Romans Chapter One Lesson 16
Review:
Overview of
6. There are 4 distinct parts to Paul's arguments: condemnation - covers all 4 of them!
#1. Condemnation of the pagan/heathen
world 1:1:18-32
Heathen
or pagan as used in the Scripture refers to anyone who does not worship the one
true God.
Another
way to view this whole section, is that it gives us a
picture of human history and human nature from God's viewpoint!
So
this section 1:18-32, looks at the one who does not worship the one true God
and also those who have no exposure to Scripture, to written revelation.
#2. The condemnation of the moral man!
2:1-16
- Paul says, in 2:1, hold it, don't be so quick to judge the
heathen, you in your moral self righteousness are as condemned before God as
they are!
#3. The Condemnation of the religious man, one with
revelation.
- Focus is the religious Jew, relies on the Law, boasts in
God v.17; they are confident of their
position v.19
#4. 3:9-20 Guilt,
condemnation of all Summarized!
- The charge is "all under sin" the guilt of all demonstrated in the
evidence leading up to this point.
7. [in the next section] The Provision of Salvation
Central
focus: The Person and work of Jesus Christ in the provision of salvation,
moving from guilt to grace by means of faith; develops the doctrine of
justification by faith.
In
the second have of this section the focus is on the provision made for the one
who has believed in Christ. Answers the question now what? 6:1-8:39
Back to chapter 1:18
1. Declaration of God's Wrath 1:18
a.
First the source of Wrath
v.18a
"For
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven...
- We must have
"a righteousness from God" v.17; but what we deserve from God is His
wrath;
- We must see the reality of our status before God or we
will never conclude that we need His grace provision of salvation.
- If man does not realize that he is damned, condemned before
God, why would he come to the conclusion that he needs a delivery, a Savior?
Examples
of Liberal theology and their views of God!
Harry
Emerson Fosdick
Lord
Bertrand Russell
It
should not be surprising that Paul begins with the wrath of God. wrath = ovrgh,
- We must be careful not to read into wrath, what we
normally associate with it in human terms/actions.
- The wrath of God spoken of here is in the process of being
revealed now;
- Wrath speaks of the punitive justice from the Justice of
God!
- Because God is righteous and Just He must pour out His
wrath on all sin; all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men;
Wrath
stands as the necessary complement to the love of God, God cannot love all good if He does
not hate all that is sin/evil.
- The wrath of God as used here in
- The phrase "from heaven" links the wrath
to the throne of God, and is reminding us that this wrath is from God!
>
Where is God's wrath revealed ??
God's
righteousness as we noted is revealed in the gospel; but so is His wrath;
- Both of these verbs are in the present tense therefore the
emphasis is not on the future judgment of God, but on the present reality of
His wrath during human history.
Righteousness
is God's response to faith,
while wrath is God's response to ungodliness and unrighteousness.
>
The
righteousness of God and the wrath of God both describe divine action taken by
God toward man.
Righteousness
is God's response to faith,
while wrath is God's response to ungodliness and unrighteousness.
**
The evidence for divine wrath is found through out human history;
That
is Paul's focus, in our context, the present state of all those who are outside
Christ, they are objects of God's wrath.
** Wrath then is the appropriate preparation for the
announcement of God's grace in salvation;
Man
must know that he is lost before he can be saved;
- Not only does a clear perception of God's wrath prepare men for the gospel; it is also a means whereby men are driven to grace.