Understanding God's Righteousness vs His Wrath
Listen, we need to get something straight right from the start. Salvation isn't about politics. It's not about making your life easier down here on earth, and it's certainly not about turning every day into some kind of hot fudge sundae experience with pretzels and rainbows.
You know what? Every week you get exactly one Friday, and most of the time you're probably working overtime on that Friday anyway. That's not what salvation is about.
The Bible says in Romans 1:16-17: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."
Two Shocking Revelations From Heaven
Here's what most people miss when they read these verses - there are actually two revelations from Heaven that we see in Romans chapter 1:
The righteousness of God (verse 17)
The wrath of God (verse 18)
And friend, you need to understand both of these if you're going to grasp what salvation really means.
The Righteousness of God: It's Finished
The righteousness of God isn't something you work for, earn, or deserve. It's the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what's right before God, and everything we do is wrong.
None of us - and I mean NONE of us - are going to be justified (declared righteous) by anything we do. People don't like the idea of coming before a holy God and admitting they're guilty and wrong.
Remember being a child? When Mom or Dad confronted you about something, what did you do? You lied about it, hid it, defended yourself. "It wasn't really me!" or "Yeah, it was me, but here's why it really wasn't me because..."
That's exactly what this lost and dying world does. As soon as you point out that they're under the wrath of God with no righteousness of their own, they immediately get defensive:
"Well, I go to church!"
"I was baptized!"
"I never killed anybody!"
"My daddy was a preacher!"
Well, congratulations - you're still under the wrath of God. And if you die trusting in the fact that your daddy was a preacher and your uncle's a deacon, you're going to be in eternal hell, and you're not getting out.
The Wrath of God: Holy Anger Against Sin
Look at Romans 1:18: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness."
The wrath of God is His holy anger. You think your dad getting upset was something? That's nothing compared to the holy wrath of God - it's infinitely more intense than any human anger you've ever witnessed.
This entire human race is guilty before God and under His wrath. And here's the thing - if people don't know they're lost, they have no understanding of what salvation really means.
What Does the Bible Say About Salvation?
Salvation is measured by sin. This is why the Bible says in 1 Timothy 1:15: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
The Bible says in Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."
It doesn't say "to every one that works for it" - it says "believeth."
Why This World Is Under God's Wrath
The Bible tells us that mankind is under God's wrath for two specific reasons:
1. Ungodliness
This is a blatant disregard for God - a refusal to conform to His will. Ungodliness denies the pure essence of God Himself.
2. Unrighteousness
This denies the supreme rule of God and results in wicked conduct toward others. Here's the truth: if you're not treating other people right, it's because you're not right with God in your heart.
The Truth They Hold in Unrighteousness
Romans 1:19 says: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them."
People absolutely know the truth because God has shown it to them. They're not ignorant - they're in willful rebellion.
Look up at the stars. Who put them there? Look at the moon, the sunshine, the rain - you see the all-inspiring handiwork of God. He's all-wise, and He created everything you see.
Psalm 19:1-4 declares: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world."
But instead of acknowledging God's creation and praising His handiwork, what do we hear? "Man can accomplish anything! Man can build towers and launch himself toward God because man can do anything!"
Sound familiar? It's the same pride that built the Tower of Babel in Genesis.
How to Be Saved: You Cannot Get to God on Your Own
God gives people exactly one chance to try to earn their way to Him through good works. Look at Job 40:6-14, where God essentially says, "You want to be saved by works? Okay, here's what you need to do..."
Then He lists impossible requirements like thundering with a voice like His, casting abroad the rage of His wrath, and bringing down every proud person. God's point? Nobody's going to be able to do it.
The Ten Commandments weren't given so people could follow them perfectly - they were given to show everybody that they CAN'T follow them perfectly.
The Biblical Answer: Faith in Jesus Christ
Here's the bottom line: this lost and dying world is under the wrath of God, but there's hope.
The gospel is simple: Jesus Christ took the wrath owed to us upon His body on the cross. He became that perfect sacrifice, and through faith in Him, God imputes (credits) His righteousness to our account.
It's from faith to faith - not from works. You either believe what God said and trust Him, or you don't.
Romans 1:16 tells us the gospel "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."
A Picture Worth Understanding
Imagine going to a photographer for family photos. When the proofs come back, you look at them and think, "Whoa, I look like that?" Yeah, you do.
Nobody wants to see what they really look like - all the wrinkles, blemishes, and imperfections. The photographer offers to clean them up for $2.99, removing everything that looks bad.
But here's the difference: when God shows you what you look like before Him (guilty and condemned), He doesn't offer to touch up your photo for a small fee. He offers to completely wash away every sin, take away every iniquity, and cleanse you from all unrighteousness through Jesus Christ.
You can't get it through religion, good works, baptism, or any other way. Jesus said in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
What Does God Require for Salvation?
If we took a photograph of your life - a video of everything you've done - and showed it before God, you would be found guilty and under His wrath.
But here's the amazing news: if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God will take it all away. It will be covered by the blood, washed in the blood, and Christ becomes your advocate who stands before God in your place.
That's the only way anyone can get out from under the wrath of God. You can't make yourself look good before Him, but God can make you righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.
The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Have you put your faith in God? Have you believed what God said?
Salvation is simple: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
If not, today is the day of salvation.
🎧 📖 Want to dive deeper into this powerful biblical truth? This blog post only scratches the surface of this life-changing message about what salvation really means. I humbly encourage you to listen to the entire sermon for the full expository preaching experience. There's nothing quite like hearing verse-by-verse bible teaching that opens up God's Word in its complete context.
[Listen to the full sermon here] - you'll be blessed by the thorough biblical exposition and practical application that can only come from a complete message.