The Wrath of God
Did you know that God can get angry! This passage concerns the Wrath of God and those activities that we as humans commit that are against His will.
This is a Bible Study. Have your own Bible handy to look up the references mentioned.
If you do not have a Bible, I invite you to go to BibleGateway.com or another online Bible.
18. The wrath of God is revealed.
“The wrath of God is God’s feeling, not His punishment of sin. It is His holy anger.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 652)
“God’s wrath is his divine displeasure with sin.” (Mounce, Robert H, The New American Commentary, Volume 27, Romans. [Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995], 76)
“‘Against all ungodliness’—ungodliness is that which is against God.” (McGee, 652)
“‘Unrighteousness’ is against man…It is the denial of the rule of God.” (McGee, 652)
“‘Who hold the truth in unrighteousness’ is literally to hold down, suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The wrath of God is revealed against folk who do this.” (McGee, 652)
“Men choose to resist and oppose God’s truth by holding fast to their sin (cf. Psalm 14:1; John 3:19-20). (MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. [Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005], 1507)
19. God is manifest in them
We just have to look around us to see God. Looking at nature and all that God created tells us that God made it.
God hath shewed it unto them.
MacArthur tells us that God “planted evidence of His existence in the very nature of man by reason and moral law [1:20-21, 28,32, 2:15].” (1507)
Invisible things
20. The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen
What are the invisible things?
Just to look at nature.
Seashore, Mountains, Valleys, Rolling hills and other designs of nature.
His eternal power
This is God, the creator. He made all things.
Godhead
This is “His divine nature, particularly His faithfulness (Gen. 8:21-22), kindness, and graciousness (Acts 14:17).” (MacArthur, 1507)
They are without excuse
“God holds all people responsible for their refusal to acknowledge what He has shown them of Himself in His creation.” (MacArthur, 1507
How about those who have never heard the gospel?
MacArthur tell us “If a person will respond to the revelation he has, even if it is solely natural revelation, God will provide some means for that person to hear the gospel (cf. Acts 8:26-39; 10:1; 17:27.” (1507)
21. When they knew God, they glorified him not as God
They knew God. Man had a general knowledge of God.
They did not glorify Him.
Scripture tells us to glorify God. Psalm 29:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Revelation 4:11
“To glorify Him is to honor Him, to acknowledge His attributes, and to praise Him for His perfections (cf. Exodus 34:5-7).” (MacArthur, 1507)
They were not thankful. “They refused to acknowledge that every good thing they enjoyed came from God.” (MacArthur, 1507) Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:15-17; 1 Timothy 6:17; James 1:17
Are you thankful?
Vain. “Man’s search for meaning and purpose will produce only vain, meaningless conclusions.” (MacArthur, 1507)
Their hearts became dark. “When man rejects the truth, the darkness of spiritual falsehood replaces it (cf. John 3:19-20.” (MacArthur, 1507)
Are you important?
22. Do you ever think you are wise? Do you think you are very important?
This verse is for you.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. I am not wise (maybe I have some smarts).
Psalm 14:1 Psalm 53:1 Say almost the same thing.
Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
23. What did they do?
People changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image
What else did they make into images they could worship?
[Worthless idols] in the shape of mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles.
“Images of birds, beasts, and creatures that crawl along the ground.” (Mounce, 80)
24. God gave them up to their own uncleanness.
MacArthur says this is “a general term often used of decaying matter, like the contents of a grave.” (1508)
Have you ever been dirty without cleaning up? How bad you smelled and felt.
This is what God will give those who do not confess him as Savior.
It would be a sinking feeling to know that God gave up on us.
But those that God gave up on do not realize it.
They are dishonoring their own bodies.
What does God do to those who consistently abandon Him?
He abandons them. (MacArthur, 1508) Judges 10:13; 2 Chronicles 15:2; 24:20; Psalm 81:11-12; Hosea 4:17 Matthew 15:14; Acts 7:38-42; 14:16
Lie
25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie. And worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
“They turned from God to Satan, the author of the lie and the father of idolatry. This is idolatry which led to the lowest depths of moral degradation.” (McGee, 954)
When one does not want God, Satan quickly moves in.
26. This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. [HCSB]
“God’s anger against sin leads him to withdraw from the sinner who willfully continues in wickedness.” (Mounce, 82)
Women “Paul mentions women first to show the extent of debauchery under the wrath of abandonment, because in most cultures women are the last to be affected by moral collapse.” (MacArthur, 1508)
27. The males in the same way also left natural relations with women [HCSB].
Receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
There is punishment for both men and women. AIDS may be one of them.
“These are passions of dishonor and disgrace and depravity—regardless of what public opinion is today.” (McGee, 654)
28. And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. [HCSB]
List of Sins
29 – 31. Ok Cop Out
I could hit the big ones, but they are all wicked and evil.
If you want to study those then get your dictionary (Physical or internet) and search.
Unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful
This passage “condemns a number of vices that call down the wrath of God.” (Mounce, 35)
32. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
They know they shouldn’t but continue to commit these sins.
“Willful rejection of divine revelation hardens the heart to the point where the rebel takes delight in the sinfulness of others. At this point wickedness has sunk to its lowest level.” (Mounce, 86)
Passages marked HCSB are taken from:
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005
Mounce, Robert H, The New American Commentary, Volume 27, Romans. Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995
