Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
The righteousness of God is revealed by faith but the wrath of God is revealed by unbelief. Wrath is not just anger but anger that is expressed by punishment.
God makes His wrath known in many ways but ultimately it will be made clear at the end of time. The word “revealed” is based on the same word as apocalypse and the name of the book of Revelation. It means to reveal something that has been hidden. People tend to believe that the wrath of God is not real because it has been hidden from them for so long. Nevertheless, it will be revealed in a horrific way when God decides it is time.
And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish. But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. (2 Peter 3:7-10, NLT)
God’s wrath is “against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men”. Ungodliness is a lack of respect, honor and reverence toward God. Ungodly people act as if God does not exist. Unrighteousness is doing things that are wrong and violate God’s law. Unrighteous people do what is right in their own eyes rather than what is right in God’s eyes.
God makes Himself known to us all through our conscience and His creation. Yet, we tend to suppress and hinder the truth about God. With our wrong actions we violate our conscience and with our wrong thinking we deny His hand in creation.
