The Apostle Paul has an amazing way of urging a text. Like a barrister looking @ a legal matter, he lays down the subject & then meticulously works his way into it. This same approach he uses in the text today - The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (Romans 1:18 NIV) The 1st portion of chapter one has been devoted to an explanation of the Gospel and the reason for his sending this letter. Now, in this second section the apostle Paul turns his attention to those who are away from the Lord and are in need of this Gospel. For, just as much as Paul wanted the Romans to understand what the Gospel message was all about, he also wanted them to know why such a message was even necessary. Therefore, Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write about the wrath of God. It is Gods wrath against sin that forms the hub around which this last half of chapter one revolves. Now, I know that talking about Gods anger against sin is not a popular thing in our day. Man has tried his best to reduce God to some dim-witted, doting old grandfather type figure Who merely winks at the flaws in mankind and possesses no other emotion but love. In reality, God is love, however, His one aspect of His love is His wrath and hatred of sin. God is a perfect Being! God is perfect in His love, but He is also perfect in His holiness and judgment. Yes, God is love, but may I also remind you that God is hate as well. He is love toward the sinner, but He is hate toward sin! Many people are bothered by the thought of a God Who reacts in wrath and judgment, truth be told I would be bothered by a God Who didnt! Pauls purpose here, and through to chapter 3 verse 20, is to describe for us the charges against man. Paul lays down for us why we need to believe the Gospel of grace. The first argument he uses to call men to the Lord is to lay out the case of the prosecution. He reveals the problems God sees with men. Worthy of note is the nature of the wrath of God when contrasted with human wrath. When you and I get angry and display our wrath, at best, it is tainted by sin. We respond after the flesh and usually our outbursts are selfish and foolish. On the other hand, Gods wrath is always balanced, fair and perfectly just. You can be sure that when the wrath of God falls on a life, it was deserved and it was executed in perfect, divine justice! This wrath focuses on 2 areas where sin operates - ungodliness & unrighteousness, both of which have got to do with relationship with God. You see, the absence of a genuine relationship with God will result into a life of lawlessness & wretchedness, where anything will become God to you. Jesus came & died on the cross so that this relationship with God can be restored. The wrath of God toward sin was meted on Jesus at the cross. This is an open door to escape the wrath of God which you & I cannot, should not ignore. Have a blsd day!
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 05:20:00 +0000
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