The Yellow Billboard
As I drove my family home from a relaxing trip to the beach, my attention was abruptly focused on a bright yellow billboard. In bold, red letters it announced, "SIN HAS CONSEQUENCES" and beneath it, "REPENT." I've never felt attacked by a billboard before. But this one felt like it was yelling at me. Is that what Christianity is about?
As we saw in Romans 1:16-17, Romans is about the gospel. It's the royal announcement of who God is and what God is doing to make everything and everyone right again. Through Jesus, God is revealing his righteousness to the world; we respond with faith, and live. But at the same time, God is revealing his wrath from heaven against godlessness and unrighteousness. He's not opposed to sincere questions; curiosity isn't about suppressing truth but seeking it. God is set against evil, against what ruins people. It's tempting to think that God is angry at us because he's miffed that we didn't want to be his friends. Maybe he's throwing a temper tantrum because we didn't worship him like he wants. If those accusations were true, then God would be unworthy of our respect. But there's no evidence to support the charges. God's wrath is revealed against injustice, depravity, and oppression. How could God be good and not oppose what is evil? God has presented the truth to us. He is real. He created us. Of course we should worship him. Whether it's a pang of guilt for doing what we know is wrong or the wonder of a sunrise over the mountains, the evidence for God is in our hearts and at our fingertips. But we push it out of our minds, because we're too proud to surrender our lives to him. The bright yellow billboard wasn't wrong, but its message was incomplete. Paul writes three chapters to explain that we're all under the wrath of God. But he's also going to tell us what God did about it. He didn't send lightning bolts, but his Son. He died in our place because he loves us. Instead of worrying that God hates us, we marvel that Jesus took our place (Romans 5:9).
How do you feel about the yellow billboard?
What would God be like if he didn't get angry at evil?
What's one truth about God you struggle to admit?
After reading this study with a trusted fried, ask each other, "Do you ever think about the wrath of God?" and "Why do you think we avoid talking about this?"