Through the Bible – Day 213

₁₈From heaven God shows how angry he is with all the wicked and evil things that sinful people do to crush the truth. ₁₉They know everything that can be known about God, because God has shown it all to them. ₂₀God's eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made. That's why those people don't have any excuse. ₂₁They know about God, but they don't honour him or even thank him. Their thoughts are useless, and their stupid minds are in the dark. ₂₂They claim to be wise, but they are fools. ₂₃They don't worship the glorious and eternal God. Instead, they worship idols that are made to look like humans who cannot live for ever, and like birds, animals, and reptiles.

₂₄So God let these people go their own way. They did what they wanted to do, and their filthy thoughts made them do shameful things with their bodies. ₂₅They gave up the truth about God for a lie, and they worshipped God's creation instead of God, who will be praised for ever. Amen.

₂₆God let them follow their own evil desires. Women no longer wanted to have sex in a natural way, and they did things with each other that were not natural. ₂₇Men behaved in the same way. They stopped wanting to have sex with women and had strong desires for sex with other men. They did shameful things with each other, and what has happened to them is punishment for their foolish deeds.

₂₈Since these people refused even to think about God, he let their useless minds rule over them. That's why they do all sorts of indecent things. ₂₉They are evil, wicked, and greedy, as well as mean in every possible way. They want what others have, and they murder, argue, cheat, and are hard to get along with. They gossip, ₃₀say cruel things about others, and hate God. They are proud, conceited, and boastful, always thinking up new ways to do evil.

These people don't respect their parents. ₃₁They are stupid, unreliable, and don't have any love or pity for others. ₃₂They know God has said that anyone who acts this way deserves to die. But they keep on doing evil things, and they even encourage others to do them.

₁Some of you accuse others of doing wrong. But there is no excuse for what you do. When you judge others, you condemn yourselves, because you are guilty of doing the very same things. ₂We know that God is right to judge everyone who behaves in this way. ₃Do you really think God won't punish you, when you behave exactly like the people you accuse? ₄You don't think much of God's wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don't you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?

₅But you are stubborn and refuse to turn to God. So you are making things even worse for yourselves on that day when he will show how angry he is and will judge the world with fairness. ₆God will reward each of us for what we have done. ₇He will give eternal life to everyone who has patiently done what is good in the hope of receiving glory, honour, and life that lasts for ever. ₈But he will show how angry and furious he can be with every selfish person who rejects the truth and wants to do evil. ₉All who are wicked will be punished with trouble and suffering. It doesn't matter if they are Jews or Gentiles. ₁₀But all who do right will be rewarded with glory, honour, and peace, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. ₁₁God doesn't have any favourites!

₁₂Those people who don't know about God's Law will still be punished for what they do wrong. And the Law will be used to judge everyone who knows what it says. ₁₃God accepts those who obey his Law, but not those who simply hear it.

₁₄Some people naturally obey the Law's commands, even though they don't have the Law. ₁₅This proves that the conscience is like a law written in the human heart. And it will show whether we are forgiven or condemned, ₁₆when God appoints Jesus Christ to judge everyone's secret thoughts, just as my message says.