romans5

Romans #5

"The Wrath of God"

Romans 1:18

Spoken At SGBC

12-8-96

We come to a turning point in Paul’s letter to the Romans. In verses one through fifteen, which make up the introduction, Paul has identified himself as an Apostle set apart to preach the Gospel. He expresses thankfulness to God for the saints at Rome and tells them of his desire to preach this Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles.

Then in verses sixteen and seventeen our Brother sets forth the theme of the letter. It has to do with the message of the Gospel. The justified are justified by faith and shall live, day to day, by faith in Jesus Christ the Lord. "The Just Shall Live by Faith." This is the theme of the book.

The next section of the letter is quite large. It begins in verse eighteen, and continues through chapter three and verse twenty. In these verses Paul labors to explain why salvation MUST be by faith. He works hard in this section to prove that all men, both Jew and Gentile, must be saved from the wrath to come by faith in Christ alone. In these verses we learn that all men are under the power of sin, without a righteousness of their own, helpless to do anything about it.

Paul begins by telling us what God’s disposition toward sinners has been and is at this very moment.

(Romans 1:18-19 NASB) "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."

God is not happy with sinners! Quite the contrary, He is filled with wrath which will be poured out upon all unbelievers at the judgement. We must not however make the mistake of thinking that God does not express his wrath this side of the final judgement. Our text declares that God’s wrath has been revealed in the past, and IS being revealed right now.

A good example of God’s wrath as revealed in the past is the great flood of Noah’s day. God warned His unbelieving creatures to repent or else. By the voice and life of Noah God warned them. For 120 years this man preached to the world around him. Whatever that message consisted of we may be certain it was not, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." It was a call to repentance for sins committed against the Holy God of Creation. It was the delivering of an ultimatum, repent of your wickedness or die. However, men laughed at Noah and his message. So God, true to His threats and warnings, destroyed wicked men from the face of the earth. He saved believing Noah and his family, but poured out His wrath on all the rest. In that moment God REVEALED FROM HEAVEN what His disposition toward sinners really was.

What about now? "What is His attitude toward unbelievers right now? Surely He has softened up a bit. At least that is what modern theologians teach people in their seminaries and churches. Let’s see what God’s word reveals about this. Look with me at John 3:36 NASB.

"He who believes in the Son HAS eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDES ON HIM."

Nothing has changed, has it? God’s wrath rests upon all sinners. Therefore, we cannot and best not say to the sinner, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!" God’s wrath abides upon, it rests upon, it has taken up residence on every sinner born to woman.

The Bible declares that "God is angry with the sinner every day", (Psalm 7:11). He is not smiling at you saying, "Its alright, don’t worry about your sin." No, rather, God’s wrath rests upon you right now. Further His wrath awaits you at the judgment. This is a terrifying truth, one which prompts me to plead with all sinners to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus for salvation from the wrath to come!

In the Old Testament more than twenty words are used to express God’s wrath. Look with me to just a few of the many passages where they are used. Let’s begin with Exodus 22:22-24 NASB.

"You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. {23} "If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; {24} and My ANGER will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless." Here is a picture of the wrath of God.

Another expression of God’s wrath is clearly seen in Numbers 25:1-9 NASB.

So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, (That is, they gave themselves to Idolatry directly and by marrying Idolatrous women. Not only did they defy God by marrying outside of the faith they went after other gods thereby committing spiritual adultery.) and the LORD was ANGRY against Israel. {4} And the LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and EXECUTE THEM IN BROAD DAYLIGHT BEFORE THE LORD, SO THAT THE FIERCE ANGER OF THE LORD MAY TURN AWAY FROM ISRAEL.". . . . {9} And those who died by the plague (The word means slaughter.) were 24,000." God is filled with wrath toward unbelieving sinners. He has expressed it, He does express it and He will express His wrath for ever and ever.

Another example of God’s wrath is found in the last chapter of Job. There, God’s wrath is provoked against Job’s "friends" because the counsel they gave Job was not based on truth.

(Job 42:7-8 NASB) "And it came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "MY WRATH IS KINDLED AGAINST YOU and against your two friends, because YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF ME WHAT IS RIGHT AS MY SERVANT JOB HAS. {8} "Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF ME WHAT IS RIGHT, AS MY SERVANT JOB HAS."

Please take careful note of what is said here. God is full of wrath toward Job’s friends because they did not speak the truth about Him. Their theology is in error and therefore what they speak and think about God dishonors Him. We live in an age where the careful study and teaching of the scriptures has fallen by the wayside. We live in the day of man pleasing churches and teachers. I speak of teachers who do not speak what is right, true and accurate about God but what men want to hear instead Although these kinds of ministries are attended by thousands of happy humans God’s wrath rests upon such people and payday is on it’s way. The application of this text to our day is without limit. For here we discover that human feelings and preferences must not carry the day or dictate what is taught in the church. Rather, truth, as it is revealed in the Bible alone, is what must be taught. It is what must form our opinions and thinking. Truth is what must come forth from our lips if we would avoid the wrath and indignation of God.

Consider the word of God in yet another place.

(Nahum 1:1-3 NASB) "The oracle of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. {2} A JEALOUS AND AVENGING GOD IS THE LORD; THE LORD IS AVENGING AND WRATHFUL. The LORD takes VENGEANCE on His adversaries, And HE RESERVES WRATH FOR HIS ENEMIES. {3} The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, And clouds are the dust beneath His feet." (Nahum 1:6-8 NASB) "Who can stand before HIS INDIGNATION? Who can endure the BURNING OF HIS ANGER? His WRATH is poured out like fire, And the rocks are broken up by Him. {7} THE LORD IS GOOD, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him. {8} But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of its site, And WILL PURSUE HIS ENEMIES INTO DARKNESS."

As you read passage after passage you soon come to the conclusion that Divine wrath is something men choose for themselves when they turn away from God. Sadly, this includes every man woman and child.

(Romans 3:12-18 NASB) "ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." {13} "THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; {14} "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS"; {15} "THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, {16} DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, {17} AND THE PATH OF PEACE HAVE THEY NOT KNOWN." {18} "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."

All men have forsaken God, therefore, His wrath abides upon all.

This is not just the testimony of the Old Testament but of the New as well. Consider the words of Hebrews 10:28-31 NASB.

"Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies WITHOUT MERCY on the testimony of two or three witnesses. {29} How much SEVERER PUNISHMENT do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? {30} For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." {31} It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Again in Revelation 20:12-15 NASB.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were JUDGED from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. {13} And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were JUDGED, every one of them according to their deeds. {14} And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. {15} AND IF ANYONE'S NAME WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE, HE WAS THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.

The fact that God’s wrath rests upon sinners, past, present, and future, is made clear in both Testaments.

Now return with to our text for today.

Some of you here today, listening to the radio or reading the paper have understood for years the things I am teaching yet you continue to live a life of unbelief and sin. You refuse to heed the warning of your conscience and of Godly people who love you enough to call you to faith in Jesus. I ask you to consider the words of Romans 2:5-8 NASB.

"But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, {6} who WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: {7} to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; {8} but to those who are selfishly ambitious and DO NOT OBEY THE TRUTH, but obey unrighteousness, WRATH AND INDIGNATION."

God has always warned men of His wrath for sin. Judgement will not come upon anyone as a surprise for God has warned us all. He warns us first by the sense of right and wrong that exists in every human. I speak of our conscience. He warns us also through the revelation of His truth whether by private study or public teaching. Then He warns us by allowing us to see the ugly results that come upon us when we sin. The rest of chapter one reveals that the consequence of sin is Divine wrath. When men and women turn from God to serve their own fleshly desires, God gives them over to their own depraved mind as a judgement against them.

(Romans 1:24-28 NASB) "Therefore God GAVE THEM OVER in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might 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. {26} For this reason God GAVE THEM OVER to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, {27} and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. {28} And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO A DEPRAVED MIND, TO DO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT PROPER,"

Would any one of you dare confine these expressions of God’s wrath to the days of Paul? Even if you want too you can not. One of two things is true as concerns our morally declining society. Either God can’t do anything about it or He is letting men go more and more the way of sin as an expression of the wrath that rests upon all the wicked. Which is it? If you are of the opinion that God can’t do any thing about it, you need to read your Bible and stop listening to modern day Theologians. There is only one option left. God’s wrath is, at this very moment, being revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. And in that day, referred to as the Judgment, His wrath will be poured out without restraint or limit upon all who have died in unbelief.

How does one escape the present and coming wrath of God? Friend, you must repent. You must turn from your rebellion right now. You must turn to Jesus who came for the express purpose of saving God’s lost Elect people from their sins and the wrath due them for that sin.

(Matthew 1:21 NASB) "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins."

You must turn to Christ for, ". . .there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 NASB) You must turn to Christ for, ". . . . God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, {31} BECAUSE He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."(Acts 17:30-31 NASB) You must turn to Christ for, . . . "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."(Acts 5:31 NASB)

How do you escape the wrath of God that rests upon you at this very moment? You escape by trusting in the blood and righteousness of Christ for acceptance with God and forgiveness of sins. May God cause you to turn to Him this very day.