However, in that day, as in all other days, it is not
upon men themselves that God’s wrath is visited; but upon the sins
of men, and upon men only as they are identified with their sins.
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven," not against
all ungodly men, not against all unrighteous men, but "against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." Romans 1:18.
And only as the man clings to his ungodliness, only as he holds down the
truth in unrighteousness, shall it be that the wrath of God will be
revealed from heaven against him: and even then not against him
primarily, but against the sin to which he clings, and will not leave.
And as he has thus made his choice, clinging fast to his choice, he must
take the consequences of his choice, when his choice shall have reached
its ultimate. So it is written, and I read it again, "The wrath of
God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men, who hold the truth [who hold down, who press back the truth] in
unrighteousness."
Continuing from where we read a moment ago,
"Then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of
his coming: even him, whose coming is a after the working of Satan with
all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceiveableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love
of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness." "Believed not the truth." They knew of
it; it was presented to them; their hearts told them, the Spirit of God
told them, that it was the truth; their own consciences approved of it
all: but they would not believe the truth; they "had pleasure in
unrighteousness," and held down, and pressed back, the truth in
unrighteousness; and "for this cause" it is that the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven, and strikes them.
Yet, as already stated, the wrath of God is not
primarily against them, but against the thing which they love; against
the thing which they cling to, and will not be separated from. And at
last, in that great day when the judgement is set, and on the right and
on the left are all the people who have ever lived, those on the left
will depart "into everlasting fire, prepared"— not for
them, but "for the devil and his angels." The Lord has
done his utmost that they might never see it. He gave his Son to save
them, that they might never know it. It was not prepared for them. He
does not desire that they should be lost; but they have to go there
because there is the company which they have chosen; that is the place
with which they have connected themselves, and from which they would not
be separated. Therefore, he says, "depart from me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."
Fire not prepared for you.