Saturday, January 12, 2013

God's Righteous Wrath


Romans 2:4-8 “Do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the Day of Wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! He will reward each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness.”

My old mentor Bill always said that we cannot truly know what we have been saved “to”, until we truly know what we have been saved “from”. Our Small Bible study looked this last week into the “just” wrath of God. Bottom line: God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. Why? Because it is His nature. Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good! How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him!” Some ask “Why isn't evil punished by God ? Where is the justice?” But the one word is missing at the end of that first question … the word “yet”. The Day of Judgment & Wrath is in the future, because there are more people coming to a “saving” knowledge of the Savior. It is liberating to know that our Heavenly Father, in His love and mercy, has provided, as a free gift, a way to the sinner for redemption, forgiveness, salvation and eternal life, so that all may make the choice.

Romans 5:8-9But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Jay Edward Adams wrote a paragraph that puts it into perspective. “From the Garden of Eden with its two trees, one allowed, one forbidden, to the eternal destiny of the human being in heaven or in hell, the Bible sets forth two and only two ways...God's way and all others. Accordingly, people are either saved or lost. They belong to God or the world. There is Mt. Gerizim, the mount of blessing and Mt. Ebal, the mount of cursing. There is the narrow way and the wide way. One leads to eternal life. The other to eternal destruction. There are those who are against and those who are with us. There are those within the Kingdom and those outside the Kingdom. There is life and death, truth and falsehood, good and bad, light and darkness, the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, love and hatred, spiritual wisdom and the wisdom of the world. And Christ is said to be the way, the truth and the life and no one may come to the Father but by Him. He is the only name under heaven by which one may be saved.” 

Romans 1:16-19For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

God’s wrath comes because of unbelief, disobedience, and any act that is contrary to the perfect will of God. Wrath is God’s response to sin in all its forms. His righteousness, His justice, His holiness command His just judgment against all who choose to perish in eternal damnation. I remember listening to baseball star player Albert Pujols speak on a radio program about, while dating his soon-to-be wife, she told Albert that she needed to break up with him because he was not a Christian and she couldn't bear the thought that he was going to Hell. He immediately replied that he didn't want to go to Hell and she presented the gospel of Jesus Christ, which he accepted and has been “on fire” for the Lord since. Know the choice, make the choice, accept the gift and use the gift. 

John 3:36 “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.”

In Christ, Brian

2 comments:

child of God said...

Hi Brian,
It is good to be under the covering of the Almighty God. His arm is not to short, nor is His love to shallow. His forgiveness is uncompromising and His compassion, there is not in comparison. His way is True and there is no other pathway that will satisfy. His judgement is just and His timing is perfect.

Judgement will come at the perfect time when all have come into His Kingdom. What a glorious God He is!

Great post Brian, brought on a deep worship inside my heart for Who He is.

Blessings,
<><

Brian Ray Todd said...

Child of God, The wrath of just and holy God is a subject that is sad for the unregenerate sinner in unbelief because God desires none to perish be repent and come to a "saving" knowledge of the Savior (His Son). His person and His work as the sin-bearing sacrifice; the gospel of God's love and grace to undeserving sinners, with the message of forgiveness, the promise of the Holy Spirit and eternal life as blood-bought children. The seriousness of sin and the incomprehensible gift of God for salvation for the Believer brings a glimpse of the realization of the goodness, love, mercy and grace towards us. To rebel and refuse this incredible offer of redemption and bear the penalty of our sins is the saddest thing that I can imagine. But accepting that offer is the most glorious thing that I can imagine. Glory, glory Hallelujah! Praise be to God! Thank you for writing sister.