The wrath of God
After introducing himself, greeting the saints, and explaining why he longed to see the believers in Rome, Paul begins the letter to the Romans by describing the need for the manifestation of the power of God in the world. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”
Romans 1:18, NET. The wrath of God was revealed on the cross at Golgotha. God poured out his wrath against the unrighteousness and ungodliness of humankind but not against sinful humanity itself. Had God poured out his wrath against sinful humankind, this world and its inhabitants would have perished forever. Because of the work of sin’s power, humankind was so unrighteous that the image of God in humankind became invisible.
Just before the flood, sinful humankind became so ungodly that it reached the point of total self-destruction. God, in flood, manifested his wrath against the sinful acts of humankind. “Then the Lord God saw man’s wickedness, that it was great in the earth, and every intent of the thoughts within his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5, Septuagint. Humankind employed the capacities given by the Creator to devise evil. However, at just the right time, and because he loved humankind, God exercised His Sovereign power to redirect the history of humankind and, thus, slow down the impact of sin’s power. This act of love by God saved humankind from self-destruction by its short-sighted evil ways.
Then again, when humankind was on the verge of separation from God forever, God poured out his wrath against the sin itself on the cross at Golgotha. God placed sin and sinful human life on the body of Jesus. By abandoning him, God restored to him the helpless humanity as his eternal possession. Before the manifestation of God’s wrath, humankind’s condition was a total lack of proper attitude, resulting in a complete absence of godliness. The man became engrossed in himself.
To be continued.
