Romans

The Wrath of God vs. the Wrath of Trump

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At first blush, it would appear that Donald Trump shares at least one attribute – and many would argue that it is only one – with God: Wrath. The fact is, however, that the wrath of God and the wrath of Trump are quite different phenomena.

The Wrath of God

God’s wrath is one of the most misunderstood attributes in Scripture. Frequently, it is imagined as violent and uncontrolled. Rather, His wrath is precise, consistent and morally grounded.

God is perfectly good. He will not and cannot ignore injustice, corruption or rebellion without compromising His own nature. Thus, God’s wrath is His holy and just response to sin and evil. As expressed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:18 (ESV):

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”

Certainly, wrath is not His default posture. Rather, He is…

“…a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty.” Exodus 34:6-7

God’s anger reflects His opposition to everything that destroys what is good, true and just. His wrath is rooted in His holiness – His complete moral purity. Of course, none of us are pure, yet God provides a way for forgiveness. His wrath and mercy intersect in the person of Jesus Christ.

“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36

In contrast to God’s holy wrath, consider the wrath of Donald Trump.

The Wrath of Trump

Although he may occasionally insinuate otherwise, Trump is only human. Like all humans, his anger is shaped by a limited perspective, emotion and, particularly in his case, self-adoration.

  • God is “slow to anger.” His wrath builds over time and is consistently proportional. It is holy. Trump’s anger is altogether different. It is immediate and personal – driven entirely by his fragile ego and exercised against anyone – the Pope included – who does not bend the knee to his narcissism.
  • Where God’s wrath ultimately manifests in love for His creation through His mercy and grace, the wrath of Trump manifests in hate and vengeance.
  • God’s wrath is always directed toward genuine evil – toward injustice, corruption and sin. It is never about protecting His image or defending His status. Trump, on the other hand, will wield injustice, corruption and sin to seek personal pleasure, elevate his self-image, and avenge his perceived enemies. Tragically, he often does so with the endorsement of so-called “Christians.”
  • God’s wrath, even when severe, ultimately serves a redemptive purpose. It upholds justice while making restoration possible. While the primary driver of Trump’s wrath is his self-love, the ultimate consequence is the polarization of both the constituency he is pledged to serve and the Church of God.

The Imperative to Love

If God was loving but without wrath, He would tolerate evil. If He was wrathful but without love, there would be no hope for any of us. Blessedly, scripture reveals a God who fully opposes evil while seeking to redeem people from it. His wrath is perfectly just, morally pure and purposeful.

The wrath of Trump is neither just or morally pure, but it is indeed quite purposeful. That purpose is singular: the elevation of his profoundly fragile, exceedingly flawed character. He is often aided in that purpose by hypocritical Christians who enable and encourage Trump’s rage.

In this age of polarization, Christians are called to a higher purpose – to be slow to anger, to pursue truth without distortion, to seek justice for all and, above all, to love.

Silence in the Face of Evil

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“Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this? Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked.”

These are the words of conservative political activist Riley Gaines in response to Donald Trump’s heretical posting of himself as Jesus Christ.

BRAVO!

Gaines was not alone in chastising POTUS. As expected, many of those towards the opposite end of the political spectrum registered their indignity. Rightly so. But conspicuously absent among the those in condemning Trump’s blasphemy were many of the duplicitous grifters who curry his favor to satisfy their own egos and/or bank accounts. They masquerade as church leaders, but they are instead false prophets, serving only themselves rather than the sheep they profess to shepherd.

This episode is quite revealing about the scale of their hypocrisy.

The Bible is unequivocal regarding the responsibility to recognize and oppose evil. And while I as a layman seek to fulfill that responsibility through writing and example, the obligation of church leaders to shepherd their flocks to eternal life with Christ through obedience to His word is infinitely greater.

Thus, their silence – or, worse, their rationalization – is incriminating.

Scripture leaves no room for neutrality. Silence in the face of evil is complicity – and the consequences are severe, particularly for those who are called to be our watchmen. Failure to speak against heresy can be self-indicting.

“If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.” Ezekial 33:6 (NKJV)

In his epistle, James, the brother of Jesus, puts it in simple terms that even the grifters should readily understand. This goes beyond simply avoiding evil – it includes the failure to oppose it.

“To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

Clearly, sins of omission are on equal footing with those of commission. But more disheartening than the sin of silence is the wickedness of defending blasphemy against Christ.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil!” Isaiah 5:20

The Apostle Paul reminds us that the righteous judgment of God awaits all of us. Judgment, however, will be particularly harsh for those who enable, endorse and encourage sin:

“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:32 (NIV)

In concluding, I defer to Paul to deliver the Lord’s wisdom to those who sin by their silence:

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

The Obedience of Faith

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“1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” Romans 1:1-6 (ESV)

In his transcendent letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul bookends the epistle in 1:5 and 16:26 with a short phrase, but one that carries profound implications for the faithful in Christ. In both his greeting and his doxology, Paul underscores “the obedience of faith” – the context of which is similar in both instances.

“25Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith — 27to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.” Romans 16:25-27

As he teaches throughout his letters, Paul does not mean that salvation is earned by obeying rules. Rather, he describes obedience that flows from a genuine faith in the Lord.

Faith comes first. Paul is unambiguous that believers find grace by trusting God – not by works of the law.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Authentic faith manifests in obedience to God’s word. The gift of such faith begets a changed life – one in which we respond to the Lord with trust, hope and submission – aligning that life with God’s will.

Paul is making the point that faith is not simply an intellectual acknowledgement of the gospel. True faith leads to a transformed life.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

I confess to having been “conformed to this world.” I confess to a “faith” that, prior to becoming a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), was not authentic but corrupt. I confess to professing my Christianity verbally, failing to acknowledge that such profession came from my mouth, not my heart. I confess that I was a “Christian” when it was convenient to be one, but would rationalize my disobedience when it was not.

It is only by the grace of God that I am saved. I do not deserve such grace; none of us do. But God sent His only begotten Son to us so that His grace, His mercy, His love – is available to all who believe.

I believe. I now seek to do the will of God – that which “is good and acceptable and perfect.” This is the manifestation of authentic faith. Of course, I fail…repeatedly. But rather than rationalize my sin, I confess it and repent of it. The Lord knows that I – like both of you reading this post – am flawed. But the obedience of faith does not imply that we will be perfect. However, obedience does include repentance:

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” Acts 17:30

In summary, “the obedience of faith” means a trusting response to the gospel that results in a life of obedience – obedience not to earn salvation, but obedience that naturally flows from genuine faith. Paul’s instruction calls for a faith-response that changes how we live in Christ.

Endurance & Perseverance: Running the Race for Eternity

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“…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV)

The upward call of God in Christ Jesus. The resurrection. The prize of eternity with the Lord.

It is the only prize that matters. As with any prize, there is a path to victory. To Christians, that path is sometimes referred to as The Way…as in:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:6

And while The Way has 66 books of the Bible devoted to its amplification, an exceedingly abridged account of the path incorporates:

  1. Acknowledgement of our sin: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
  2. Recognition that we deserve death: “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
  3. The understanding that Jesus died as a propitiation for our sins and was resurrected: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
  4. Faith: “For by grace you have been saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
  5. Living our faith by being obedient to His word: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22)

How to Run

The Bible makes several analogies of our journey in The Way as a race. The Apostle Paul instructs us as to how this race is to be run:

“…I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

Philippians 3:12b

In other words, we run by “pressing on.” We do not relent. We do not lose focus. We run with perseverance.

As the author of Hebrews exhorts us:

“…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

Hebrews 12:1

Although we may be mature in our beliefs, we must recognize that Satan is ever-present. He is always seeking to make the race more difficult by throwing up obstacles – those things we see as temptations or distractions. It is why we must run with endurance and perseverance – and be confident that as we tire or become confused, the Holy Spirit will give us a course-correction.

Preparing to Run

Competition and fitness were central features of the Roman and Greek cultures in which Paul was immersed during his four missionary journeys. Athletic success required preparation. Training and diet were fundamental elements of that preparation.

Perhaps this is what Paul had in mind when he wrote in chapter 4 of his first letter to Timothy that good ministry requires that one be “nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine” while exhorting him to “exercise yourself toward godliness.”

Despite the fact that Paul knew Jesus better than anyone else, he continued to hunger for ever-greater, ever-deeper knowledge of Christ. Nourishment in God’s word strengthens the relationship one has with Him. A greater knowledge of God leads to a greater love of Him.

Of course, most of us know of someone with a shallow or insincere love of Christ. Most likely, that reveals a shallow knowledge of Him. Running the race with endurance and perseverance requires that we nourish ourselves properly with “words of faith and good doctrine.”

It also necessitates “exercise towards godliness.” Becoming increasingly godly is foundational to the race itself. We do so by consuming a steady diet of God’s word and exercising love and discipline in our obedience to it. Preparation becomes part of the race itself.

Winning

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

I Corinthians 9:24-27

In the athletic competitions of ancient Greece, there was but one winner. Thankfully, that is not the case in this race. Jesus died on the cross so that each and every one of us can win our race. We are not racing against others – but we are racing against the world.

A key component of our individual race is the exhortation of our brethren to train with us, and run with endurance and perseverance. For as Jesus said to His disciples just prior to ascension,

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”

Matthew 28:19-20

And we are to run, as instructed by Paul in I Corinthians 9, with the certainty of victory. We are to exercise discipline to run through our inadequacies. And we are to be obedient to the rules of the race.

The Finish Line

While sitting in a Roman jail – knowing that his execution was but days away – Paul wrote to Timothy:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

2 Timothy 4:7

Death on earth is indeed the end of the race. But for those that have run with endurance and perseverance, and finish with faith and obedience, it is the beginning of a resurrected eternity with the Lord. It is the prize for which we press on, the reward for finishing well.

Paul knew the resurrection to be fact – he was, after all, face to face with Jesus on the Damascus Road. He knew that Jesus had defeated death. That gave Paul his ultimate goal – and his reason to press on.

Perhaps we have not been face-to-face with Christ in the same way. But Christians have felt the presence and the direction of the Holy Spirit in our lives – giving us the same confidence Paul had. Confidence in Christ. Confidence in the resurrection. And with confidence comes hope. With confidence comes joy. With confidence comes peace.

In fact, Paul’s confidence was such that he could see death as gain:

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:21

How about each of us? Do we fear death – or do we see death as necessary to win the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus?

If we have run the race the right way, death is not to be feared; rather it is to be viewed as gain. For as C.S. Lewis so wisely wrote:

“Nothing that has not died will be resurrected.”

The Manifestation of Faith

Tom Ratkovich, , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

I started this post with the intent of addressing the what, why and how of eternal life with the Lord. But as I began to put context to this idea, I quickly realized that I was adding unneeded complexity to a simple truth. The what and why are obvious…and the how is actually quite uncomplicated.

There is but one how to eternity: faith in the Triune God.

“Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

In his epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul confirms this truth:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (8:1)

No condemnation. No death. Faith alone.

The concept of “faith” may be obscure to many. Even as defined by the writer of Hebrews in verse 11:1, the meaning can seem vague:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Faith is trust in God’s word. Faith is certainty of His existence and His promises – despite the fact that we cannot perceive them with our physical senses. It is spiritual certitude grounded not in tangible evidence, but in our trust of God’s character.

This certainty – this faith – triggers a transformation of our very being. What are the manifestations of that transformation in our time on this earth?

Love. Repentance. Mercy. Humility. Obedience.

Our faith is an open invitation to the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts and lead us in fulfilling the words of the prophet Micah:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” (6:8)

I pray that this faith is YOUR faith. If so, you are blessed. But the Lord’s blessings are waiting for those who have yet to find it. He has made Himself known through creation, through scripture, and through the person of Jesus Christ. I pray that you will seek Him.

“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13

Surrounded by Sin

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“They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:29-32, NIV)

Who are “they?”

Continue reading “Surrounded by Sin” →