For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:18-25)
We rightly celebrate God’s grace, the unmerited favor that brings salvation through Jesus Christ. Grace is the melody of the gospel, a source of comfort and hope. But to fully appreciate God’s grace, we must not ignore an equally important aspect of His character: God is also a God of wrath.
Unlike human anger, which is often impulsive and emotionally driven, God’s wrath is righteous, just, and perfectly measured. It’s His necessary and holy response to sin, a reflection of His justice and moral purity. In Romans 1:18-25, the Apostle Paul pulls back the curtain on this reality, declaring that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.”
Paul lays out the tragic progression of humanity’s rebellion against God, detailing three downward steps that lead from truth rejection to heart corruption.
Firstly, the truth is suppressed (verses 18–20). Although God has revealed Himself through creation, His eternal power and divine nature, people deliberately suppress that truth. Instead of acknowledging Him, they ignore His fingerprints on the universe. Their hearts grow proud, and their minds grow blind.
Secondly, worship is twisted (verses 21–23). Instead of glorifying the Creator, humanity trades His glory for images of created things, turning to idols, materialism, or human philosophies. This exchange dishonors God and distorts the human soul.
Thirdly, truth and life are perverted (verses 24–25). When the truth is rejected, God allows people to follow their desires. The result is moral decay and spiritual confusion. By worshiping the creature instead of the Creator, people drift further from the life God intended.
Don’t Silence God’s Voice
Each day, God makes Himself known through the beauty of creation, the truth of His Word, and the guidance of His Spirit. Yet when we suppress that voice, we step onto a path of deception and destruction. Stay sensitive to God’s truth and respond with humility.
Worship Must Be Rightly Directed
Worship is not optional. It is inevitable. The question is not if we will worship, but what we will worship. True worship honors the Creator, not creation. Guard your heart against idols, whether they are people, possessions, or passions.
Sin Has Consequences
God’s wrath is not impulsive but consequential. When we reject His truth, we forfeit His blessing and invite His discipline. God’s justice demands a response to sin, but His mercy offers us redemption through Jesus Christ.
God’s wrath and righteousness are two sides of the same coin of His holy love. He hates sin because it destroys what He loves. But He offers a way out through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What should we do in response?
Examine our Heart
Ask, am I suppressing any truth God has shown me? Am I minimizing His Word to justify my actions? Repent and realign your heart with His truth.
Redirect our Worship
Turn your focus away from earthly idols and fix your gaze on God. Let your daily habits, speech, and choices reflect deep reverence and love for Him.
Embrace the Hope of the Gospel
Christ bore God’s wrath so that we could receive His righteousness. Let this truth transform you. Live with gratitude, pursue holiness, and share the message of salvation with a world in need.
Daily Meditation
Monday – Jeremiah 2:13
“For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me,
The fountain of living waters,
To hew for themselves cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That can hold no water.”
Tuesday – Isaiah 5:20
“Woe to those who call evil good,
and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for
light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!”
Wednesday – Psalm 14:1
“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’
They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds;
There is no one who does good.”
Thursday – John 3:36
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Friday – Ephesians 5:6
“Let no one deceive you with empty words,
for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
Saturday – 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
“…dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”
Sunday – Hosea 4:6
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.”
All scriptures are quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB1995).
By Pastor Clarence Goh
