“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.“

Romans 1:18

The problem lies with ourselves. God is a holy and righteous God. Therefore, he demands nothing short of perfection when it comes to His righteousness. He revealed His righteousness in times past through the law. He said in chapter two of Romans and verse thirteen that you must be a doer of the law, not just a hearer if you wanted to be justified. But, the problem is that none of us are righteous (Rom. 3:10). None of us do good (Rom. 3:12). Therefore, the wrath of God abides on every sinner, who believes not (John 3:18,36). All of our works are unrighteousness. We find ourselves in a dilemma. “How should a man be just with God?” (Job 9:2) The solution is of course through Jesus Christ our Lord. But the problem is that people refuse to believe in Christ and what He did for them on the cross. The problem is that the people of this world continue to hold the truth in unrighteousness.

There is a difference between the wrath of God being revealed and the day it will be poured out upon the earth. We know what God’s wrath is against. However, the day that God will execute His wrath is still yet future. Romans 2:5 says “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and righteous judgment of God.” They are treasuring up for themselves wrath against that future day of God’s wrath. Today, God is dealing with men by His grace.

What is the wrath of God revealed against?

According to Romans 1:18, the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. In other words, it’s revealed against all of man’s works, which are filthy (Isa. 64:6). Titus 3:5 tells us that we are saved “Not of works of righteousness which we have done.” Romans 3 shows us the contrast between being justified by the works of the law and being justified by faith. The conclusion we see in that chapter is that no flesh shall be justified in His sight by the works of the law, but only those who believe will be justified. While we may think of our works as good and righteous, the reality is they are seen as ungodliness and unrighteousness. Why is that? It is because all that we do in our flesh is done under sin (Rom. 3:9). Sin is working in the person’s flesh to produce works that are ungodly and unrighteous. The flesh, because of sin, produces only fruit unto death (Rom. 6:22).

What is the truth that unbelievers are holding in unrighteousness?

The verses prior (Rom. 1:16-17) spoke of the gospel of Christ. Paul spoke of how God’s righteousness was revealed in that gospel. The truth in this context would be the truth of the gospel of Christ. God has just told us His way of how to be justified. The world, instead of believing God, decides to do things their way. The world tries to establish their own righteousness by their own works, while under the influence of sin. God sees their works as unrighteousness. God sees what they do as holding the truth in unrighteousness. Instead of letting the truth of the gospel go out into the world, so that people may hear it and believe it, they are holding it or suppressing it. They are doing it in their own unrighteousness. They are doing it by their own works.

Paul explains this further by looking back at creation. What do we learn? What is happening today, is really no different than what happened in the past. God had revealed his truth to mankind through His creation. That truth primarily involved two things. That is, His eternal power and Godhead (Rom. 1:20). An example of His eternal power and Godhead can be seen in the creation of man. God made man in His own image (Gen. 1:26). He created us from the dust of the earth and breathed life into our nostrils and we became a living soul (Gen. 2:7; 1 Cor. 15:45). Paul tells us that “forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device” (Acts 17:29). Since we were created in the image of God, then we know that we’re not created of gold, silver, or stone. We weren’t made by art or man’s device. So, why then would we think that the Godhead is like gold, silver, or stone made by art or man’s device? Here in Acts 17, the people at Athens ignorantly worshiped the true God (Acts 17:23). They knew God (had knowledge that there is a God), but they didn’t truly know who the true God is. More than that, God didn’t know them. Believers, on the other hand, knew God and they are known of God (Gal. 4:9). He didn’t recognize them as His sons. Therefore, they were not quickened (made alive) in Christ. They were still in Adam.

(In 1^st Corinthians 15:45, it tells us that “the first man Adam was made a living soul.” God breathed life into man’s nostrils; therefore, man was created. But then man fell by sinning against God. Adam sinned; therefore, sin entered the world and death passed upon all men (Rom. 5:12). The rest of 1^st Corinthians 15:45 says that “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” In Adam, everyone was made a living soul. We all sinned. Therefore, we all have a need for a Savior to reconcile us back unto God. That person is the Son of God, who is Jesus Christ. God raised Christ up from the dead, who was “delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). He became a quickening spirit. In Christ, those who believe in Him are quickened (made alive) as well. Believers are alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:11). Christ made in himself one new man (Eph. 2:15). We are a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore, because believers are sons of God, God has given to us the Spirit of His Son into our hearts and we are known of God (Gal. 4:6-8).)

It says that “they knew God, but glorified him not as God” (Rom. 1:21). Even the people at Athens, during Paul’s day, had an altar with an inscription on it that read, “To the unknown God” (Acts 17:23). They knew that there is a God, but just didn’t glorify and worship the right one. Instead, the became “vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” They had “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man” (Rom. 1:23). And they “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” (Rom. 1:25). In the past, man took the glory of God and made it like unto a corruptible man. In other words, they made it like unto themselves. They brought God’s standard of glory down to their level, so that they would seem to be righteous in their own flesh. Not only are they changing the truth of God into a lie, but they are also making God Himself a liar as well (1 John 1:10; 5:10-12). They went through a lot of effort just so that they could judge among themselves and could appear to be righteous by their own works. The world continues do this.

Nothing has changed. The world is still the same (and even worse). God has now revealed the truth of the gospel (this time the gospel of Christ). He has revealed to us how we may be saved and justified in His sight by simply believing in what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us. But what does the world do. It does what it has always done. They keep on holding the truth in their own unrighteousness. They keep changing it into a lie, and therefore, they continue to make God a liar. They let every man be true in their own mind, and let God be a liar. They do it by changing the truth into a lie, and by serving the creature more than the Creator (Rom. 1:25). They serve themselves, instead of just believing in God. God has given us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him, we can have eternal life. All we have to do is believe. Believe that He died for your sins personally, was buried, and rose again the third day and you will be saved. God will freely give His righteousness to you, if you will just believe. “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).

What is the standard by which God will judge men?

Romans 2:2 says “But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.” The judgment of God is according to truth. That is, the truth of the gospel. The truth that they hold in their unrighteousness. The chapter continues to say that God “will render to every man according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:6). Then in down in verse sixteen it says “in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” God will judge the world according to their own deeds, their own secrets, their own unrighteousness. He will do it by Jesus Christ. He will do it according to the gospel of Christ. The world who holds the truth (the truth of the gospel) in unrighteousness, God will judge them because they believed not the truth.

What is each person treasuring up unto themselves that God will judge them for in the future?

“But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.“

Romans 2:5

Every unbeliever, who holds the truth in unrighteousness, because of their hardened heart is treasuring up unto themselves wrath. Then there will come in the end that day of wrath where God will judge them. All of the world’s works are ungodliness and unrighteousness in God’s eyes. It is just building up in each person, continuing to harden their hearts towards God. One day God will judge them. God doesn’t force anyone to do anything. God has always given us two choices. Like with Cain and Abel, the choice is either to bring the fruit of your own labor or believe God. In Abel’s situation, believing God meant bringing an animal sacrifice for his sins. In our case today, believing God means believing that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again for our justification.

For all those that decide to bring the fruit of their own labor, God will judge you according to that. He will judge you according to your works. And the punishment will be the second death (the Lake of Fire, or Hell). Your fruit or work may be good (in your eyes), but if it was done under sin, then God considers it fruit unto death. The things you do in the flesh are done without faith. It’s faith that pleases God (Heb. 11:6). You’ll be condemned to Hell, because you decided not to believe that God had revealed his righteousness through Jesus Christ. It’s because you decided to hold that truth in your own unrighteousness thinking that you could establish your own.

Stop thinking that you can get to Heaven by your own works. Start believing in God instead. Believe that Jesus Christ died for all of your sins, was buried (buried your sins away forever), and that he rose again the third day. Believe and you will be saved. If you believe, then you won’t have to worry about treasuring up wrath against that day of wrath any more. That’ll be because you will be made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). You’ll be at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).

Who’s guilty?

All of us. The beginning of Romans 3 concludes that there is “none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). The law was given so “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom. 3:19). “Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). Again, stop thinking that you can save yourself. Instead, start trusting that God sent His Son to die for your sins and rise again for your justification. Believe and you will be saved. If you believe, then you will be justified from all things (Acts 13:39).

God has given us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him, we can have eternal life. All we have to do is believe. Believe that He died for your sins personally, was buried, and rose again the third day and you will be saved. Trust Him! God will freely give His righteousness to you, if you will just believe. “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).