It gets worse. Romans 1 verse 20 says that people 'suppress the truth in unrighteousness'. What we do we do knowingly! We see evidence that points to God in creation and also in our own conscience, and instead of being thankful and seeking to find out more about God we suppress what we know about Him and distort our ideas about Him to allow ourselves to continue our unrighteousness actions.
We are not only guilty, we are knowingly guilty. God has revealed Himself in creation, recorded His laws in the Bible, and even put the work of the law in our heart.(1) How terrible is this! God's righteous wrath is aimed at humankind and a day is coming when He will reveal that wrath for what it is.
God's wrath is discriminating, not indiscriminate.
Some people believe that God releases His wrath indiscriminately, like a kind of 'cosmic rage'. That is not the teaching of the Bible.
In John 3:36 we read 'He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Those who believe (or trust) in the Son (Jesus) for salvation have everlasting life. They already possess the life that fits them to enjoy God forever in heaven. But those who do 'not believe', that is refuse to obey God by trusting His Son, shall not see life; instead the 'wrath of God' abides on them right now.
God will only unleash His wrath against those who haven't accepted His Son as their Saviour and whose sins are therefore unforgiven. This wrath is completely discriminating. If you refuse the offer of forgiveness through God's Son, who died as a righteous satisfaction for sins (2), then you must face God’s wrath.
The good news is this: in His Son, Jesus Christ, God offers His love to guilty sinners. His Son willingly died that you might have eternal life. 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life' (John 3:16). On the cross the Lord Jesus paid the price for sin in full and now offers to forgiven your sins, taking you forever out from under God's wrath by sheltering you in Himself.
However, if you refuse to accept His love and continue to hold on to your sins, God will righteously punish you. You will endure His holy wrath.
