Sins and Salvation – Part 2

Romans 1:21-23 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God.”

Continuing for the last post, I know that in my younger days, I didn’t understand about the wrath of God against sin and sinners. “Fire and Brimstone” sermons were seemingly banished from the pulpits and bible studies of “kinder and gentler” churches decades ago, and the Great American Theologian Jonathon Edwards’ sermon, “Sinners in the hands of an Angry God” (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/sermons.sinners.html), which sparked “the Great Revival” in America was never mentioned, let alone studied. How long did I and others believe that just about everyone was going to heaven before we were shown in the Word of God that the opposite was the truth? Bible verses from the Lord Jesus himself, like Matthew 7:13-14, John 3:3, 5 & 36, and Revelation 20:15 brought me to the realization that I must have been “living the dream”, because the thought of just about everyone going the heaven was a fantasy … a lie of the devil to deceive us. Sin must be paid for.

Matthew 10:28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

 One commentator asks, How does God reveal His wrath? Then points out that we are accustomed to thinking of God’s wrath as the pouring out of his anger in judgment against sin. The Bible does speak of God’s wrath in this way, predicting a final day of the Lord on which the Almighty will bring great destruction on impenitent sinners. However, we should see such descriptions of God’s wrath as the ultimate fulfillment of our Creator’s judgment against sin and sinners. That is because god is now showing His wrath in the lead up to that final day. He does so by handing sinners over to their sin  ...  gave them up and gave them over.

Romans 1:24-25, 28-32 “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

I read that it is important to note that God does not give people who are unwilling to sin over to sin. His judgment, at least this side of eternity, is to give sinners exactly what they want in preparation for the final Day of Judgment. And this is manifestly just, for sinners not only sin, but they take the extra step if justifying their sin and the sin of others. In our day, we see people agitation in the streets for the freedom to sin in the eyes of the Lord how they want without any consequences. If there are to be any consequences, they would be against anyone who dares to object against their sinful thoughts, words and deeds. They approve of sin – calling evil good and good evil – and they encourage others to do so as well. This evidences God’s giving them over to their sin in His wrath.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

But all hope is not lost. God still rescues people who have been handed over to sin, and we should pray that He would do so for people who are reveling in their transgressions, no matter what their transgression may be. Sin is a universal condition. All need saved, but as my old mentor used to say: You don't really know where you have been "saved to", until you know where you have been "saved from".

Romans 3:21-26 “ But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Blessings in Christ.