ROMANS 1:18-21 THE WRATH OF GOD IS BEING REVEALED

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, 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.

 The reason for human guilt 1:18

The downward spiral of man from sin to idolatry is shown from verses 18-32

1st of all man knows God in verses 18-20

Next he fails to glorify God in verses 21-23

Then man changes the truth of God into a lie in verses 24-25

Lastly man rejects any knowledge of God at all in verses 26-32

The downward spiral of man from sin to idolatry is shown from verses 18-32

1st of all man knows God in verses 18-20

Next he fails to glorify God in verses 21-23

Then man changes the truth of God into a lie in verses 24-25

Lastly man rejects any knowledge of God at all in verses 26-32

Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

The wrath of God is not some sudden outburst of anger or impulsive thing; it is a predetermined and rational act of a righteous God against sinful man.

It is revealed or more accurately constantly revealed. The word means to uncover to make visible or make known

God has revealed His wrath as well as His righteousness (v. 17) from heaven in the gospel.53 As Paul would explain, the unfolding of history also reveals God's hatred toward sin and His judgment of sin. The moral devolution of humanity is not just a natural consequence of man's sinning but also a result of God's judgment of sinners. The final judgment of sin will occur in the end times, but already God is pouring out His wrath against sin to a lesser degree (cf. Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6). Paul described wrath as revealed from heaven because it comes from God who is in heaven.

"God's wrath is his divine displeasure with sin. We call it 'wrath' because it shares certain basic characteristics of human wrath. But because it is God's wrath it can have none of the sinful qualities of its human counterpart.

God has two ways he reveals his wrath

1.    Indirectly through natural consequences of violating his moral law

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

2.    Directly through his personal intervention or his decisive changing of events so that a price is paid for sin

·       The sentence passed on Adam and Eve

·       Sodom and Gomorrah

Deuteronomy 29:23  the whole land brimstone and salt, and a burnt-out waste, unsown, and growing nothing, where no grass can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger and wrath--

·       The Flood

2 Peter 2:5  and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

 The wrath of abandonment which is removing all restraint and letting people go to their sins

Psalms 81:11 "But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would have none of me.12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.

This is what God is doing in this section of scripture:

The wrath of God is revealed against

The sinfulness of man

1st in Ungodliness which is a lack of respect, devotion and true worship of God

2ndly in Unrighteousness which is a result of Ungodliness means injustice toward other human beings

That is, their sinful transgressions against God and their corrupted behavior exhibited within human relationships. In short, all of human life is polluted with sin.

We see it in any attitude or action that is not loving. Together these two words show humankind's failure to love God and other people as we should, which are our two greatest responsibilities (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:37-39). Verses 19-27 demonstrate man's ungodliness, and verses 28-32 show his wickedness. The "truth" refers to truth that people know about God (cf. v. 25). They suppress this truth by their wickedness.

Further, people suppress or hinder the truth  by their unrighteousness Here “unrighteousness” is not so much a general reference to the way in which they suppress the truth, but a reference to the sinful acts themselves which are used to hold the truth from one’s sight. Nothing could be more futile than to think that we can extinguish or destroy the truth through the means of sin. In the end, all we end up doing is confirming the truth.

The reason for his wrath is because of their

·       Unrighteousness is a lack of conforming to the law of God with our thoughts words and our deeds

·       Suppressing  revealed truth

But what truth do they suppress? Undoubtedly it refers to the truth about God, i.e., his power, authority, and the fact that we are accountable to him as Creator (1:19-20

Even though God has revealed Himself through their conscience, creation and God's word they still choose to resist and oppose God's truth so they can live in sin.

Whenever the truth starts to exert itself and makes them feel uneasy in their moral nature, they hold it down, suppress it. Some drown its voice by rushing on into their immoralities; others strangle the disturbing voice by argument and by denial.

Next we come to the age old question of is a person lost who has never heard the Gospel of Jesus

"Napoleon, on a warship in the Mediterranean on a star-lit night, passed a group of his officers who were mocking at the idea of a God. He stopped, and sweeping his hand toward the stars, said, 'Gentlemen, you must get rid of those first!'

Missionaries from all over the world testify that they find no atheists or people who do not believe in God even in the most primitive tribal settings. There is always a belief in a god whether it is a correct belief or not.

All of us have a conscience and a sense of morality whether we choose to obey it or not. We know wrong from right.

Why they are without excuse

Because, Even though they Knew God

1.    They did not glorify God.... Scripture constantly demands it

Lev 10:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD meant when he said, 'Through those who are near me I will show myself holy, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron was silent.

2.    They were not thankful

3.    They became futile in their thoughts or in other words they tried to  find meaning in life by dreaming up ways to be satisfied without GOD

Therefore, to suppress the knowledge of God is to engage in the futility of idolatry.

4.    Their foolish hearts were darkened

John 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

If man will respond to the light or revelation of God he has been given, even if he is in the middle of the jungle, God will crash a plane and parachute a missionary in to him so that he can hear the gospel and be saved.

Every one of us has a God shaped vacuum that we try to fill with things such as money, drugs, alcohol, love, power, or sex.

1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.