God's Wrath?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week we closed our time with Romans 1:17.
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Notice the last part of the verse. “The righteous will live by faith.” The problem is that in our world today there are very few people who are living the righteous life that God desires.
Do you remember how Satan tempted Eve back in the garden? He told her that if she ate of the forbidden fruit she would be like God! From early in creation, the human race has wanted to be God! The human race wants to replace God.
When we have the opportunity to choose between bowing before Almighty God, or playing god; playing god is very appealing.
Paul’s day was no different than our day today. In his day people were playing God—this was especially true in the capital city of Rome! Paul wants his readers to know what happens to those who, by their choice, choose to live their lives by their own rules.
Today we are still in Romans 1, and we’re going to being with verse 18. Now before we begin, I want you to know that this is not an easy passage to preach. I want you to know that it is not a “feel good” passage. That is because it addresses God’s wrath on mankind. Honestly, no one wants to hear this message, but it is a strong message that we need to hear today.
Now remember we closed our passage last week with Paul stating that the righteous will live by faith.” Now he looks at what happens to the “unrighteous.”
God’s Wrath
God’s Wrath
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
Paul states that God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven. It seems like everyone loves to talk about the love of God, but God’s righteousness demands that He also be a God who carries out punishment for those who refuse to live by His commands.
His wrath (or punishment) is being poured out on:
—all the godless people (godlessness).
—all the wicked people (wickedness).
—Now we are told why His punishment is being revealed. It is because these people suppress the truth by their wickedness.
You see that is the real problem—these people actually keep others from seeing the truth about God! And God says that deserves to be punished.
As you read this passage, you can almost see Paul anticipating our objections! He sees that you and I might say, “Wait a minute! What about those people who have either never hear the good news about Jesus, or who are not able to hear the good news because of all these wicked people are keeping them from hearing about God!
Well, look at verse 19.
since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
People want to make it God’s fault by saying, “We didn’t know. . .” But look at what this verse actually says:
What can be know about God is plain to them. It’s not hidden or hard to find.
In case we don’t get it, Paul says, “God made it plain to them.” That’s right God does not hide from us—He is there right in front of us! Right in plain sight.
One way God makes Himself plain to us is through his creation! Look at verse 20.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Here’s a great thing—God reveals Himself through His creation.
God reveals His invisible qualities—since God is “Spirit” (John 4:24) these are qualities that cannot be seen with the naked eye! John 4:24 says,
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
—First He reveals his eternal power. God’s power is clearly seen in creation.
—The second thing that is revealed is God’s divine nature. That’s right, creation reveals the very nature of the divine creator of the universe.
Paul says all of this can be clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.
So that people are without excuse. That means when someone says, “How can God send someone to hell who has ‘never heard’ the gospel?” The answer is simple! Every person has learned about God through His creation! And no one can say, “I didn’t know!”
The real problem is that people want to be god instead of worshipping the God! Look at verse 21.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Paul says that people “knew God”—they have knowledge that God exists.
But they don’t:
—Glorify Him as God.
—Nor do they give Him thanks.
So their thinking became futile or foolish.
Their foolish hearts became dark!
Whenever people try to play “god” their thinking becomes empty and futile because their foolish hearts become more and more dark!
But it gets worse. Look at verse 22.
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
First, they claim to be wise—because they really believe they are wise!
But they are really fools!
They are fools because they trade the glory of the immortal God for false gods.
—Images made to look like mere people.
—Images that look like birds.
—Images that look like all kinds of animals.
—Images that look like reptiles.
In our world today, people worship humans. We make a big fuss over movie stars, athletes, or the wealthy.
Our world today worships all kinds of created things. Like a whale that beaches itself, or endangered animals.
Yes our world worships the created things instead of worshiping the creator!
When this happens, God lets people go their own way! That’s right, He lets them follow their sinful desires. Look at verse 24.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
See, God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts.
God gave them over to sexual impurity. So that people degraded their bodies with each other.
They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Paul says they exchanged the truth about God for a lie.
They worshiped and served the created things, instead of serving the Creator!
The Creator—God—is to be praised forever and forever!
Now in verse 26 we are going to learn how they despised the creator. Look at verse 26.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
First God let them do their shameful acts.
Now remember this is what God’s Word says! NOT me.
Women exchanged natural sexual relationships for unnatural ones.
Men also abandoned natural sexual relationships with women.
Instead they became inflamed with lust for one another.
So that men committed shameful acts with other men.
And they receive the penalty for their sin.
Now just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, we come to verse 28.
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
These people did not think it was worthwhile to hang onto their knowledge about God. That is exactly what is happening in our world today—those who have turned their backs on God, want to erase any thought of God’s existence.
When this happens—God lets people be overtaken by their depraved minds and thoughts.
And they end up doing all kinds of things that should not be done!
When we come to verse 29-30 we are told some specifics of what happens to these people.
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.
The become filled with every kind of wickedness.
The become filled with all kinds of evil.
The become filled with greed.
And depravity.
They become full of envy.
Full of murder—no respect for human life.
Full of strife—arguments and quarrels.
Full of deceit.
And full of malice—just plain meanness!
The are gossips.
They are slanderers—speaking untruths.
They are God-haters—if this doesn’t describe our world today nothing does.
They are insolent—violent.
They are arrogant!
And they are boastful.
They invent ways of doing evil.
And they are disobedient to their parents.
They have NO understanding—senseless.
They have no fidelity—they are faithless!
They have no love.
And no mercy.
Here’s the problem.
Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Remember people are without excuse. They know God’s righteous decrees.
They know that people who live this way deserve death.
But that doesn’t draw them to repentance. Instead they continue to do these things.
And not only that, but they approve of those who practice them!
SO WHAT
SO WHAT
Today we face a decision. We must choose how we will live our lives! Will we live them worshiping the creator, or will we worship the created—the world, animals, birds, fish, reptiles, or humans?
God calls us to live and serve Him and Him alone.