What does the Bible say about God’s view of the so-called “gay rights” and the host of other moral perversions being forced on America?

WHY THINGS ARE AS THEY ARE

 PART TWO
LGBTQ and the Wrath of God

Last week we looked at “When Serving Isn’t Enough.” It stressed the need to share the gospel when we are serving if we are to have any hope of things changing. If you missed it, click here.

But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,  realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted (1 Tim. 1:8-11).

The news from the past two weeks (note first two news articles above) a presents us with the frightening reality of what happens when the lawlessness of homosexuality takes root in a society. (I wrote this section before I came across the first article above.) As today’s verse makes clear, homosexuality is lumped in with murders and kidnappers. That’s how detestable it is to God. Many Christians in America wonder why God has withheld His wrath against the immorality that has overcome our nation. They see God giving us one last chance to respond to His grace and “get it right.” Let’s take a closer look into Romans 1 to see if this assessment is correct.

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error
(Rom. 1: 26-27). 

I urge you to take a moment and read the entire section from verse 10 to verse 32. It highlights just why God’s wrath upon the human race is justified. The Greek word for wrath in these passages is orge, which means “to grow ripe.” It builds up over time like water collecting behind a dam. It signifies a controlled response, and is reflected in Romans 2:5 which says we are “storing up wrath” for ourselves for the day when God’s wrath will be revealed. The other Greek word for wrath is thumos (not used here), which refers to a red-hot impulsive and passionate anger. We may assume this meaning when we think of God’s wrath, but it doesn’t apply to these passages. Here, it means a perfectly controlled and “ripened” wrath that is always accompanied by God’s perfect righteousness.

But why is God so angry? These verses tell us plainly that man suppressed God’s truth that was made evident to them so they could live unrighteous lives. It’s not that they can’t believe. They won’t believe. It’s a moral issue. The very idea of God is repugnant to man.

Man also ignored God’s revelation. God made Himself evident through creation, but man ignored God’s truth. God revealed Himself just as an artist reveals himself in his paintings. He displayed “intelligent design” in what He made. God made it plain to mankind. Man’s mind, however, developed an evolutionary theory in which no one plus nothing equals everything.

Mankind, the entire human race, also angered God by perverting God’s glory, going against nature in their degrading lusts. Man’s behavior disproved its own theory of evolution, displaying “devolution” in which man sinks lower with each new generation.  It began with familiarity with God’s revelations of Himself. Then came vanity with its empty and futile thoughts. This devolved into idolatry, worshiping all sorts of things. Idolatry quickly led to immorality, as shown throughout world history. Why? Because an errant theology always produces an errant sexuality.

This brings us to the crux of today’s article. How is God’s wrath revealed (released)? God’s Word describes three different ways in which God’ administers His wrath. First, there is the final wrath in the last day—a future wrath known as The Great White Throne Judgement. Unlike any earthly court, there is no jury, only God as the judge.

There is also what some call “God’s provisional wrath” which is our legal system. God uses human government to deal out judgment for lawbreakers. The third way “God’s permissible wrath” applies to our current discussion. In this case God deals out judgment by simply giving us what we want. While it may not seem like a bad thing, it truly is. God removes all restraints and abandons us to our desires. He “gives us over” to our lusts and degrading passions. Instead of intervening as He will at the Great White Throne Judgment, His permissible wrath is God’s non-intervention as He lets us realize and live with the consequences of our own desires. He is saying, “Have it your way. See how things turn out.” Scripture is full of examples of God doing just this. In Hosea 4, God says, Ephraim (the northern kingdom) is joined to his idols. Leave him alone. In Matthew 15 Jesus, in response to the religious authorities who called for Him to be crucified, tells His disciples, “Leave them alone. They are the blind leading the blind. Both will fall into a ditch.”

Many have claimed that if America doesn’t shape up and change its ways, God is going to judge us. According to Romans 1, God’s judgment has already fallen on us. Just look around. As a nation, we have legalized and approved of such vile, sick, and disgusting conduct that God has already given us over to our desires. He has removed His hand of restraint, and the more He pulls back His restraining hand, the worse things get. The result is evident in our TV shows, movies, games, literature, politics, and our legal system. What we see around us every day is, in fact, a judicial act of God—His wrath.

The good news is that God’s children have been freed from God’s wrath. I hope this little journey into the “dark side” will give His children a greater appreciation for His grace toward us and a greater understanding of why things are the way they are.

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