I’m sorry pastor, but you do realize to whom Paul is speaking, don’t you? He’s speaking to his “dear friends in Rome”, in the Roman church, who he remembers fondly. And they are just as bad.
He goes on to say, “When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are talking about yourselves.”
There are so many emphases in Romans on God’s Grace, and the deceitfulness of our own hearts.
As Jesus did when He was in His ministry, Paul is talking about the self-righteousness of those who should know better, those who are “saved by Grace.”
Christ was a magnet for sinners and He rarely condemned them, but offered them love, redemption, forgiveness and salvation. He saved His condemnation for the biblically trained and those legally constrained.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans is so very emphatic about God’s Grace to us, that we did not deserve it. How possibly could he talk about wrath to anyone other than those who received that Grace?
Talk about God’s wrath to a sinner and you’ve lost him. Talk about God’s love and Grace and you may have shown him the way to Salvation.
When I was 9, 10 and 11 I got to go to a Christian camp. I remember it well, and for the most part, fondly. My counsellors became, in fact, a well known TV minister who died about 10 years ago, and the uncle and father of of fairly prominent TV teacher on air right now.
I’ll never forget that I couldn’t roast my hot dog in the bonfire because all I could think about was burning in hell. And at night I would wake up in that cabin and fear that Jesus had come and I was “left behind”.
That experience turned me away from the Lord for many years, and I vowed I would not expose my children to that kind of abuse. Thankfully, today, they are all active Christians and their kids are too.
Thank you Norge, I do agree that Paul is speaking to Christians,( whom he has not yet met). I believe he is laying out the gospel in a clear and unhindered way , Romans is unique in that it is not a polemic against error, this is the clear gospel from wrath to glory.
As for the preaching of God’s wrath, what about Romans? What about Jude- who said by the Holy Ghost, “Om some having compassion making a difference, others save with fear, snatching them out of the fire,hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” ?
I think it is irresponsible to scare children at a summer Bible Camp, so that a few “decisions” can be gained, that, in my opinion is not preaching the gospel!
Thanks for the comments-