Romans 1:16-31 What is righteousness? It is divine approval; what is deemed right by the Lord - after examination, it is what is approved in His eyes - it is what ought to be; it is all things good and right, just and fair. In this case, righteousness is what God ascribes to believers in Christ (imputed righteousness - 2Cor 5:21; Ro 3:25)
Within righteousness are life and love as demonstrated by Jesus and given to those who place their trust in Him. To live righteously is to love as God loves, a way, the way, approved by God. Righteous. Jesus is righteous and He loves righteously.
To live in love is Jesus, and to be like Jesus is to be righteous, it is (the only thing) that is approved by God.
Therefore, in being righteous, to be like Jesus, are all those things that we wish and want to be (in Christ), that the Holy Spirit makes us to be, that the Father creates us to be, that we would do the good works, the beautiful works, the righteous works, (and therefore) the approved works of God, that God has prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10).
It is on Jesus and all that is Jesus, that the Father has placed His seal of approval
John 6:27 “do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him, God the Father has placed His seal of approval. And what then must we to do the works God requires (to be approved)?” Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.’”
That is…
Eph 2:8-9 “8F…it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.”
In Christ, we have received the seal of the Holy Spirit, a mark of God’s approval:
2Cor 1:21-22 “21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Eph 1:13 “13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”
And we are to act according to that seal…
Eph 4:30 “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
If this is so, let us be careful, then, of what we approve. (Ro 12:2; 14:22; Ph 1:10)
Read the chapter here
Ro 1:18 God’s wrath is being revealed against the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness…
Godlessness - bold irreverence - refusing to give honor where honor is due
Wickedness/unrighteousness of heart (love) and life - a violation of God’s standards - bringing divine disapproval - death and destruction
Suppress - restrain, hold back the course of progress of - the knowledge of God
Let go back to this word wrath…
Wrath: God is, never, not opposed to sin and evil - as sin and evil are contrary to Him, an attack on His Person, His nature - who and what He is - His glory and His goodness and the expression of those: all that He has made, to and for and that He has made and loves, lovingly caring for it.
We must understand, wrath is the passionate protective side of God’s love. Therefore, it rises up to oppose anything or anyone who would come against Him and His beloved.
God’s passionate love for Himself will come to the defense of “each other’ - it is always there, at the ready, as an expression of His love - therefore it teems, swells, it is not a sudden outburst - it is not a temper tantrum, it is not reactionary, nor is it out of control, in fact, it is actually quite in control
This “Self” passionate love is not selfish - we forget when we think of God as one, that He is also Three - and that each One will protect the other Two
And it is not just Himself He loves with such a passion - God’s passionate love is also for His beloved - and in so, also teems and swells rising up to care for and defend
God is love, which is His character; wrath is part of His love and is never out of character - it is a necessary expression of God and His being love.
This settled anger - proceeds from an internal disposition that steadfastly opposes someone or something based on extended personal exposure - solidifying what the beholder considers wrong, unjust, and evil
What does Jesus think of the “father of lies”, “evil one”, “ruler of the kingdom of the air” the one who stands against God - His love and beloved?
John 8:44 “…the devil… was a murderer from the beginning, not holdin to the truth, for there is not truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Jesus goes on to say in vs. 45 “because I speak the truth you do not believe me!” so it is with the depraved, who cannot see or understand…
But, we must also understand that His wrath “revealed” is just that, revealed, as in, to give a glimpse of, He is allowing it to be seen - on time (for us to see it and fear), over time (to allow it to have an effect on those it will effect), for a time (until our sin has reached its end - Gen 15), and it is never out-of-time or turn.
Just like in the garden Gen 2:17 “eat of it and you will surely die”, but, when they ate of it, they did not “yet” die, but the consequences began with immediate damage to
the relationship man had with God
the relationship between man and woman
The woman’s giving birth
The man’s work
The offspring’s conduct toward God and one another - and therefore their parents also
…then and only then did they actually experience the wrath of God, the final consequence for their sin, and opposition to God, having done what was “not approved” by God, they died
The revealing of God’s wrath here is the same expression of His divine mercy in the Garden.
God’s judgment is good and fair, but it is still at the mercy of His mercy.
Merciful - patience, tolerance, and unimaginable kindness if expressed by God
Romans 2:1-4
God’s sending Jesus was to save us from His own wrath as He wants as many to be saved as would, so, God’s slowness is that very thing. What we see and hear in this chapter is His wrath being revealed throughout the history of mankind - from the fall til now, and the earth is still spinning, men are still sinning, God is still relenting - mercifully holding back and restraining His ultimate wrath and judgment until the time has reached its end. Yet, God is not slow as some understand slowness:
2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Let us see the difference between:
Time vs. a life’s span;
Mankind vs. me, now;
Over time vs. now is the time
As, though God is patient, sin will run its course, time will end, and decisions made, will have been made – so, though He waits for mankind, the time for me, us, here, is now:
2Peter 3:10 “10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”
Yes, God is patient, even tolerant, but God’s patience with sin should not be confused with approval - those things holding back the knowledge of God and His goodness, sinful attitudes about God – that so badly miss the mark of the truth about God; the depraved thinking about God; those voices raised against God; those acting as if they were not given life and life’s beautiful design by God – no gratefulness, not honor, to giving of glory - are leading them to destruction - death
These are an offense to God and His loving grace as they trample underfoot His Son
Jesus, His life, and righteousness, has God’s stamp of approval. Therefore, anything that is done like Christ, in Christ, by Christ, also has God’s approval.
For us to approve of anything else, is to sin against the very goodness and grace of God that we, His children, know so well, and there, stand in approval of the death of those who practice such things – where instead, we should, without shame, share with them the truth of the good news of God, in Christ – that He is love and loving and wants to forgive!
What the world does, in its unrighteousness, it is outside of God’s will and purpose for His good making and therefore, is not approved, because it leads to death.
Everything God does, everything God is, everything He says, is right and good and fair, just, and has in it, life, and we need to celebrate and extol that life and not approve of death, destruction, judgment, and condemnation.
We have been sent, and are here, to rescue, not to affirm.
John 20:21-22; 3:17-18; “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said” Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 1:28-31 (2Peter 2)
2Peter 3:10-18
