Romans 1:18-25 - Wrath Revealed
The good news begins with bad news.
Romans 1:18–25 (NASB95)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Heidelberg Catechism
Q&A 2
Q. What must you know to live and die in the joy of the comfort of knowing that you belong in life and in death to your faithful Savior Jesus Christ?
A. Three things:
first, how great my sin and misery are;
second, how I am set free from all my sins and misery;
third, how I am to thank God for such deliverance.
Q&A 10
Q. Will God permit disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished?
A. Certainly not.
He is terribly angry
about the sin we are born with
as well as the sins we personally commit.
As a just judge
he punishes them now and in eternity.
He has declared:
“Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do
everything written in the Book of the Law.”
Q&A 11
Q. But isn’t God also merciful?
A. God is certainly merciful,
but he is also just.
His justice demands
that sin, committed against his supreme majesty,
be punished with the supreme penalty—
eternal punishment of body and soul.
Summary
In his letter to the Romans, Paul presents a thorough explanation of the Gospel. His teaching of the Gospel does not begin with grace or forgiveness, but with the problem of our sin. This is a fitting place to start because before you can appreciate the grace of Jesus, you must first understand your guilt before God.
While God is loving and forgiving, you must also recognize that God is just. As Paul describes it, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Sin is more than a little mistake; it is a rebellion against God which is worthy of invoking his wrath!
And not only does mankind sin against God, but we are also guilty of suppressing the truth. God has made himself known through creation. The testimony to God’s presence is everywhere; in the nature around us, in the complexities of our bodies, and written in the stars of the night sky.
Despite God making himself known, mankind fails to honor him. Instead of following God, mankind tends to fall into all kinds of idolatry. In ancient times idolatry often took the form of worshipping a carved piece of wood. While this type of idol worship may have faded away over time, idolatry still runs rampant today. It may not be made of wood, but people still seek to replace God with a deity of their own creation.
Dig Deeper
God is just, God is good, and He is holy. For generations, ministers and theologians have been warning about a dangerous trend that has extended beyond their lifetime. Christians were, and still are, watering down the gospel. In a fool-hearted attempt to win people over; believers, preachers, and evangelists have come to heavily focus on the more favorable aspects of the gospel.
God is love; this is the truth of scripture. The problem is that so much emphasis is placed on the love of God that the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness is being forgotten. I’m sad to report that some people’s entire theology is built around the idea that God is love, leading them to conclude that what God wants for them is whatever makes them happy…. even if that thing is sinful.
God is holy and rightly has wrath and righteous anger towards that which is evil. God is both loving and just. Part of God’s just nature is the punishing of wrongdoing. It is through our knowledge of how God is just and his wrath against ungodliness that we come to understand and appreciate the work of Jesus on the cross.
At the crucifixion, Jesus suffered an incredible amount of torment and pain, yet this was not all that he endured. Jesus also took upon himself the full wrath of God towards our unrighteousness. When you de-emphasize the seriousness of your sin, you are also downplaying the Cross.
Spend time today contemplating your sin, the price Jesus paid to provide forgiveness, and thanking God for the grace you have been given.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose wrath is being revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the grace His shown to you in Christ;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
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