In many ways the climax of Romans is at the end of chapter 11. In the next few chapters Paul applies his doctrine — he speaks about how we need to live in the good of the wonderful salvation which was bought for us and which saved us from the wrath of God. He cannot resist reminding us a few times of God’s wrath as he does this, however, so that we are reminded of this wonderful salvation. As I have said before, only penal substitutionary atonement makes sense of what happens to the wrath of God.
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’.” (Romans 12:19)
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” (Romans 13:1-5)
“For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God’.” (Romans 14:10-11)
Notice that in these verses we see an answer to one of the common objections made in connection with penal substitution — why God can’t “just forget” sin the way we are told to forget it. God does not simply forgive sins for His wrath — unlike our’s — sin cannot be merely brushed aside. The precise reason we can “just forgive” is that we are told to do so to make room for His judgment, which is surely coming. God’s wrath can only be turned away through Jesus receiving that judgment, by which God can then justly forgive sin.
Continues with “Penal Substitutionary Atonement Summarized in Romans 15”
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