A natural revelation from God
A natural revelation from God
"The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and injustice of men who unjustly detain the truth"
This is the beginning of a new section. It is a revelation of God's wrath against all injustice. It is a revelation of man's sin, beginning here with verse 18 and continuing through chapter 3, verse 20. The universal fact is that man is a sinner. The axiom that can be pointed out here is that the world is guilty before God and everyone needs justice. In this section, the apostle Paul did not try to prove that the man was a sinner. If you try to read this portion that way, you will not understand the true meaning. Paul simply exposed the fact that man is a sinner. Paul not only showed that there is a revelation of the righteousness of God, but there is also a revelation of the wrath of God against the sin of mankind.
The first part of this verse says, "For the wrath of God is revealed." If you really want to know what salvation really is, you need to know how bad sin is. Dr. Stifler said, "Sin is the measure of salvation." It is that the wrath of God is His feeling, rather than His punishment for sin. It is His holy wrath. Anger is the antithesis of justice and is used here as a correlative.
The phrase "is being revealed" constitutes God's response to those who claim that the Old Testament presents a God of wrath, while the New Testament presents a God of love. There is a continual revelation, both in the Old and New Testaments, of the wrath of God. In these modern times it is revealed in our contemporary society. This is God's constant and insistent dislike of evil. He does not change. God, dear listener, is merciful, not because he is forgiving of sin, but because Christ died. The gospel has not changed God's attitude toward sin. The gospel has made it possible for Him to accept the sinner. The sinner must have either the justice or the wrath of God. Both are revealed from heaven.
Do you want to know how bad sin is? Look at cases of venereal disease around you, for example. No one, dear listener, no one can avoid the consequences of sin. God's judgment is revealed from heaven against all sin and wickedness. Ungodliness is what is against God. Is it the denial of God's character? irreligiosity? ignorance of the very existence of God. That is a sin.