The Wrath of God
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Romans 1:18-32
Romans 1:18-32
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Before revealing the Righteousness of God provided on the basis of faith, Paul first establishes why we (all of humanity) needs it. Everyone stands condemned under sin and unable to conquer the power of sin to live.
Humanity needs God’s righteousness provided by grace. So Paul shows us through four distinct ways the that all men are condemned under sin.
The Condemnation of the Heathen World (1:18-32)
The Condemnation of the moral man (2:1-16)
The Condemnation of the religious man (2:17-3:8)
The Condemnation of the whole world (3:9-20)
Paul shows us that everyone needs God and His grace. The whole world is born under the condemnation of sin.
I. The Wrath of God (Vs18)
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
a. What is the wrath of God?
The Greek word means “not a sudden or arbitrary anger or passion, but a consistent indignation based on a holy righteous standard, God’s standard.
It is revealed. Literally continually revealed. The idea is to uncover, make visible.
The wrath of God is revealed in two ways:
Natural consequences. For example someone who abuses drugs and ends up with physical health problems, even death.
The Word of God.
Eternal Wrath= Hell
Prophetic Wrath= Day of the Lord
Cataclysmic Wrath= Flood, Sodom
Consequential Wrath= Sowing and Reaping
Abandonment Wrath= Removing Restraint
b. Against who is the wrath revealed?
Those who suppress the truth. Suppress means to hold down, or reject truth. This is primarily done in two ways:
Ungodliness
Lack of reverence , devotion to and worship of the
true God. One has said “it refers vertically to
human violation of the first four commandments
directed at God.”
2. Unrighteousness
Lack of conformity in thought, word or deed to
the character of God and His laws. This refers
horizontally to violations to human rights by
disregarding the last six commandments.
II. Why is the Wrath of God revealed? (vs18)
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
The wrath of God is revealed because God revealed Himself and they rejected Him. How did He reveal Himself? Two primary ways God revealed Himself:
1 God revealed Himself through Conscience.
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
Paul begins by saying in vs 19 that in the heart of every man is the knowledge of right and wrong, put there by God Himself.
David Jeremiah writes “There is in a man that which longs to correspond with God, a God shaped vacuum, a sense of oughtness, a realization of guilt. Just a few verses later Paul explains that those without the law of God, by nature do the things in the law.... their conscience also bearing witness.”
That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John makes it clear that such knowledge is in the heart of every man. For example do you remember in Acts 28 when Paul had been shipwrecked and was snake bitten? The pagan natives concluded that was being punished for doing wrong. How did they have that knowledge? Paul says it was put in the heart of every man.
So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”
2 God has revealed Himself through creation (Vs19-20)
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
Creation reveals two things about God. First of all it reveals His Eternal Power, and second it reveals His Divine Nature.
Psalm 8 (NKJV)
O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.
There is a general revelation of Conscience and Creation and there is a specific revelation. Dr Clifford Marquardt said “ if someone accepts the general revelation , God will send someone to Him/her with the specific revelation of the Gospel.
III. How did they reject Him? (Vs21-27)
A. They rejected Him by not acknowledging Him for who
He is.
because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
They did not glorify Him as God. Glorify means to acknowledge Him as to His being, attributes and acts. They refused to acknowledge Him as God.
B. They rejected Him in their ungratefulness. (vs21)
Do you know ungratefulness or unthankfulness is a characteristic of unsaved people? Their refusal to acknowledge God as God led them to being unthankful.
C. They rejected Him in their intellect. (Vs21)
The word here for thoughts is the Greek word we get dialogue and it means to reason. Many of the world’s philosophers boast of their intelligence, yet speak of Christianity as of being ignorant and weak. When one comes to this place his/her heart is darkened and spiritual blindness sets in.
having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
As a result, they become fools.
Professing to be wise, they became fools,
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.
Have you ever seen a humble atheist? God’s word says they are fools, yet the world calls them intellectuals.
D. They rejected Him in Idolatry.
and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Idolatry is anything worshipped other than the true God. These people began to make their own gods to worship. It all started when they refused to acknowledge God as God then it keeps spiraling out of control.
IV. The consequences of their rejection. (Vs24-28)
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
A God gave them up.
The idea is of handing over a prisoner to his sentence.
How did He do this?
1 Indirectly and immediately by removing His restraint and allowing their own lusts to take over and lead them to allowing sin to run its course.
2 Directly and eventually by specific acts of divine judgment and punishment.
B This results in unbridled wicked behavior.
1 They changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped the creation not the creator. They became a slave to the creation and God gave them up to shameful lusts, God gave them to what the fallen flesh desires.
2 Homosexuality
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
It is a consequence of denying and rejecting the Lord. Not all who reject the Lord are Homosexuals, but all are capable.
There is a difference in someone who has homosexual tendencies and struggles and someone who blatantly practices without conviction and remorse.
God never intended homosexuality to be accepted. This is evident in it being a consequence of life without God. That’s why they never have peace and they want everyone to accept them, because they do not have peace about it. It is a judgment upon them because they reject God.
3 A debased or Reprobate Mind.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
A reprobate or debased mind means you no longer know how to discern right from wrong.
4 Filled with unrighteousness.
being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Conclusion
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Application:
Because to the grace of God, we don’t have to worry about the Wrath of God.
Because of the Gospel we can show others how they can avoid the wrath of God.
If you have never been saved, by faith the Gospel can transform you.