Warning: God's Wrath Is Coming Series

1. Romans 1:18 opens up…

• Well guys we get into a very unpopular subject this morning.

• The WRATH OF GOD – His coming judgment upon those who reject His Son, Jesus Christ.

• And although we hear of the wonderful gospel of grace, it would be wrong to neglect the warning that God will judge.

NOTE: It was pretty sad wasn’t it to hear the stories of those in New Orleans that refused to heed the warnings about Katrina!

• The largest hurricane in years is coming… LEAVE - FLEE!

• NO, we weathered the last one, we’ll make through this one.

• NO, we don’t believe it will be that big.

• NO, this is my house and no one will tell me what to do!

• There was this undercurrent of resistance, for some even to the point of getting their guns and fending off the authorities.

So it is today with those who are warned that the Judgment of God is coming… the wrath of God will come!

• Get out of sin and get into Jesus… and the answers are similar.

• NO, I don’t really believe in God so I don’t care.

• NO, I’m not too concerned because I go to church.

• NO, I’m not listening because you can’t tell me what to do.

And there is this attitude, both with hurricanes & with God that we can do whatever we want and nothing will touch us or hurt us.

• However REALITY is different than that!

• The truth is if you knew a storm was coming, we would be wise to heed the warnings and evacuate!

• THE Bible tells us that the WRATH OF GOD is coming…

• Yes in v16-17, great news, grand news, awesome!

• But then there is the bad news too.

GOOD NEWS is only good compared to the alternative BAD NEWS.

• Oh man I went through this and this and this… but it’s nothing compared to what I COULD HAVE GONE THROUGH!

• And Paul understands this as he begins to show us just how lost we are… just how devastating sin really is.

Yes, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, but it isn’t really isn’t effective until YOU REALIZE just how much you need a Savior.

• You can’t be found until you first realize just how lost you are!

• God’s message is one of those GOOD NEWS / BAD NEWS things.

• For me, I always want the bad news first! Just lay it on me!

• Then we can end our conversation with the Good news.

The BAD NEWS is: You’re a sinner, hopelessly lost in your sin!

• And if you die in that condition, you will spend eternity in hell!

• But the GOOD NEWS is that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to rescue us from our horrible condition.

Psalm 40.1-2

SO it’s crystal clear, EVERYBODY needs a Savior.

• Paul doesn’t hesitate to lay out the bad news first, followed by the good news both BOLDLY & DIRECTLY!

• We shouldn’t be afraid of doing the same!

• I know there is a culture within the church today to water down the reality of hell, but Hell & Sin & Judgment are real!

• And God has provide REAL solutions to avoid them!

First he addresses the PAGAN PERSON that is utterly lost.

• Next, he’ll address the MORAL PERSON, then the RELIGIOUS.

• Finally, in CH3 he concludes that EVERYONE IS LOST!

I. (1:18-19) God’s WRATH

1. The Holiness of God.

a. The word used here for wrath is ‘orge’. It speaks to us of ‘God’s settled determination against sin’.

b. God is completely good. He is completely holy.

c. Therefore he CANNOT tolerate any sin of any kind.

Habakkuk 1:13 (NKJV) 13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he?

But wait a minute, I thought God was a God of Love!

• He is. God’s very nature and essence is love.

1 Corinthians 13:6 (NKJV) 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

And so with Sin, God doesn’t wink at it or ignore it or say something like “boys will be boys”. NO, He judges it.

• Think of Jesus for a moment… A sinlessly perfect man dying a horrific death. Why?

• He experienced the wrath of God being poured upon Him so that you and I would not have to!

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.