Just in case anyone thinks Paul particularly had it in for homosexuals he now gives an indictment against all sorts of wickedness. The consequence of rejecting God, and so being rejected by God, is that we become full of evil, greed and depravity. This is the expanded to include envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. This in turn is followed by another list. It was common practice in literature of the time to give lists of vices or virtues when talking about such things. Now our reaction might be to think that Paul is being somewhat on the harsh side, but a little thought shows that he is not far off the mark at all. See how widespread malice and deceit is, both in public and private life. There are certainly many who are god-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful. The breakdown of relationships between parents and children is endemic in society. Fidelity, love and mercy are so often not found in relationships. Now at the same time we need to realise that Paul is not saying that no one does any good at all, this is a rhetorical list. Ie he is emphasising the role and extent of evil in individuals and in society.
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