John Calvin Commentary Romans 1:24

"Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves:" — Romans 1:24 (ASV)

God therefore gave them up, etc. As impiety is a hidden evil, lest they should still find an evasion, he shows by a clearer demonstration that they cannot escape but must be held fast by a just condemnation, since such fruits have followed this impiety as can only be viewed as clear evidence of the Lord’s wrath.

As the Lord’s wrath is always just, it follows that what has exposed them to condemnation must have preceded it. By this evidence then he now proves the apostasy and defection of men: for the Lord indeed does so punish those who alienate themselves from His goodness that He casts them headlong into various courses which lead to perdition and ruin.

And by comparing the vices of which they were guilty with the impiety of which he had before accused them, he shows that they suffered punishment through the just judgment of God. For since nothing is dearer to us than our own honor, it is extreme blindness when we do not fear to bring disgrace on ourselves; and it is the most suitable punishment for a reproach against the Divine Majesty.

This is the very thing which he discusses to the end of the chapter; but he handles it in various ways, for the subject required thorough illustration.

What then, in short, he proves to us is this—that the ingratitude of men to God is incapable of being excused. For it is clear, by unequivocal evidence, that the wrath of God rages against them: they would have never rolled themselves in lusts so filthy, like beasts, had not the majesty of God been provoked and incensed against them.

Since, then, the worst abominations abounded everywhere, he concludes that there existed among them evidence of divine vengeance. Now, as this vengeance never rages without reason, or unjustly, but always keeps within the limits of what is right, he intimates that it therefore appears that perdition, not less certain than just, impended over all.

As to the manner in which God gives up or delivers men to wickedness, it is by no means necessary in this place to discuss a question so intricate, (longam—tedious). It is indeed certain that He not only permits men to fall into sin, by allowing them to do so and by conniving at them, but that He also, by His equitable judgment, so arranges things that they are led and carried into such madness by their own lusts, as well as by the devil.

He therefore adopts the word, give up, according to the constant usage of Scripture; which word they forcibly distort who think that we are led into sin only by the permission of God: for as Satan is the minister of God’s wrath, and as it were the executioner, so he is armed against us, not through connivance, but by the command of His judge.

God, however, is not on this account cruel, nor are we innocent, inasmuch as Paul plainly shows that we are not delivered up into Satan's power, except when we deserve such a punishment. Only we must make this exception, that the cause of sin is not from God, the roots of which always remain in the sinner himself; for this must be true:

“Thine is perdition, O Israel; in me only is thy help.”
(Hosea 13:9)

By connecting the desires or lusts of man’s heart with uncleanness, he indirectly intimates what sort of offspring our heart generates when left to itself. The expression, among themselves, is not without its force; for it significantly expresses how deep and indelible are the marks of infamy imprinted on our bodies.