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Saturday, December 21, 2013

God's wrath in Romans



Romans 2:4-6 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?5 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 each person according to his deeds".

Introduction:
Over the past couple of days we have been exploring what the scripture teaches on the wrath of God.  We first of looked at defining what is meant by Divine wrath through various word studies and key themes of scripture. Then in yesterday's post we surveyed the three ways scripture illustrates God's wrath by noting how it as a communicable attribute has God functioning as the Judge against sinners, a Father entering into discipline with his children or a spouse who jealousy guards his relationship with His wife. In today's post we want to consider the way in which God's wrath is developed in the book of Romans.  As we have also pressed throughout these past couple of posts, the grace of God is impossible to grasp or appreciate apart from God's wrath.  Today we will list all of the verses in Romans that deal with God's wrath or judgment and then offer a few comments at the end to explain how His wrath must be included in explaining the Gospel.

All the verses in Romans that mention God's wrath and judgment
1. Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness"

2. Romans 2:5 "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."

3. Romans 2:8 "But to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation."

4. Romans 2:16 "
on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus."


5. Romans 3:5-6 "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?"

6. Romans 3:25-26 "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

7. Romans 4:15 "for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation."

8. Romans 5:9 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

9. Romans 9:22 "What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?"

10. Romans 12:19 "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord."

11. Romans 13:4 "for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil."

12. Romans 13:5 "Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake."

Four observations about God's w.r.a.t.h in Romans, with one final question
As you survey the above verses in Romans, it is without controversy that without the wrath of God, the grace of the Gospel cannot be fully appreciate nor understood.  Why? Because the power of the Gospel tells us of the wrath of God which we all deserve, the grace which God chooses to give and the satisfaction that Jesus Christ made for you that must be received by faith. In the form of the acrostic w.r.a.t.h we close today's post with the following four observation and one question from the book of Romans:

Warnings of Divine anger against sin are revealed now in creation. Romans 1:18

Reservoir of God's anger against sin is filling up due to persistent unbelief. Romans 2:5,8,16; 4:15; 9:22; 12:19

Anger of God against sin will be poured out in final judgment. Romans 2:27; 3:4-6

Total exemption from God's ongoing anger against sin can be avoided through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:25-26; 5:9-10 

Have you trust in Christ's saving work from God's wrath? 
As Romans 3:23-24,26 states: 23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus". And then Romans 3:26 "for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

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