Connect Romans 1:18 with Genesis 6:5 on human wickedness and God's response. Humanity’s Rebellion Exposed “ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18) “ Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.” (Genesis 6:5) • Both verses peel back the curtain on the same problem: a willful, pervasive rejection of God. • Genesis shows the condition early in human history; Romans states that nothing has changed. • Wickedness is not a mere lapse in behavior; it is rooted in the heart’s “every inclination.” • Suppressing the truth (Romans 1) parallels the continual evil intent (Genesis 6): people know the truth about God but push it down to live as they please. God’s Holy Anger • In Genesis 6, God’s response is grief-filled judgment—the flood. —Genesis 6:7: “I will blot out man, whom I have created…” • In Romans 1, His wrath is already “being revealed.” —God hands people over to the consequences of their choices (Romans 1:24, 26, 28). —Future, final wrath also awaits the unrepentant (Romans 2:5). • Psalm 5:4: “You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with You.” • God’s anger is righteous, measured, and consistent with His character. The Pattern Repeated • Genesis 8:21 confirms the same diagnosis after the flood: “the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” • Ecclesiastes 7:20; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18 echo the verdict: universal sinfulness. • The flood did not eradicate sin; it demonstrated God’s intolerance of it and His resolve to judge it. Grace in the Midst of Judgment • Genesis 6:8: “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” • Romans 3:24: “and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” • God always pairs judgment with a gracious provision for rescue. —Noah’s ark prefigures Christ, the safe refuge from wrath (1 Peter 3:20-21). —God’s patience in Romans 2:4 is meant to lead to repentance. Living in Light of These Truths • Take sin seriously; God does. • Acknowledge the heart’s innate tendency to suppress truth. • Flee to the greater Ark—Jesus—who “delivers us from the coming wrath” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). • Walk in “newness of life” (Romans 6:4), displaying obedience that springs from a redeemed heart (Ezekiel 36:26-27). |
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