“undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful” (Romans 1:31).
The final group of sinful characteristics from this portion of Romans chapter one begins with a reference to those who are undiscerning. Discernment involves the ability to see things as they are, and not how they may appear to be. In light of this, the person described here in Romans 1:31 is someone who lacks the perception necessary to make spiritual, moral, or ethical judgments that align with God’s intent for His creation.
While such individuals might be highly skilled in a professional capacity, they may be entirely devoid of spiritual discernment. Jesus illustrated that unfortunate reality in an interaction with the religious leaders of His era…
“…’When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times'” (Matthew 16:2-3 NIV).
Thus, we are reminded that proficiency in one area of life does not necessarily mean that we possess the ability to discern spiritual truth.
That negative character trait is then followed by a reference to those who are untrustworthy. This attribute goes far beyond the simple question of whether it is wise to rely on someone or let that person borrow something we own. You see, every substantive human relationship must feature an element of trust as part of its foundation. When trust is not present, it is virtually impossible to invest emotionally in others.
This is why we are often forced to maintain shallow relationships with those we perceive to be untrustworthy. By doing so, we limit the capacity of those individuals to hurt us. This characteristic thus robs us of the ability to establish and maintain deep human relationships.
“Unloving” describes a lack of natural affection, such as the kind that should exist among friends and family members. Since love always seeks another person’s highest good, it is difficult to follow God’s command to love one another if we refuse to acknowledge Him. In such instances, “love” sometimes devolves into a matter of preference, convenience, or personal benefit.
Next comes those who are unforgiving. Forgiveness is “the act of excusing or pardoning others in spite of their slights, shortcomings, and errors.” (1) If we fail to recognize our personal need for forgiveness, it becomes much harder to forgive others. This passage, along with Jesus’ teachings on the subject of forgiveness, should motivate us to seek God’s empowerment to put aside our animosities and embrace genuine forgiveness.
This verse then concludes with a reference to those who are unmerciful. Once again, we can turn to Jesus’ teachings for an important reminder on this subject: “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
(1) “Forgiveness.” Ronald F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison, Thomas Nelson Publishers, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1995).