Call It Wrath       

     Well, friends, Paul can't be with us this week, but he left us a copy of his letter to Rome, to the church where converted Jews and Gentiles were having - cough - attitude problems. 

     Like us, sometimes.

     God created the world and gave breath to his first man and first woman. It was all "very good." His words. 

     Aren't we upset when our plans fall apart? Boo hoo. 

     We can only imagine Almighty God's reaction to our disobedience - in that he created each of us. Call it anger, rage, fury, indignation, outrage, chagrin or vexation. The Bible calls it "wrath." 

    The sin problem is both human tendency and personal. We can run, but we can't hide from God. 

     We get punished for wrongdoing. Does God punish us? 

     God reveals his wrath against the godlessness and wickedness of men. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made ... so that men are without excuse" - Romans 1:20. 

     But. 

     Paul says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, that is by faith from first to last..." - Romans 1:16-17.

Next: What about Israel's unbelief?