How can we see God’s wrath when we can’t see God? People who suppress the truth about God draw His wrath. This devotion looks at how God’s wrath is revealed against all sin.
Nuggets
- Even though we cannot see God, we know when He is angry at our sinfulness.
- God’s anger is used to help get us back on His track.
- People suppress the truth by denying God, refusing to acknowledge He is their Creator, and refusing to acknowledge Him as Sovereign Lord.
Wrath, as defined by Holman Bible Dictionary, is “the emotional response to perceived wrong and injustice, often translated ‘anger,’ ‘indignation,’ ‘vexation,’ and ‘irritation.’”
In God’s Wrath and Mercy, we said that sin, which leads to wrath, is the polar opposite of the Spirit — with which we are supposed to be filled. Sovereign God gets to decide crimes and punishments. There is hope for us because God is rich in mercy (Eph. 2: 4). Mercy comes out of God’s love, which is His character (I Jn. 4: 8).
God’s Wrath Revealed
“For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven …” (Rom. 1: 18 CSB)
Even though we cannot see God, we know when He is angry at our sinfulness. We know that “the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good” (Prob. 15: 3 CSB).
Also, we know God is a just God. “But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for judgment. And he judges the world with righteousness;
he executes judgment on the nations with fairness” (Ps. 9: 7-8 CSB).
God doesn’t lead with passion. “I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle; I would set them all on fire” (Isa. 27: 4 NIV).
Rather, according to Jay, God’s wrath comes out of His nature. It comes from the need to maintain order. If His laws and commandments are broken, consequences must occur.
The Scriptures have many examples of God’s wrath correcting mankind.
- God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden (Gen. 3: 24).
- The Wilderness Wanderers complained about conditions, and God sent serpents among them to kill them (Num. 21: 6).
- The Babylonian captivity occurred because of Israel’s unfaithfulness (I Chron. 9: 1).
Do I need to go on? I could. You get the point.
God is very fluent in modes of punishment. He doesn’t always immediately default to our death.
Oh, yeah. Worldview people argue that, if God is love, there would be no consequences.
Seriously? We really think we would want to submit to a God Who didn’t care what we did? That is just a smokescreen.
God makes His wrath known. Lyth wrote that God also reveals His anger to us in our conscience, through His Word, and through His care and guidance.
Thomas reminded us how we can get at times when we get angry. Ooo, baby. It just consumes us sometimes, doesn’t it?
Luckily, God isn’t that way. God is not vicious and spiteful. God is love (I Jn. 4: 8) and peace (Phil. 4: 7).
Some worldview people like to think that God is not judging us now and won’t until the end times — if then. We talked about this before. Do not take that to mean God will not judge. He will — if not today, He will in the end.
Against All Sin
“For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness …” (Rom. 1: 18 CSB)
It is easy for us to quickly get offended by someone who has angered us. We can be very good at holding grudges.
Not so with God.
God’s anger is used to help get us back on His track. He uses it to correct us and as a warning to other sinners. Its purpose is to mold us into being more like Him.
Go back to verse 18. “For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1: 18 CSB). God doesn’t let some sin slide. His wrath is against all sin.
What is the difference between ungodliness and unrighteousness? We talked about godliness and righteousness in Kindness and Love as Virtues.
Godliness in the New Testament is equivalent to the Old Testament’s the fear of the Lord, which means reverence and love (What Does Fear of the Lord Mean?). Righteousness is the result of a solid relationship with God built by a sincere life of obedience to God’s laws and commandments (How Do Disciples Crave Righteousness?). Righteousness is the thought or behavior. Godliness is the cause of the thought or behavior.
To read a related devotion, click the appropriate button below.
So, the godless are those who do not love and reverence God. The unrighteous are those who break His laws and commandments.
Against Those Who Suppress the Truth
“For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1: 18 CSB)
Bell defined truth as “… universally the reality as opposed to that which is not real.” He also noted “that sin extinguishes the love and desire for the truth.”
Oh, yes. There are those who “… suppress the truth” (Rom. 1: 18 CSB). They do that by denying God. They refuse to acknowledge He is their Creator. Worse, they refuse to acknowledge Him as Sovereign Lord.
Wardlaw argued that people were suppressing the truth by keeping the truth to themselves and refused to live their lives according to that truth.
Isn’t that sad? They know the truth, but purposefully do not submit to our Sovereign God. Instead, they will endure the torment of hell for eternity.
To read a devotion in the Hell Does Have Fury series, click on the appropriate button below.
Some may question how God’s truth can be suppressed. If He is an all-powerful God, how could this happen?
It happens because God allows it. Boston wrote “… that one cannot hold it prisoner but in unrighteousness, or in rebellion against the God of truth.”
Making the Connections
It might be easy for some to say, “Oh, but they just didn’t know.” Doesn’t work that way. Horton reminded us that, “once in Judaism, and since in Christianity, God has maintained a testimony for Himself.”
We either choose for God or for Satan. We are going to — at some point — want to seek God. Unfortunately, some may not recognize it at as seeking God.
We are going to think there is something more than this. We are going to recognize the brokenness in this world.
We are going to have to make a conscious choice.
Let’s face it. We deserve God’s wrath. We were the ones who are disobedient. Obedience means we not only hear God’s Word but also follow His instructions.
We have definitely been disobedient.
How Do We Apply This?
God created us. He has provided laws and commandments that show us right from wrong. Tyson stated that we owe Him “… perpetual allegiance and service.” It is our moral obligation to submit to God as our Creator and Sovereign Lord.
We need to search for God if He is not currently our Sovereign Lord. We need to seek to grow closer to Him if He is.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
God is a loving, forgiving God. He will forgive us when we sincerely admit our sins, believe in Jesus as Savior and Redeemer, and confess Him as Sovereign God.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
If you have not ABCD, please prayerfully consider making today the day.
Father God. You are Creator. You are all-powerful. The only way Your truth can be suppressed is because You allow it – just as You allowed Adam and Eve to choose to not obey You. Lord, one day Your wrath will be unleashed as You judge all mankind. Lord, we pray for those who are suppressing Your truth and who refuse to acknowledge You as Sovereign Lord. Put disciples in their paths to lead them to You. Amen.
What do you think?
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