

Understanding Human Depravity and the Hope of the Gospel (Desiring God) employs the vivid metaphor of choosing a "black fly" with a blinding parasite over the glory of God, illustrating the irrationality and self-destructiveness of sin. The mind is compared to a "lackey" or servant, justifying the heart's desires, and the analogy of "fondling the fly in our blindness" is used to depict the willful embrace of destructive behavior.

Re-Centering Life Around God's Glory and Hope (Desiring God) uses the real-world example of the murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, as a contemporary illustration of the consequences of exchanging the glory of God for self-exaltation and self-determination. The preacher argues that such acts of violence are the result of a society that has displaced God from the center and replaced Him with "man-made satellites" that lack the gravitational pull to hold human passions in order. This example is used to dramatize the societal impact of the disorder described in Romans 1:28-32, making the ancient text relevant to modern listeners by connecting it to a widely known event of moral and social breakdown.