"For the Lord is good;
His loving kindness is everlasting,
And His faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100:5

Last week we looked at the enduring goodness, love and mercy of God for all.
Those who put their trust in Christ Jesus have been redeemed and have
received the adoption as sons of the Most High. God is now our Father.
Galatians 4:4-7 gives us this succinct message:
"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His son, born of a
woman, born under the Law,
in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might
receive the adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our
hearts, crying,  'Abba!  Father!'
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir
through [the gracious act of] God."   [Margin note]

All through history God has shown Himself to be a loving Father, but as we
see in the above portion of Scripture it is only in and through Christ that
we can have this intimate Father/son relationship.  We, Believers, are now
members of God's own family!

But what of those whom God loves, but who reject His beloved Son, Jesus
Christ?  Scripture tells us they can expect God's wrath.  When a man (woman,
too) refuses Christ, he is on a downward spiral. Romans 1:18-32 gives a very
clear picture of those who reject God's free gift of salvation.  I will just
select a few verses, but please read the entire Romans passage.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because
that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it
evident to them."  Vs. 18-19

"Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the
incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of
birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures."  Vs. 22-23

Verses 26-32 tells us God gave them over:
".In the lusts of their hearts to impurity..."  Vs. 24
."To degrading passions..."  Vs. 26
."To a depraved minds..."  Vs. 28

A few other Scripture verses concerning God's wrath are:
""But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up
wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God.  Romans 2:5

"Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.  For
it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come."
Colossians 3:5-6

Remember, Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:3 that we once,
"...Were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."
But by the grace of God we have accepted Christ as our Savior and we are now
under grace and no longer destined for wrath.  Hallelujah!

The Saul of Tarsus is a wonderful example of a nonbeliever who met Christ
and was transformed into the Great Apostle Paul
Saul in his non belief:
"But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and
dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison."  Acts 8:3

"Now Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the
Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the
synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both
men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem."  Acts 9:1-2

He met Christ on the Damascus Road:
"And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and
suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground,
and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
And he said, 'Who art Thou Lord?'  And He said, 'I am Jesus whom you are
persecuting...."  Acts 9:3-5

Of the transformed Apostle Paul we read,
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He
considered me faithful, putting me into service;
Even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent
aggressor.  And yet I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in
unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith
and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost
[sinner], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example
for those who would believe in Him for eternal life."  1 Timothy 1:12-16
[My note]

And Paul [as it is to be with all Believers] says in Galatians 2:20,
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me."

Believe and receive!  Hallelujah!  Thank You Lord! Amen.