but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. [romans 2:8]
we are all obedient children. according to this verse there are two options. we either obey the truth, or we obey unrighteousness. those who cling to Christ for the forgiveness of sin and bow to him as Lord, following in his ways, are obedient to the truth. those who reject Christ as Savior and Lord, choosing instead to live for their own purposes and glory, are obedient to unrighteousness. there is no neutral ground. there is no in between.
and you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [ephesians 2:1-3]
we all have been born with a sin nature, and choosing to walk in that sin nature since infancy. we were guilty of cosmic treason, even as children, sinning against a holy and just God by not revering his name. we were all obedient to unrighteousness.
do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? but thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. i am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. for just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. [romans 6:16-23]
the consequences of our sinfulness is death. all sin leads to death. but God’s free gift is forgiveness and mercy through Jesus Christ, his Son! the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin! through faith in Jesus, our bondage to sin is broken, and we are brought into the family of God to see and learn and love his glorious ways. we are awakened to the truth and become obedient to the truth.
for when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. but what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. but now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. [romans 6:16-23]
being a servant of God means we are a slave to the things that bring us eternal joy. God’s promise to his children is that we will grow to know and love Christ, and in turn we will grow in Christ-likeness until the day we stand before him, seeing him clearly in all of his glory. we will see, know, love, and grow in the truth.
let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. [ephesians 5:6-11]
in God’s boundless mercy, by the work of his Spirit, he has brought us out of darkness and into his marvelous light. as his children, we turn from our old, dark, and fruitless ways, fixing our eyes on Jesus, and running this race on the sure and steady path of light. we seek to obey the truth, because the Truth has set us free!
God is a just God. he must uphold what is good and right, and the most good and right thing to uphold is his own holy name. therefore, being a just God, he must pour out wrath on all unrighteousness. without the justice of God, there is no justice at all. but praise the Lord that he is also full of mercy and kindness! he has given us his Son, and poured out his wrath on him until his wrath was satisfied. Jesus’ death was sufficient for our forgiveness. his resurrection was sufficient for our inheritance of eternal life. we are no longer obedient to unrighteousness, but we are now obedient children to God’s eternal truth. no more wrath and fury for those in Christ, but eternal life in him. praise the Lord for his endless mercy!
~arwen eastman