Romans 1:24

‘For which reason God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonoured among themselves,'

And the consequence was that God gave them up, in the lusts (passionate desires for pleasure) of their hearts (minds, wills and emotions), to beastliness. They became what their gods were. And that involved them in uncleanness and dishonouring their bodies among themselves. The filthiness in man's nature became unrestricted, and it soon became apparent in their ways of life. Sexual perversion and immorality became commonplace, and it could all be justified as ‘worship' because it was regularly connected with the Temple. Sacred prostitutes were called ‘holy ones'. Today it is on the internet where men and women can satisfy their perverted lusts in a similar way.

Investigations into the beginnings of religion have indeed established this picture as true. Man initially believed in the equivalent of a spiritual ‘all-father', and worshipped in a simple way. It was only later that this became embellished with idolatry and magic.

‘God gave them up --- to uncleanness.' There can be no more chilling words than these, that God ‘gave them up' (see also Romans 1:28). He had had enough of their refusal to listen to Him, and so He allowed them to follow the desires of their own debased minds. He no longer intervened. But they did, of course, still have the testimony of nature, and of conscience, and of their own inner heart. It was just that they did not want to listen.