Romans 1:18
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness," Romans 1:18. Today we will learn that God is wrath. This is the leased preached attribute of God. The wrath of God is at the top of the list of hated attributes of God, yet the bible says more about the wrath of God than the love of God. There are two Greek words for wrath that we will look at today. In our opening text the Greek word for wrath is "orge"; the other is "thumos". Let us look at both definitions. "Thumos" defined is passion (as if breathing hard):- fierceness, indignation, wrath. In Classical Greek: mind, soul, e.g., as the principle of life, as the seat of the will, desire, emotions, passions, etc. Hence generally, and in the NT: passion, i.e. violent commotion of mind, indignation, anger, wrath; differing from "orge" in the mode of conception rather than in the thing signified, with thumos picturing the inward feeling, and orge representing the outward emotion. "Orge" defined is desire (as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind), i.e. (by analogy) violent passion (ire, or [justifiable] abhorrence). In the NT: passion, i.e. any violent commotion of mind; indignation, anger, wrath, especially as including desire for vengeance, punishment, and therein differing from thumos, wrath. Also of the punitive wrath of God, the divine judgments to be inflicted upon the wicked. God's wrath is intended for punishment against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.
Our first mistake is thinking that God's wrath is like our wrath. "These things thou hast done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes," Psalm 50:21. We bring God down to our level and think that God is not serious, or that He will simply over look our sins because He is not really a God of wrath. We even convince ourselves that we are not that bad. Let us see if we can put this into perspective. God is good, and we are not. So, what is a good God going to do with us? God has every right to cast everyone into hell for eternity, for we deserve hell for eternity. I know, people want to say that we are not that bad, but the bible says there are none good, no, not one. God's judgment is according to truth. Our judgment of God and of ourselves is skewed by our fallen nature. God's wrath is nothing like our wrath. God's wrath is justified, is holy, and deserved. God's wrath is in the bible, which means it is biblical, and we have no right not to preach it and teach it. If the pastor truly loves the Lord and people, he will not apologize for God's wrath, nor will he water it down to make others feel good about it. God is wrath.
Like all of God's other attributes, He did not become wrath, He has always been wrath. God's wrath is eternal. All through the bible we see examples of God's attributes on display, including His wrath. We see the wrath of God poured out upon the whole earth during the flood. We see God's wrath poured out upon nations, and cities like Sodom and Gomorrah. These were just glimpses of God's wrath, which is to come. The people were warned, but did not take heed to the warning. Noah preached for over one hundred years, yet only eight people were in the protection of the ark. God's prophets and preachers have been mocked, ridiculed, and even killed for preaching about God's wrath. John the Baptist said, "Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Luke 3:7. "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel," Mark 1:14-15.
An example of God's love, mercy, grace, etc. is seen in the preaching of the gospel. The command goes out to repent and believe the gospel to receive forgiveness of sins. Why do we need forgiveness of sins? Every sin that has ever been committed is against Holy God. You may say that you did not do that sin to God, but God commands sinlessness. When we sin we are in direct rebellion to God's commands. This makes us enemies with God. We heap wrath upon wrath for the day of judgment. God does not miss any sins, and no sin goes unpunished. Turn to Revelation 20:11-15.
What kind of people does God pour His wrath upon? All who are lost. Lost simply means those whom the Lord has not saved. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him," John 3:36. Multitudes say they believe, but does your life show it? Do you hate your sins? Turn to I Corinthians 6:9-11. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates," II Corinthians 13:5. If Christ is in you then according to the bible you are a new creature (II Corinthians 5:17). We are known by our fruit. There are evidences in our lives that lets us know if we are truly saved or not. This is why we examine ourselves according to the Scriptures, not our feelings or against other people. This is a labour, and often we don't want to know because we like not knowing for sure. This is what a crazy person does! Picture yourself sitting on a set of train tracks in the middle of other sets of train tracks. You hear the train horn; you hear the train rolling on the tracks; you even feel the vibration of the train. A sane person would check to make sure he is not sitting on the tracks the train is coming down. A crazy person says, I don't think I'm on the same track as the train, but I really don't want to know. One thing is for sure, at some point a train will be on your tracks, and you will have to deal with it. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment," Hebrews 9:27.
"The wrath of God is a perfection of the Divine character upon which we need to frequently meditate. First, that our hearts may be duly impressed by God's detestation of sin. We are ever prone to regard sin lightly, to gloss over its hideousness, to make excuses for it. But the more we study and ponder God's abhorrence of sin and his frightful vengeance upon it, the more likely are we to realize its heinousness. Secondly, to beget a true fear in our souls for God: "Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:28-29). We cannot serve him "acceptably" unless there is due "reverence" for his awful Majesty and "godly fear" of his righteous anger; and these are best promoted by frequently calling to mind that "our God is a consuming fire." Thirdly, to draw out our souls in fervent praise for our having been delivered from "the wrath to come" (I Thessalonians 1:10). A.W. Pink.
It is truly a joy to know that the Lord has saved your soul. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 5:1. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," John 6:37. I beg you to examine yourself according to the Scriptures to see if the Lord has saved your soul. If not, trust Christ alone to save you. Please send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. Soli D
