Articles
Wrath in Romans
Wrath in Romans
God's Wrath - is against SIN - 1:18: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." In this we learn that God's wrath is Always and Only against SIN. Paul then shows that the Gentiles sinned (ch. 1:19-31). After showing that God shows no partiality in His judgment against sin (ch. 2), Paul shows that the Jews also sinned (ch. 3). He concludes ALL have sinned and thus ALL are facing the wrath of God (3:20-21).
God's Wrath IS revealed.... IS = present tense. God has been, is, and WILL display his wrath against sin. Sometimes it is displayed directly: i.e., Nadab and Abihu, Kora and Dathan, Adam & Eve, Ananias and Sapphira -- etc. Sometimes it is displayed thru 'agency': the various national judgments brought by raising up other nations (book of Judges, Assyria against Israel, Babylon against Judah, etc.). Paul shows in Romans 13 that the various governments are also the agency of God's wrath against evildoers within society.
There is YET a future day of judgment and wrath - 2:5-6. Temporal judgments against sin are NOT the end of the wrath of God. We fear not those who can kill the body, but Him who can cast both body and soul into hell (Matt. 10:28; Luke 12:4). Paul here speaks of THE DAY when He will judge all men through Jesus. We ALL must stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2Cor. 5:10). We will each then face either the wrath of God OR, if we belong to Jesus, we will be accepted on the basis of our having been forgiven.
Law brings wrath - 4:15. Law - a rule of conduct with a penalty attached (as opposed to a 'suggestion' or 'recommendation'). The penalty for transgressing God's law is death: the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:21). Once law is broken, there is no undoing of it. No amount of keeping other law will undo the breaking that has occurred; there is only receiving the penalty OR finding forgiveness and mercy with the Judge. Such is ONLY to be found in Jesus.
God's Wrath is righteous -- 3:5. God's wrath against sin shows the degree of God's righteousness. A Righteous God does not overlook or condone sin of any kind. In describing this judgment of God, Paul calls it the 'righteous judgment of God' (2:5). The question is often asked: "What will God do with the man who ... ?" While we cannot definitively answer such hypothetical questions, we trust that God will NOT do that which is unfair, unrighteous. There is NO partiality with God when it comes to such judgment of sin (2:10-11). The eternal condemnation comes not from OUR view of the severity of the transgression, but rather from the holiness of the one whom we have sinned against.
We are saved FROM such wrath thru the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus - 5:22. We are saved; saved from WHAT? The wrath of God! Apart from the blood of Jesus sinners can only look forward to experiencing the wrath of God.
THUS - WE 'avenge not ourselves' but leave place for the wrath of God - 12:19.
While not a complete and exhaustive look at God's wrath, it does give the background to the whole of the story of Jesus and salvation. We are SAVED by Him - saved from the wrath of God that will condemn all those who are NOT forgiven through the blood of Jesus. Oh, How I Love Jesus ....
Hugh DeLong
