“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” (Romans 1:28)
There is a point where the Lord’s mercy ends, everyone in hell right now will attest to this fact, but those in question in this short letter to you are still alive, they have not yet experienced the first death. There are notions that pertain to two different equations when speaking to these individuals, one is that they may still repent and be saved, the other states that all hope of salvation is gone from them. Romans 3:23 stands as truth for them as much as it does for all of mankind, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” but the people in question here have gone one step further, they are with malice and intent performing deeds that are in direct violation of the Word of God, they know they are sinning and it does not bother them one bit to do so.
The key words are of course, “God gave them over,” His hand no longer stretches forth towards them in grace. It is not so much a matter of they may yet repent, but that they will not by their own choice. This can be validated with those who will be in the Tribulation period who even when the days are at their worst will not repent but will instead ask for the rocks to fall upon them. (Rev. 6:16)
There have always been people who have understood full well that there is a Sovereign God in heaven who rules in the affairs of mankind, (Daniel 4:17) but who will deny Him until their dying breath. These are some of those who fulfill Matthew 13:50, “And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” They are the ones gnashing their teeth, cursing the Most High in hell, and they will continue to curse Him for all eternity in the Lake of Fire. Their pride of life (1 John 2:16) has not just overpowered them as if they had no control over it, but they have willingly acquiesced to it, given themselves over to the moment, and to the flesh.
They know they are going to hell, and they don’t care.
The closest representation of this that comes to mind would be Satan and all those that fell with him. Recall what they spoke to Christ in Matthew 8:29, “And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” There was no plea for mercy, for forgiveness, no words that were spoken that showed they desired to be released from what they knew was their fate. They know for a fact they can never return to their first estate, (Jude 1:6) and so they hold back nothing, the essence of the action of sin lives within them.
There are those that would like to think that there is still hope for those that the Lord has given over to that reprobate mind, but I would call your attention to not only Judas Iscariot, but also to Romans 9:22, “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.” The Roman Catholic cult proclaims that Judas repented, but it can be proven quite easily that that repentance was not towards God, but only towards the deed he had done. The vessels of wrath are those that the Lord has given over to that reprobate mind, and all those who deny that Jesus Christ is Lord.
One could also discuss those who would crucify Christ anew spoken of in Hebrews 6:6, and perhaps we will discuss them at a later time, as the Lord leads, but for today I would ask that you contemplate the giving over of those with that reprobate mind, and whether or not such a one will ever seek the Lord for mercy in repentance, or if His hand has been forever removed from them. Whether they will or whether they can any longer is the question.
