Title: God's Judgment / Romans 1:18-32
Contents
He speaks in detail first of the Gentiles' need for "righteousness," then the Jews, and finally the whole human race, concluding that righteousness is absolutely necessary because they have sinned and are under God's condemnation.
That's what Romans 1:17 says. Please read it again as a review.
It says, “In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed, from faith to faith, as it is written, The righteous will live by faith.”
Paul was quoting Hab 2:4.
Today's reading verses 18-32 show that all mankind is under the wrath of God. The purpose of Paul's words is to prove that the righteousness of God is revealed only in the gospel, as mentioned in verse 17.
In other words, except for the gospel, no matter where in the world and whatever you do, you cannot become righteous by human effort, so that no one can be saved on your own.
Why did he become such a helpless human being, that is, why was he totally depraved?
It is because man has sinned.
Here, Paul is talking about the tragic image of a man who rejected God's grace, turned away from God like a prodigal son, sinned, and fell.
If we classify the verse we read today, we can divide it into four parts.
Section (1).18 is a summary of the entire content.
(2) Verses 19-20 say that the knowledge of God has already been given to man.
Verses ⑶.21-23 tell us that the truth about God was overshadowed and banished because of men's sins.
Verses ⑷.24-32 say that as a result, God's wrath was revealed to people.
In today's text, the word 'God's wrath' appears, but it is easy to misunderstand if it is not done well.
This is not any human emotion, ambition, or vengeance. This is an aspect of God's love.
As if a mother rebukes her son for wrongdoing, it does not mean that he should die and perish. I'm telling you to understand and do well. Because they love their children.
Hebrews 12:6 says, “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and scourges every son whom he receives.” Therefore, ‘God’s wrath’ means one aspect of love.
Words cannot describe how much that sin makes people sick, hurt, and tormented. So, in the end, it destroys people.
Therefore, God's wrath is an attitude of love that prevents this from happening, and a stern attitude toward sin. So, even though we are sinners, even if our lives are lacking and poor, God loves us to the end because he is a child of God, but he protects us to the end. It is a strict expression of God.
The word 'wrath' appears 10 times in Romans. To the extent that God's 'wrath' is based on God's love, we should repent of our sins every time, deeply realize God's love and give thanks. In fact, it is impossible to speak of God's love without thinking about God's wrath.
In fact, human beings are so weak and foolish that they do not even consider them valuable if they continue to be at peace. Therefore, sometimes you have to suffer and suffer in order to realize the true taste of peace, to cherish it, and to give thanks with a humble heart.
'Spurgeon' said, 'It is always harmful for us humans to be as sweet as honey, and always harmful to bitter. Only when those two are combined can we keep our souls healthy in this world.' That's right. For the health of our souls, we need the south wind of mercy and the north wind of tribulation.
A man named Leach said, ‘Whenever the sun shines, it becomes a desert’. That's right. How nice is the warm sun? But if it continues, it will be detrimental. We need cloudy days, and even if the bay is damaged, we need typhoons and heavy rains. Without typhoons and heavy rains, the Earth's metabolism would not take place, and the Earth would become stale, so neither humans nor animals and plants could survive.
In the same way, God always loves us, but with discipline He leads us on the path of righteousness, and with the hand of God's love, He leads us to the path of blessing and abundance. That is why He makes us people who understand God's deep and mysterious love and give thanks in everything.
Therefore, God's love is never a love that condones or condones sin. God's love is a love that combines justice with hatred of sin.
To say that ‘God’s wrath’ has appeared in today’s text is speaking of one aspect of God’s love.
We need to understand why mankind is subject to God's wrath.
In order for the patient to be cured, he must go to the doctor, know the name of the disease, and receive treatment according to the instructions.
Likewise, in order to be saved, we must know who we are.
Even if a person is beaten, shouldn't it be known for what reason? After being judged and dying, don't you need to know what causes you to die?
That is why the Apostle Paul explains why Gentiles die without being saved and why Jews are not saved even though they pride themselves on being the chosen people.
Sin always has consequences. In Romans 6:23 it says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Sin must be punished by suffering, misery, and death. However, to those who realize this and repent, it appears as beneficial punishment, but to those who do not, it appears as wrath and punishment.
The wrath of God is manifested “against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of man.”
(1) Appears to the ungodly.
This is a bad attitude toward God. In other words, it is the sin of idolatry. It is said in verses 21-25.
(2) It is expressed about injustice.
This is a bad attitude towards humans. Unrighteousness is the result of an unrighteous attitude toward God.
Therefore, if we do not know and serve God rightly, we cannot build human relationships if we do not have a right relationship with Him.
Verses 29-31 speak of that sinful image. “Full of all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and malice, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice, a gossiper, a slanderer, a hater of God, a reproacher, a proud person, a schemer of evil. Disobedient to parents, foolish, treacherous, heartless, ruthless
These two kinds of crimes are caused by refusing to live according to the “light of truth,” that is, to live according to the Word of God.
Godliness and unrighteousness are always blocking the truth. In simple terms, ‘blocking the truth’ here means blocking what is right with lies rather than what is right.
It was the Jews who condemned Jesus, who became the truth, as a sinner and had him die on the cross. It is like when God comes with a good gift and people block it and keep it from access.
It means that neither you nor others will receive it. These are the people who block the truth with unrighteousness. God's wrath is on these people.
And God made it possible to know this truth so that no one would have any excuses before him on the day of judgment. In other words, he did not let anyone make excuses for not believing in Jesus because he did not know God.
First, this truth is revealed in the light of conscience. The second manifests itself through the natural world. Therefore, the “knowable things of God” have already appeared without the revelation of Jesus Christ. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, it says, “God created everything, beautifying it in its time, and instilled in man a longing for eternity.”
Because the conscience already conveys the simple knowledge of God through nature, people are fully responsible for the sins that stand in the way of the truth.
Verse 20 says, “For from the creation of the world the invisible things of him, even his eternal power and divinity, have been clearly seen and understood in all things that have been made; therefore, they have no excuse.” How, then, is God's wrath revealed to such an ungodly and unrighteous person?
First, as in verses 21-23, sinners become darker. Darkness is a punishment before God. It's a terrifying wrath.
In the old days, people who broke the laws of the country were punished by having their eyes plucked out. The eye would be plucked out and Salvae would rather die.
Guys, how pitiful are those who are blind? That's right. It is unfortunate that you cannot see all things, and it is very unfortunate that you cannot see God and cannot go to heaven. In fact, God's most terrifying wrath is that our hearts become darker and we do not know God at all.
Second, as in verses 24-32, we allow people who have sinned to sin more and more without repenting.
The phrase “God left them alone” appears three times in verses 24, 26, and 28.
How unfortunate it would be if a young child was abandoned by their parents. It is unfortunate to be an orphan by chance, but if you were abandoned, the misfortune would be indescribable.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ----
God is the Lord of heaven and earth, the ruler of life, and the source of blessings.
Therefore, those who are loved by God are the most blessed, while those who are far away from God are the most unhappy. You are forever miserable.
Some people ask this question. There are people who do not believe in God, but rather do evil, but work well and become rich. The answer is simple. Because God has forsaken it.
Sin is a temporary bait for joy. So, in the end, it leads to greater sorrow and unhappiness. In this way, God's wrath is 'shown by leaving the sinners alone'.
So how do you let it go?
First, as verse 24 says, ‘Leave them to uncleanness’.
So they are swept away by the strong currents of filthy desires, and fall into the depths of immorality and sin.
Second, as in verse 26, ‘God has given them over to shameful lusts’. That is why they become victims of lust and depraved sins.
The third is, as in verse 28, “…they did not like to have God in their hearts, so God gave them over to their lost will, to do what is not fitting.”
Therefore, man cannot be freed from this sin and saved from destruction except through the merits of Christ. In other words, the grace of God is essential for sinners.
Dear saints, Realizing that we are sinners beyond salvation, we must humbly come before God and wait for His grace. I pray in the name of the Lord that God's infinite love and grace will always overflow to all of you who humbly wait.