One of the most devastating indictments against human corruption is sounded in Romans 1:18-32. God’s wrath is being revealed against those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The evidence of this wrath is clearly seen in debased human cravings and conduct. Without pause or preparation, Paul now takes an unexpected turn. He has set a trap for the self-righteous. For indeed none are harder to convict of unrighteousness than the self-righteous. In shifting attention away from the Gentile world, Paul redirects the weight of God’s worth and wrath to the unsuspecting and presumptuous covenant people of Israel. Here we enter into the significance of how the Jew relates to the gospel. Yet there is much in principle that is readily applicable to the Christian church of every generation. Here we are confronted with the unrighteousness of self-righteousness.
