The wrath of God

18 For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

24 Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised for ever. Amen.

From Idolatry to Depravity
26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.

28 And because they did not think it worth while to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right. 29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. 32 Although they know God’s just sentence – that those who practise such things deserve to die – they not only do them, but even applaud others who practise them.

Romans 1:18-32

Introduction

Here is an overview of this morning’s headlines from News24:

Why the NPA let Zizi Kodwa off the hook on corruption charges

‘We gave Baba R20m’ – Guptas told Phosa Zuma pocketed their donation to ANC

Mashatile faces ANC integrity commission over corruption allegations

Suspended Crime Intelligence whistleblower fears for his life

Crime makes delivery of online purchases more expensive

Hawks conclude Danny Jordaan R1.3 million graft probe

News24 Pride month hub: Exclusive interviews, queer life, cultural celebrations and MORE!

Our world’s a mess—corruption, violence, sexual depravity are everywhere. As we look at this morning’s headlines, it’s clear that humanity has been delivered over to its desires, living under the weight of its own choices. Today, we’re confronted with a sobering reality: our world is under wrath. The question we must ask is, how might we escape this judgment?

God reveals His wrath by allowing those who reject Him to pursue their heart’s desires leading to their destruction.

In wrath God delivers those who reject Him

God reveals His wrath against all unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by worshipping the creation instead of the creator

18 For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,

For: In Romans 1:1-17, Paul writes to declare his mission of proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, emphasizing the power of the gospel for salvation through faith to all people. In Romans 1:18-32, he explains why salvation is necessary, mankind is under the the wrath of God because they have rejected Him and He has delivered them over to the unrighteous actions their heart’s desire.

God’s wrath: anger exhibited in punishment, God is mad!

is revealed: ἀποκαλύπτω, which sounds ominous, but it means to make known, to reveal.

godlessness: No fear of the Lord, lack of reverence towards God.

unrighteousness: Heart condition that results in life choices.

suppress: To intentionally hinder the course or progress.

the truth: What is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth, the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention.

If God was mad at the world 2,000 years ago, can you imagine His anger with us today? Humanity’s rebellion hasn’t diminished an iota; it has only deepened. We live in a world where godlessness—the disregard and disrespect for God—is celebrated, and unrighteousness is not only practiced but encouraged. We have doubled down on our efforts to suppress the truth by denying and distorting God’s Word, covering it with half-truths and outright lies.

19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has evidenced it to them. 20 For since his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

evident: apparent, manifest, evident, known.

without excuse: without defence or excuse.

This is a courtroom scene: humanity is on trial, standing before the divine Judge. The evidence against them is overwhelming because God has revealed Himself clearly and visibly throughout creation. The whole world testifies to His existence and His character. No one can plead ignorance.

21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, in their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, and birds, and four-footed animals, and reptiles.

Romans 1:23 may be an allusion to Psalm 106:19-20, At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped the cast metal image. They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating ox. Psalm 106 recounts the unfaithfulness of Israel. This particular section refers to the idolatry of the golden calf during Israel’s Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 32), where the Israelites worshipped a created idol rather than their creator God. By referencing a well-known Biblical example, Paul emphasizes the continuity of the human heart to manufacture idols and the consequences of that exchange.

hearts: denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life. This is what makes us tick, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually too.

Our hearts have always been idol factories. Israel created idols in the desert 3,500 years ago, Rome had her idols 2,000 years ago. We’re no less idolatrous today. Our modern idols may not be golden calves or statues of deities, but they still command our devotion—The God of wealth, The God of sex, The God of entertainment. In our desire to worship anything but God, we create gods of our own making. Like Israel and Rome, we exchange the glory of the immortal God for temporary, fading imitations, hoping they’ll satisfy our deepest needs. But each idol leaves us further enslaved.

To the modern god of wealth, we sacrifice our time, relationships, and integrity, and in return, we receive a heart of greed and discontent.

To the modern god of sex, we sacrifice our purity, intimacy, and self-respect, and in return, we receive a heart of lust and isolation.

To the modern god of entertainment, we sacrifice our focus, productivity, and presence, and in return, we receive a heart of restlessness and numbness.

To the modern god of success, we sacrifice our health, family, and authenticity, and in return, we receive a heart of pride and anxiety.

To the modern god of approval, we sacrifice our self-worth and convictions, and in return, we receive a heart of insecurity and fear.

To the modern god of comfort, we sacrifice our growth, resilience, and purpose, and in return, we receive a heart of apathy and complacency.

God reveals His wrath against all unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by worshipping the creation instead of the creator

Sexual impurity

God delivered them over to sexual impurity – The rejection of divine truth leads to spiritual corruption.

24 Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.

Romans 1:24 may be an allusion to Psalm 81:12, So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own plans. Psalm 81 is a call for Israel to return to obedience and worship. In Psalm 81:11-12, Asaph reflects on Israel’s stubbornness, and God allowing them the consequences of their actions. Paul’s quotation in Romans 1:24 emphasizes that God’s judgment may involve a withdrawal of divine restraint.

A withdrawal of divine restraint. When we think of God’s judgment, we often envision the future Day of the Lord, that great and terrible day when His wrath will be poured out on the world. However, what we often overlook is that even now, those who rebel against Him are already experiencing His wrath. The phrase “God delivered them over” reflects an active judgment where He steps back, allowing people to pursue their desires without divine restraint. This results in their own spiritual and moral corruption. God permits individuals to sink deeper into their choices, degrading both body and soul as they embrace what they think they want. His present judgment is evident as the world lives out the consequences of turning from Him—God simply lets you have your own way.

25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.

The great exchange. The truth for the lie.

God delivered them over to sexual impurity – The rejection of divine truth leads to spiritual corruption.

Disgraceful passions

God delivered them over to disgraceful passions – The rejection of divine truth leads to depraved behaviour.

26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions.

Roman society was characterised by increasing moral degradation and perversion, excessive luxury, hedonism, and corruption. Sexual immorality was rampant, adultery, prostitution, and sexual exploitation was common.

For Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another.

This is talking about homosexual sexual relationships. Men with men and woman with woman. God abhors sexual depravity. The LGBTIQ cultural explosion of our day is a significant departure from God’s design for human sexuality. God man and woman, make and female, and gave Eve to Adam, and Adam to Eve, for mutual support and procreation. The LGBTIQ movement represents a broader moral decline, where our society increasingly endorses behaviours that Scripture describes as contrary to God’s intentions.

Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.

Paul’s focus is present wrath. There are present consequences to rebelling against God. Men committing these acts with other men receive in their own persons an appropriate penalty of their error. Deviance, any deviance, against God’s revealed will, results in emotional, physical, and spiritual consequences. Emotionally, individuals may experience deep feelings of shame, isolation, and unfulfilled longing. Physically, the pursuit of sexual immorality can lead to serious health risks, including sexually transmitted infections. Spiritually, such actions result in a distancing from God. Sin always bears consequence.

God delivered them over to disgraceful passions – The rejection of divine truth leads to depraved behaviour.

Corrupted minds

God delivered them over to a corrupt mind – The rejection of divine truth leads to societal decay.

28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right.

In South Africa we understand corruption. Pervasive political dishonesty and moral decay has gripped our nation. We see leaders prioritising self-interest and power over integrity and justice. Corruption minds lead to corrupt behaviours. But it’s not just the head of the fish that is rotten. The sins of our leaders have become the sins of people. We cheat on our tax returns, we pay a bribe to the police officer that pulls us over, we have become corrupt as a nation.

29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful.

Notice the switch, from individual sins to corporate sins. What was a person-by-person corruption eventually becomes a societal problem, as the moral decay of individuals compounds and proliferates throughout the community. An entire community marked by pervasive wrongdoing, where justice is abandoned, and the very fabric of society unravels under the weight of unrestrained wickedness. Friends, this is us. This is South Africa today. Read News24. It’s murder, and theft, and racism, and corruption, and rebellion against God. We’ve been delivered over!

32 Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.

The knowledge of God’s righteous standard is evident. Yet the world has chosen to turn away. And so judgment for their rebellion and defiance is imminent. There is a desperate need for intervention. Left to ourselves, we will just continue to spiral towards sin and death.

God delivered them over to a corrupt mind – The rejection of divine truth leads to societal decay.

Connect to the gospel

Gospel-Based Teaching. Salvation is necessary because hearts which reject God stir His wrath and can only be saved through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

By believing in the God we are saved from God’s wrath, we are cleansed from within, and our lives are transformed so we can live in obedience.

Application for believers

Reflect on your own life and identify areas where you may have manufactured an idol that should be destroyed (you may need to seek out an accountability partner for discipleship). Boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel, understanding that ignoring or diluting God’s truth can lead to dire consequences for both yourself and the people you love.

Application for unbelievers

As you are confronted about the idols of your heart and the unrighteous practices in your life do you see your desperate need for a saviour? Repent from your sin and fly to Jesus.

Conclusion

Today’s news headlines remind us of the reality of a world under wrath, a world that has rejected God and is experiencing the consequences. Corruption, sexual deviance, violent crime. But this wrath isn’t the final word. God, in His mercy, offers an escape from judgment through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He took the wrath upon Himself so we wouldn’t have to bear it. This gospel calls us to turn from the idols of our heart and sin of our lives and embrace the life and forgiveness that only Jesus can provide. As we leave today, let’s consider: Will we continue in a path that leads to destruction, or will we respond to God’s call to life? The choice is ours.

God reveals His wrath by allowing those who reject Him to pursue their heart’s desires leading to their destruction.

Amen.