The Judgment of God on the Ungodly According to Romans 1:18-32

Abstract

Notes from the translator, Pastor Tom Jeske: This message was originally read, not printed. The audience heard it in the German language: Gottes Zorngericht ueber die Gottlosen nach Roemerbrief 1:18-32. Later the message was “done into English in a somewhat altered form” by the author. Northwestern Publishing House then printed it in pamphlet form: “a paper read before the meeting of the West Wisconsin District of the Ev. Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and other States held at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, June 15-22, 1926” Now threescore and ten years have gone by. On my bookshelf is a ragged, yellowed, pencil-highlighted copy of August Pieper’s message in that pamphlet format. After reading it I thought of sharing the paper with one of my brothers in the ministry. Then it occurred to me Prof. Pieper’s words might be appreciated by a wider audience in my local pastors’ study group. So instead of photocopying a disintegrating pamphlet, I began to retype it. Almost immediately I was faced with a dilemma - - do I update the paper? Am I editing an important man’s work? What business do I have doing this? After all, the presentation had already been translated into English, by the author himself. In my judgment, however, the 1926 English is now somewhat difficult to read and therefore to understand. American English has changed since the Roaring Twenties. When spoken language changes, preaching and writing change, too. My colleagues, congregation and community are far removed from the time between the World Wars. Perhaps someone familiar with the original 1926 draft will take exception to changes made in the present script. I gladly yield on all points. This little project was for me not a work of church history. I only want to share a meaningful sermon with fellow Christians who would otherwise have to go on without it. Forgive me for choosing not to use brackets in the manuscript to mark my editing. I felt that any reader (i.e. myself) would become needlessly frustrated and a spellbinding sermon would be spoiled.