Romans 1:18
Memory Verse
For God’s wrath is manifested from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, the ones holding down the truth in unrighteousness, (Romans 1:18).
Often, when God’s wrath is considered, we may think of the destruction of the valley of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone, or all living things upon the earth being wiped out by a worldwide flood. It may even bring vivid images from the book of Revelation of the punishment and destruction that will come upon the earth in the tribulation period, especially because this period is referred to as the time when the wrath of God is poured out in full upon the earth.
However, we do not need to wait until the Tribulation period to see God’s wrath. Even today, a quality of His wrath is upon those who are ungodly and unrighteous, the ones who hold down the truth in unrighteousness. As we continue through Romans chapter one in our morning study, Paul describes how God’s wrath is manifested today by turning men over to corruption, to fully fill up their judgment.
The ungodly are those who are without reverence towards God. Ungodliness is seen in the conduct of those who reject the truth (Jude 18). We are to shun worthless and idle babbling within our local assemblies. Those who teach such things only increase ungodliness, for their message spreads like gangrene (2 Timothy 2:16–18).
Unrighteousness involves both the sins of men and the determinations within the mind (trespasses). All sin has a quality of unrighteousness, but not all unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17). This is because sin is always exterior to the body: an action (1 John 3:4), whereas unrighteousness includes the processes and determination within the mind. Therefore, unrighteousness relates to a state of mind that is contrary to the truth—immoral and determined to do what is wrong and unjust—along with the actions related to such a mindset.