Living by Faith 2: Faith And Wrath - Romans 1:18-3:20
Introduction: Hard to
think of anything funny about today’s subject.
You may think I’m going to talk to you about Hell but what I’m going to
talk about I even bigger and in many ways worse than hell itself. This morning our subject is the wrath of God.
Romans 1:17-18 For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
There are two revelation given here, the revelation of God’s
righteousness and of His wrath.
In Romans 1:17, Paul gives us the theme of the book of
Romans, the righteousness of God. He says God’s righteousness is revealed in
the Gospel and from faith to faith, in salvation, sanctification and the living
faith of a child of God.
Now in verse 18 Paul states that God’s wrath is revealed
against all ungodliness and He shows that the two attributes of God
righteousness and wrath are connected. He says in vs. 18 “for the wrath of God
is revealed” immediately after the just shall live by faith. God’s
righteousness is revealed in the Gospel, God’s plan for saving mankind and
God’s wrath is revealed when that Gospel is rejected. God cannot be righteous
if he saves those who believe but then does nothing when it comes to those who
refuse to believe.
The word wrath in the Greek is ὀργή, orgē. In the in KJV it
is translated wrath 31, anger 3, vengeance 1, indignation 1. It has the meaning
of violent passion, (ire, or justifiable,
abhorrence; by implication then it means punishment, anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.
In the next few verses and chapters Paul shows why God’s
wrath is justified against the “ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
hold down the truth in their unrighteousness,” even those who have never heard
the Gospel. If you have ever had someone ask you how God can send people to
hell who never heard about Jesus the answer begins in verses 19 with …
God’s Wrath And the Gentiles - Romans 1:19-32
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in
them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things
that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their
own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed
the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than
the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them
up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into
that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the
natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men
working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of
their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God
in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things
which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them
that do them.
Inescapable Guilt 1:19-32
Now Paul gives us two reasons why God’s wrath is revealed or
manifested upon the ungodly and unrighteous. In vs. 19 Because that which may
be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. Romans
1:19 and then in vs. 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him
not as God, Romans 1:21
Paul declares that God has not left even the Gentiles, the
pagans who did not have the direct revelation of God, ignorant of Himself or of
sin’s penalty.
Paul reasons like a logician and a philosopher and says that
the gentile is still answerable to God because God has revealed Himself to them
through creation.
B.H. Carrol said, “The knowledge of God, and their relation
to him, is manifest both in them and to them. There are two books of this
revelation—the book of nature in them and the book of nature outside of them. …This
internal light is not a faint spark, but a great light. With every man in the
world there is an internal sense of right and wrong. Men may differ among
themselves as to what particular thing is right or wrong, but all have the
sense of right and wrong. …But there can be no right and wrong without some law
to prescribe the right and proscribe the wrong. And there can be no law without
a lawmaker. And there can be no law without penal sanctions, otherwise it would
be no more than advice. And there can be no penalty without a judgment to
declare it and a power to execute it. But every man knows that even and exact
justice is not meted out in this world—that many times the innocent suffer and
the guilty triumph. Therefore the conclusion comes like a conqueror, that there
must be a judgment to come and a wrath to come. - An Interpretation of the
English Bible
Paul goes on in verse 21 with the second reason God’s wrath
is revealed in the Gentiles, because at one time they knew God and they
rejected him.
Romans 1:21-23 Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to
be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God
into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted
beasts, and creeping things.
Even when they knew God they would not worship nor thank
Him. When did the Gentiles know God? They knew God when they fled the Garden of
Eden all mankind knew God. They knew God after the flood, all mankind, 8
people, knew God. Throughout history God has reached out to the Egyptians in
Joseph, the Assyrians in Jonah, the Babylons through Daniel, the Persians
through Ester, Mordecia and Nehemiah. Time after time God has fully shown
Himself to the great pagan kingdoms of the world and instead of repenting, they
refuse to acknowledge God and they became vain, empty, in their imagination,
their hearts were darkened, proclaiming they were wise they became fools. (Sure sounds like the people of today,
doesn’t it?)
Then worse than ignoring God, they tried to control God by
making Him who is a spirit and invisible into their image and then degrading
that images to something even lower than themselves, an animal that they could
tower over. Romans 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an
image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and
creeping things.
What then did God do, and this is where God’s wrath is
revealed against the pagan Gentiles Romans 1:24-27. 24 Wherefore God also gave
them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour
their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a
lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is
blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile
affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is
against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the
woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which
is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which
was meet.
God’s punishment was not fire from heaven, it was God given
them up to the consequence of their own sins. Paul says he gave them up to
uncleanness. They dishonored their bodies between themselves, sexual sin. Sex
outside of marriage, Pauls say even more, Gode gave them up to vile affections.
Women with women (lesbianism) Men with men (homosexuality) burning with lust and
doing what is unseemly, the words means shameful, but these people no longer
have shame. They have moved beyond shame and now revel, rejoice in their
unnatural sin before God.
Romans 1:28-32 28 And even as they did not like to retain
God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those
things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection,
implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which
commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure
in them that do them.
They did not want to keep God in their knowledge therefore
God gave them over to a reprobate (base, worthless, condemned) mind. To do
things not convenient (not proper, not decent, not fitting.)
Such a mind ultimately destroys itself and all those around
it. They practice fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, malicousness, envy, murder, debate, deceit,
malignity, whispers, (gossip) backbiters (slander), haters of God, despiteful
(insolent), proud, boasters, inventors of (new) evil things, disobedient to
parents, without understanding (conscience or sympathy), covenantbeakers
(unable to keep their word), without natural affection (no natural love),
implacable (unmoving), unmerciful.
And yet these reprobates know they are going to be judged
and yet encourage others to do the same. Like drowning rats going down a
whirlpool they grab every other rat they can and pull them down as well.
Do you wonder what has happened to our society today? Why we are seeing gay pride parades, women boasting of their
abortions, men proclaiming they are women and women proclaiming they are men.
Do you question why we are seeing riots in our streets, policemen being made into criminals,
Christians being called haters and schools teaching that it is okay to be
homosexual but not okay to be a Christians? Paul just gave you the answer in Romans
1:24 God gave them up!
We are a people who do not want to acknowledge God as our
Creator and as a result we see the same evidence of degradation that Paul saw. We
are increasingly being given over to vile affections and reprobate minds.
We often think that if we as a nation don’t change our ways
God will punish us, I’ve got news for you, we are already being punished and
God didn’t send in an invading army, or fire from heaven, He just let us go as
a nation. He just released us, removed his protection and the consequences of
our rejecting God is destroying us.
Transition: Then in chapter 2 Paul turns to those who, unlike the
Gentiles, did have a direct revelation of God through the prophets and
scriptures. Paul now sets the Jewish people firmly in the sights of God’s
wrath.
God’s Wrath and the Jew - Romans 2:1-16
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that
judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou
that judgest doest the same things. But
we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which
commit such things. And thinkest thou
this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that
thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or
despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not
knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart
treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God; Who will
render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing
seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey
the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that
doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that
worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.
For as many as have sinned without law
shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be
judged by the law; (For not the hearers
of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be
justified. For when the Gentiles, which
have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having
not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their
hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the
mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men
by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Inexcusable Hypocrisy
The Jewish people, who have God’s law and now judge the sin
of the Gentile world, Paul says you are inexcusable because you are actually
judging himself.
Paul says they are doing the same kind of things that they condemn
through the law, in the Gentiles.
Romans 2:3-5 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest
them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the
judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance
and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto
thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment
of God;
In the the riches of God's goodness, the Jew, those who have
the revelation of God, thinks that God's forbearance is ignorance of his own sin
and therefore he does not bother to repent. In reality, Paul says, he is storing
up wrath, only increasing his punishment and that God render to every man
according to his deeds.
The Paul says this the basis of God’s righteous judgment,
His wrath upon both Jew and Gentile.
Romans 2:12-16 12 For as many as have sinned without law
shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be
judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but
the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have
not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not
the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written
in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the
mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
The final verdict after all men are judged as guilty, won’t
be what any man thinks might excuse himself or accuse another but in the end the
sole means of condemnation is what they did with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Transition: Paul continues to bring the truth of God’s wrath revealed
upon the Jews, who have the law and circumcise their sons, but are not Jews in
the heart or in the spirit but only in the letter of the law. We are going to pick
up the argument in verse 9 of chapter 3. After Paul has proven that Gentile and
Jew Guilty before God and upon whom God’s wrath will be revealed. Verse nine is
his summation.
God’s Wrath And The World - Romans 3:9-20
9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we
have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous,
no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after
God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an
open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; 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 ways: 17
And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before
their eyes. 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to
them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall
no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Undeniable Conclusion, All Under God’s Wrath
The final conclusion is that all are sinners there are none
righteous in God’s judgment, no not one. All the people of the earth will have
the wrath of God revealed in their own life when they are judged. No one can be
justified by being moral or by keeping the law. Paul says, the purpose of the
law not to save but to bring knowledge of sin.
Where does that leave Us?
It leaves us guilty before God, guilty of sin and like
criminals in the courtroom waiting to hear our sentence. No matter what our heritage, background or
birth was, No matter how much we can judge sin in others. No matter how hard we
try to deceive ourselves and say there is no God. In the end, we will all be
judged not according to our beliefs or thoughts or philosophies but according
to what we did when we were confronted with the truth of God’s Word and the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Transition: Now we come to our final point this morning…. And once again
we see not the wrath of God revealed against the guilty but the righteousness
of God revealed to save the guilty.
God’s Wrath and God’s Son - Romans 3:21-28
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is
manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all
them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare,
I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier
of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By
what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that
a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Infinite Forgiveness
Paul says, now this is how the law and grace work together.
The scriptures show us the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ.
By faith in Jesus Christ, we can move the failure of all men to save themselves
to the victory of Christ saving all men who put their faith and trust in Him.
Now the righteousness of God revealed without the law
through faith of Jesus Christ to all and upon all that believe. He looks back
at his argument, like a lawyer giving his summation argument before the jury.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” The truth that we must accept is that we must
be “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus.
Why is God willing to
give grace to the guilty? Because of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the
cross for us.
In vs. 26, God's declares his righteousness by justifying
all those who believe in Christ. 26 To declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus.
In vs. 28 the conclusion to the first 3 chapters is
given. It simply says that man is
justified by faith without the works of the law.
This is A.T. Robertson’s commentary on Romans 3:28 “Nowhere has
Paul put the problem of God more acutely or profoundly. To pronounce the
unrighteous righteous is unjust by itself. God's mercy would not allow him to
leave man to his fate. God's justice demanded some punishment for sin. The only
possible way to save some was the propitiatory offering of Christ and the call
for faith on man's part” - Robertson’s NT Word Pictures.
Are you Justified?
All the Bible tells us that we are condemned, guilty before
a holy and righteous God and awaiting the revelation of God wrath against our
guilt and sin. And yet we can experience another revelation of God’s
righteousness not in His wrath but in His grace. We can see Jesus shed blood on
the cross, covering our sin. He is the truth of the symbol of the mercy seat in
the tabernacle when the High priest would bring the blood of the slain lamb
into the holiest of holies and pour it upon the mercy seat of the ark of the
covenant. God would look through the ages of time and seen not the blood of a
slain animal, but the blood of his own son and he would also see those who would
believe in that propitiation, that redemption, that grace.
He saw you on the day you accepted Christ as your savior. He
may have even seen you today as you see yourself guilty before God, knowing you
deserve His righteous wrath but calling out for the blood of Jesus to cover
your sin and accepting the righteous grace of God.
Conclusion: Jesus Own Words
Let’s conclude not with the word of Paul as wonderful as
they are but with the gracious words of Jesus Himself.
In John 6:40 Jesus gave this all inclusive statement, “And
this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and
believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the
last day.”
Seeing the Son, seeing Jesus for us today, means seeing him
being offered on the cross as our sacrifice for sin by God the Fathers, “therein
is the righteousness of God revealed. From faith…
In Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them.” He
wasn’t just talking about the Jews who accused him or Pilate who sentenced him,
He was looking across the centuries to everyone of us and His prayer was for
you and I. “Father Forgive Them” then He paid the price for that forgiveness
with his own life.
As we prepare to leave this sanctuary this morning, make
sure you know that you have found that forgiveness by putting your faith in
Him.
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