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Read: Romans 1:18-27
Listen: Romans 1

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness. Romans 1:18

God’s justice brings order to chaos. His justice is essential to his character, and he does not turn a blind eye to evil. God’s justice also demands punishment. There are natural consequences that God allows for the unrepentant. The Apostle Paul makes it clear in Romans 1 that people who chase after their desires will experience God’s justice, whether in this life or the next. These truths may be hard, but they reveal something amazing about God: he understands wrongdoings from a higher perspective. He knows the impact unrepentance will have throughout time and history.

God hates sin because it separates us from him. We often do not understand the seriousness of our wrongdoing. We can’t predict or control the consequences of blindness to sin. A difficult truth is that our sinful ways directly impact those we love most. Sin can be generational. It passes from one person to the next. Sin has a way of wounding and repeating. We are helpless to overcome the wages of sin on our own. Thankfully, God is compassionate. The Apostle John reminds us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). God is the perfect judge, but he is also merciful. He knows our weaknesses and provides a way back to righteousness.

TODAY: Take a moment to identify a sin you do not take seriously. Then pray: “God, I confess that I struggle with _____________. Please forgive me. Show me the consequences of this sin in my life and help me to turn away from it. Amen.”

JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:

Read Psalm 72. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Consider how this psalm about the king points to Jesus as King.