A Study of the Book of Romans
Lesson # 3
“God’s Anger At Sin”
Romans 1:18-23
Our country is still reeling from the
devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. The humanitarian efforts continue unabated, this
evening we are gathering the last of the materials that our own people will be taking to
the New Orleans area tomorrow. It seems strangely fitting that this evening we consider
the subject of the wrath of God.
“….New Orleans City
Council President Oliver Thomas after witnessing the horrors first hand and hearing talk
of Sodom and Gomorrah commented, "Maybe God's going to cleanse us."
The theme of cleansing or
purification has become a frequently discussed topic as the tragedy in the affected states
unfolds. European papers have suggested that
Katrina was the punishment the US received for failing to sign onto the Kyoto accord,
Islamic militants have rejoiced that "private" Katrina has joined in the holy
war against the U.S. for - among other things - the Iraq war. Some have even suggested
that the hurricane was God's punishment on the U.S. for cooperating in the removal of Jews
from the Gaza strip.
However, beyond these speculations
is a more general acknowledgement that New Orleans, the epicenter of the disaster, was a
"sin city" which harbored few rivals. The
New Orleans "southern decadence" festival which was to take place Labor Day
weekend, is described by a French Quarter tourism site as "sort of like a gayer
version of Mardi Gras" which is "most famous (or infamous) for the displays of
naked flesh which characterize the event," with "public displays of sexuality .
. . pretty much everywhere you look."
The city is also renowned for
occult practices, particularly voodoo. Voodoo
is also common in violence and crime saturated Haiti….
The American Spectator reports
that "New Orleans has one of the highest murder rates in the country. By mid-August
of this year, 192 murders had been committed in New Orleans, 'nearly 10 times the national
average,' … New Orleans was ripe for collapse. Its dangerous geography, combined with
a dangerous culture, made it susceptible to an unfolding catastrophe. Currents of chaos
and lawlessness were running through the city long before this week, and they were bound
to come to the surface under the pressure of natural disaster and explode in a scene of
looting and mayhem"….
Michael Brown, creator of the immensely
popular SpiritDaily.com website - popularly known as the Catholic Drudge Report,
has said that Katrina was "definitely" a purification for New Orleans. Brown points out that the name Katrina itself
means "pure". And that, Brown said…
is not a coincidence. "I don't believe in coincidences," said Brown, adding that
God has everything in His control and "I think that everything is interwoven."
… In 2001 Brown wrote a piece
about what he felt was upcoming disaster for New Orleans. Brown began, "There are few
cities with so many good as New Orleans and also few cities where there is such a stark
coexistence with the bad. It is this city, the Big Easy, that is home to kind and generous
and Christian people . . . and yet also this
city that has allowed evil to flourish in a way that has become truly dangerous." Noting the occult practices and the sexual
immorality, Brown warned, "When you invoke dark spirits, you get a storm. The very
word hurricane comes from the Indian hurukan for evil spirit."
Brown claims no hearing of inner
voices, but said in his warning to the city, "When I visited the National Hurricane
Center, they told me there was no place that gave them the meteorological willies like
your city." Describing what would befall
the city if a major hurricane were to strike, Brown said, "On Bourbon Street -- which
has turned into a stretch of porn shops, strip joints, and hooter bars -- there would be
water to the second story."
"Officials told me that in
the best of circumstances 100,000 would be stranded . . . If a category-five made landfall
between your city and Baton Rouge . . . it
would be 'the most catastrophic hurricane in the history of the United States.'"
The passage begins with a word that sounds
strange and even unnatural to our ears. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven." It’s
the word "wrath"
that grabs our attention. We’re accustomed to hearing about the love of God. We know
about the grace of God. We sing about the mercy of God. We praise the glory of God. We
ponder the holiness of God. But the wrath of God? We hardly ever mention it. There aren’t
many hymns about God’s wrath. We’d much rather sing "Jesus
loves me, this I know." But in Romans
1 we come face to face with the wrath of God.
The word translated wrath is the Greek word
(orge).
It’s not the word used for a sudden angry outburst. Rather, the word refers to a
strong settle opposition over a long period of time, to all that is evil.
In verse eighteen we read, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (19) because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (20) 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, (21) 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. (22) Professing to be wise, they became fools, (12) and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man-and birds and four-footed animals and creepting things."
The second part of verse eighteen tells us,
What it is that generates God’s wrath!
(v. 18b). “… against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”
God’s wrath is
revealed “against all
ungodliness” – ungodliness does not necessarily indicate atheism (the
belief that God does not exist) but rather acting
as if God does not exist, a utter disregard
for God.
God’s wrath is
revealed “against…
unrighteousness of men” this refers to wickedness for godless attitudes
always lead to godless conduct.
The Principle problem
I want to address with you tonight is, “Why does Man deserve the wrath of God and the
judgment of sin?”
First, God’s Wrath Is Justified Because Man Is Guilty Of Suppressing The Truth. (v. 18c)
When Paul says, “who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” it
does not indicate that men do not know the truth, but rather that they knowingly suppress
the truth. The word translated “suppress” means to “to hold back or to
restrain.” Paul here charges the entire human race with deliberately, willfully and
knowingly turning away from God.
What is the "truth
about God" that all men suppress? What truth is so universally obvious that
everyone knows it? Paul answers that question in verses 19-20.
Second, God’s Wrath Is Justified Because Man Is Guilty Of Willingly Ignoring The Evidence. (vv. 19-20)
“Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (20) 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.”
This section of the letter is going to
reveal that every man no matter where he may live in this world has two incontro-vertible
witnesses to the existence of God. The witness of Conscience
“are manifest in them”
(v. 19) and the witness of Creation
(v. 20)
Creation is a clear light of revelation to
all. The psalmist said, “When
I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast
ordained” (Psalms 8:3). Also “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his
handiwork” (Psalms. 19:1). God says here that the evidence is “clearly seen” –
plain for anyone who will open their eyes.
“So that they are without
excuse” (v. 20). Creation so clearly reveals God that man is without excuse. This
section reveals the historical basis of man’s sin. It did not come about through
ignorance. It was willful rebellion in the presence of clear evidence.
The words of the hymn, “How Great Thou Art!”, made famous by George
Beverly Shea say it well,
O Lord, My God,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power
throughout the universe displayed!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Our world as it stands didn't happen by chance or
accident. It must have been created by a Supreme Being. He must have been a God of power,
wisdom, order, design, and infinite creativity. It takes a deliberate act of the will in
the mind of man to see the design in the universe and yet deny that there is a Designer.
Something deep inside of man
speaks of God. But man stumbles over the evidence and suppresses the truth. And he ignores
not only his conscience but the proof all around him.
We need to be careful not to miss the
significance of this point. It has massive implications for the question of whether the
people of the world are innocent or guilty before God. Everyone knows something about God!
No one has ever lived who missed this revelation. It doesn't matter whether they
consciously thought about it or not. The truth was there for all to see, so plainly laid
out that no one could miss it. That means it doesn't matter whether you live in the
deepest darkest jungle or in an upscale high-rise. No one could miss the truth about God .
. . and no one has ever missed it because God made the truth about himself as plain as
day.
Third,
God’s Wrath Is Justified Because Of Man’s Rejection
Of God. (vv. 21-22) “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. (22) Professing to be wise, they became
fools.”
Men exhibit their rejection of God in four
ways:
· By Failure to Honor God as God
· By Failure to Thank God for his provision. “…nor were thankful…”
· By Become Futile in their speculations.
· By Being Darkened In their Hearts toward Him. “… their foolish hearts were darkened.”
The most fundamental principle of judgment
is that God judges according to the light men receive. Whenever a person responds to the
light he receives, God responds by sending him more light. Light received means more
light. Light rejected brings only darkness.
“It was
1888 in a little city in the northwest corner of Alabama nestled on the great Tennessee
River named Tuscumbia. A beautiful, healthy little girl was born to a little family. She
was
normal in
every way. When she was 18 months old, she contracted a terrible disease and infection
left her totally blind, totally deaf and because of that she could not speak. Thus began
her challenge. In the 19th century, people who were deaf and dumb were still considered
idiots. They spent most of their lives in insane asylums, but the girls parents hoped for
better things for her, so they hired a 17-year-old school teacher to instruct her. Because
Braille had not yet been spread around the globe, there was really no way for blind people
to communicate. So they devised a little sign language they could put in the girl’s
hand so she could understand it. The girl later became a highly respected, intelligent
woman who wrote many books, toured the world and was considered a great thinker and a
celebrity. When she was in her late teens, her parents, who were committed Christians,
wanted a preacher to tell her the truth about Jesus. So, they brought a
prominent
preacher into their home and through someone signing in her hand, he told her about God
and about Jesus Christ. When he finished, it is said that Helen Keller smiled a brilliant
smile, and signed, “Oh, I know him. I’ve known him for many years. I just did
not know his name. Thank you for telling me the full truth.” Isn’t it amazing!
Anybody,
anywhere who follows the light that they have, can find the truth!
Fourth,
God’s Wrath Is Justified Because Of Man’s Willing Departure From The Knowledge Of God (v. 23) “And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like
corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”
J. Vernon McGee in his commentary makes a statement that I had never thought of, he says, “Man did not begin in idolatry. The savage of today is very unlike primitive man. Primitive man was monotheistic; idolatry was introduced later.” [J. Vernon McGee. Thru The Bible Commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson - electronic ed.1997) ]