What is reprobation? What does it mean to be reprobate?

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.

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.

The next two verses give further instruction on the subject. "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith, but they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." vv. 8, 9. Jannes and Jambres were the magicians of Egypt who withstood Moses and Aaron in the presence of Pharaoh. When Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, as the Lord had commanded, and it became a serpent, the magicians "also did in like manner with their enchantments" (Ex. 7:10-11). They thus resisted the truth by imitating the action of the Lord's servants; and it is in this way the truth will be, and is being, opposed in the perilous times. It is precisely in this character of opposition that the danger lies for unwary souls. Thus at the present moment all the false systems of men claim that they present all the characteristic truths of Christianity, or that these truths are only expounded in accordance with modern ideas. Satan is too subtle to commence by denying the truth of God; and hence he seeks first of all to insinuate that which seems like the truth, but which, under the expansion of which it is capable, finally ripens into anti-Christian error. This is why the name of Christ is attached, for example, to many soul-destroying systems, and why men, who really ignore every fundamental truth of Christianity, claim to be Christians.

The outward garb, then, of these resisters of the truth will be Christian in appearance, but the opened eye will detect that it is not the real thing, but an imitation. More than this — for the Holy Ghost exposes their true character — they are men of corrupt minds, and reprobate, tried and found worthless, concerning the faith. Inwardly they were evil men, and, tested by the Christian faith, they were to be rejected.

Such teachers, like Jannes and Jambres of old, withstand the truth by the imitation of the outward forms of religion, while wholly destitute of all that is vital in Christianity. Such are “men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith”. Every false system in Christendom can be traced to men whose minds have been corrupted by evil and who are found worthless as regards the faith.

We find the word here translated “castaway” used eight times in the New Testament, and each time in the fullest force of the word as lost! In the passage we have touched upon. In Rom. 1:28, as to the heathen; “God gave them over to a reprobate (adokimos) mind.” In 2 Cor. 13:5-6, 7; three times translated as “reprobates.” In Titus 1:16; the unbeliever is “unto every good work reprobate.” In 2 Tim. 3:8, the Jannes and Jambres resisters of the truth are “men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” And in Heb. 6:6, “that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.” No one could have a second thought as to these passages; and, besides, Paul never was disapproved or castaway in his ministry; never was his ministry so wondrously blessed, or used of God, as when from the prison in Rome came forth many of the scriptures of God.

The claim of such people that they know God is plainly refuted by the evil of their works. For it is manifest that God's works are completely contrary to theirs, His being unadulterated, true, and fruitful; but they in their works abominable, sunk to a depth comparable to lowest idol worship (for it is idols of which God speaks as "abominations"); and disobedient, having no concern whatever for subjection to their Creator; and as regards every good work, reprobate, or worthless. When one trifles with the things of God, being not honestly in heart turned to the Lord Himself, how low he may sink without realizing the horror of such a condition!

Then follow some verses in chapter 13. "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith, prove your own selves." Most are familiar with what the real truth of it is; that the beginning of verse 3 is connected with verse 4: "Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, examine yourselves," and so on. The last part of verse 3 with verse 4 is a parenthesis. The apostle had already shewn that these false teachers had been calling him in question; he had been giving the proofs of his ministry, and at last he says if you are looking for proof of Christ speaking in me, examine yourselves, as much as to say, "You foolish people, you are calling me in question; look then at yourselves." He adds, "Except ye be reprobates." A reprobate is one cast out as good for nothing; a figure from reprobate silver. He means, "If you are Christians, Christ has spoken by me, and it is by my means you are Christians."

At least, if this were true of them, Jesus Christ was in them: if not they were reprobates, that is, worthless, and only fit to be rejected. They would not accept this designation! Nor would they likely go so far as to brand Paul as reprobate, and verse 6 should at least have served to alert them as to the heartlessness of their unfair criticism of him.

It was his prayer to God that they should do no evil, certainly not the attitude of a reprobate. Nor did he desire this in order that he himself would be credited with such results in them, but for their own sakes as in the sight of God: if they kept from evil, Paul would not object to being thought of as reprobate, for it was not his own reputation he sought. (Of course, if the Corinthians would practice honesty in thought as well as deed, it would be evident to them that Paul was not reprobate.)

The preaching might be zealous, powerful, and blessed; but if the preacher indulged his lusts instead of mortifying them, God is not mocked, and he himself must be "reprobate." The word which is softened down to "disapproved" is never used in the N.T. in any sense but the worst. If said of "land" (Heb. 6), it means "worthless," bearing thorns and briars, but no acceptable fruit. So it is employed in 2 Cor. 13:5-6, 7, never for what is good though failing. Lack of perception that the apostle had no real fear as to himself, but was transferring the case to himself to make it all the stronger if he were to walk so wickedly, misled not a few to imagine that he meant works rejected but the preacher saved. It is precisely the contrary here. The preaching might be all right, but the preacher's life was offensive to God, and himself therefore rejected or as the A.V. says, "a castaway," which is quite sound, though it is a pity to multiply needlessly the rendering of the Greek word.

To my own mind then it is full of the deepest interest, that while God chose before the children were born, and decided what was to be the lot of the one relatively to the other, He never made any man to be a sinner. No doubt the children of Adam are conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity; mankind are born in that condition. Their whole being is lost in it. It is no question therefore of making man a sinner, because since the fall he departed from God and the race is evil without exception. Man belongs to a stock now wholly depraved — evil the sad and universal heirloom. God's election is entirely independent of what He finds, and spite of all evil. He elects angels no doubt that never fell: even so they had nothing to do with determining the rest who were not so kept. In every case it is simply a question of God's choice. But the fallen condition of man gives to God's election, where sinners are the only possible objects, an exceeding beauty and very deep moment. He chooses entirely apart from anything that deserves it, in the face of all that is out of harmony with Himself. It is not so where He judges and rejects.