What does it mean to have a reprobate mind?

The New Translation (JND) renders verse 28, “And according as they did not think good to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up” etc. They would give no approval to having God in their knowledge — as much a matter of the mind as of the heart, both of these being corrupted. Hence “God gave them up to a reprobate mind,” a mind that rejects the good and is therefore rejected by the good — abandoned to its worthlessness and wilful lack of discernment.

"And even as they approved not to have God in knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do things unbecoming; being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, guile, ill-disposition; whisperers, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boasters, inventors of mischiefs, disobedient to parents, without understanding, perfidious, without natural affection, unmerciful; who, well knowing the righteous decree of God that those who do such things are worthy of death, not only do them but also take complacency in those who do them." (Ver. 28-32.) What pit of immorality can be lower than this last?

The word ἀδόκιμος is here as elsewhere translated "reprobate," as this well suits the phrase and contrasts their not approving to retain God in their knowledge with His giving them over to a "disapproved" mind. But it may rightly bear an active sense, and would then mean an "undiscerning" mind, as the sentence on their presumption in rejecting God after pretending to test and try the matter. It will be observed that in verse 29 I have omitted on good external authority πορνείᾳ ("fornication"), as the internal appears to me to turn the scale against it. As for the resemblance to πονηρίᾳ, it might act either in giving room to its insertion by mistake, or to its omission. But I think that the first class consists of personal evil; the second of that which is relative; as the third brings out, not roots of moral pravity, abstractedly viewed, whether personal or relative, but developed wicked characters, and this in an order neither unsystematic nor difficult to discern. Ἀσπόνδους is deficient in authority, being omitted in the best and most ancient manuscripts. "Implacable" is therefore left out of verse 31. It was probably introduced here because of its connection with ἄστοργοι in 2 Timothy 3:3.

Their plight has been reached under the government of God. Three times over do we get the phrase (with slight variations) "God gave them up to …" If men object to thinking of God and give Him up, they have no ground of complaint when He gives them up. And if they give up God, and consequently good, they naturally find themselves given up to everything that is evil and degrading. There is an ironic justice about God's government.

When summing up the sins of the Gentiles the apostle says, "God gave them over to a reprobate mind." Why? Because "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge." (Rom. 1:28.) This was the root, and all the other sins were but the fruits. God does not ask for your goodness. He wants the heart, and this is what man does not like to give.

(Vv. 28-31). The condition described in the verses that follow, present an awful picture of the abominations of the heathen world. The condition described by this catalogue of crimes is traced back to one root. When men had some knowledge of God, "They did not think good to have God in their knowledge" (N.Tn). Men deliberately gave up the light that God had given of Himself with the result that man is given over to a reprobate mind, abandoned to his depraved thoughts. The awful effect of sin is to leave men with defiled bodies (24), degraded affections (26), and deformed minds (28). Man is fallen body, soul, and spirit.

Did you ever think why, in the epistle to the Romans, there is such a terrible arraignment of man's corruptions all set before us in the first chapter? There is unutterable corruption, almost inconceivable corruption, save to those who know what the heart of man is. And yet, why is this mentioned in connection with an epistle that deals with men who have the knowledge of God? I will tell you why, dear brethren. If men lose the knowledge of God, if they depart from Him, if they corrupt God, they will corrupt themselves. God gave them over to a reprobate mind because they had corrupted Him, and did not like to retain Him in their knowledge. That is the reason why all the unutterable vices of heathenism flourish.

Consequently God gave them up to reap as they had sown. It is not that He made them sin (God forbid the thought!), but He threw the reins upon man's neck, just that it might be brought out what was in sinful man's heart — in my heart, reader, and yours. Accordingly we find that sin ruined men's bodies (v. 24), their affections (v. 26), and their minds (v. 28). Three times does it say that God gave them up, and three times is the solemn result stated. First, they set the Creator at naught (v. 25), next, they were wicked towards each other (v. 27), and lastly, there was no form that sin could assume, that did not come out of their wicked hearts (vv. 29-32). They sinned just for the delight of sinning, and found their agreeable company in those that did the same.

Scripture shows that there is an intimate connection between the two, and that the heart exercises a considerable influence over the mind. When the declension of man from the knowledge of God to the darkness and corruption of heathendom is described, it is first stated that they "became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened." It then follows that "even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind" (Rom. 1:21, 28). The heart foolish and darkened was the precursor of the reprobate mind. Again, the apostle prays for the Ephesians that God would give them "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of your heart (not, "understanding" as in the A.V.) being enlightened: that ye may know what is the hope of his calling," etc. So that it is clear that while the knowledge of God was lost through the darkening of the heart, the full knowledge of Him is now communicated through the enlightening of the heart. Since the heart therefore is the highway to every true and proper apprehension of the things of God, it is of the highest importance that the heart should be strictly guarded; even as it is said, "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). So the apostle writes to the Philippians, "And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7), thus pointing out what alone can form an efficient garrison for the central citadel of man's nature.

Verses 28-32. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge," etc. Human will has thrown off the yoke of God, but to recover the lost position is impossible to man. They are the slaves of a reprobate mind. But the mind of man cannot be light and dark at the same time. It is an active principle, which works out its ends according to the direction and bias under which it moves. But that bias is fixed for evil, and that by the judgment of God. He has given them up to work an evil work. They are filled with evil. Not partially depraved, but filled with all iniquity. Most solemn, most fearful truth! But they also know that it is even so. Conscience affords light enough to keep perpetually before the mind the dark and uneasy dread of an unsatisfied responsibility towards God. Moreover, the eye is ever in presence of the material witness of the Divine glory. The prevalence and extent of moral corruption are known and reckoned on by man, (all human legislation proceeds on the recognition of this) but acquiesced in, and furthered unceasingly, by the course and progress of human society (verse 32).

31 It is God's way, when the light He gives is rejected, to give men up to blindness, and this giving up by God is an act of judgment on God's part; as these Gentiles, not liking to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. It was so with the Jews; rejecting the testimony God had given them, God says by the mouth of the prophets "make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy," etc.; of the Gentiles it is said, "who changed the truth of God into a lie"; so of the professing church, fallen from the light, God says, "I will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie." Thus we see, whether Jews, or Gentiles, or nominal Christians, the effect of man being given up of God - what man is when left to himself, and the judgment of God in his neglect or abuse of light. Natural light was given in the beginning in the testimony of creation, and man began with the knowledge of God as thus dealing with him; but men did not like to retain God in their knowledge. There is the pleading, too, of conscience, for every man has a conscience, distinct from grace. But conscience cannot bring us to God. Conscience is the sense of responsibility, united to the knowledge of good and evil, and this last part acquired in the fall. But we must remember, if the conscience becomes awakened, it is not life and peace, and therefore only drives us away from God, like Adam in the garden hiding himself from God.

As the Gentiles did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. So the Jews, having been disobedient to God's testimony, sentence is passed upon them by Isaiah seven hundred years before it was accomplished: "Make the heart of this people fat," etc., for such is the patience of God; as Stephen also says, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did [in the past dispensation], so do ye [in this dispensation]." Both guilty of the same sin, and according to Peter's testimony of the witness given to Jesus, those very things by which Christ was testified to have come from God, will be the very thing that will lead the Jews to receive the false Christ in the latter day. "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know," Acts 2:22. Compare this with 2 Thessalonians 2:8, "Then shall that wicked one be revealed … with all power [miracles], and signs, and lying wonders." Thus as the Jews rejected what God did in their midst by Jesus of Nazareth; so they will receive what Satan will do by that wicked one; and all this, as the apostle goes on to say, because they received not the love of the truth.