SAVED FROM WHAT?!

I would like to address in this post what is probably one of the most popular, beloved and welcomed doctrines/teachings in the Bible, namely that of the wrath of God (I jest of course).

In reality, the wrath of God, along with the doctrine of sin, is one of the most despised, disputed, denied and avoided doctrines in the Bible, despite being a dominant theme in both the Old and New Testaments.  However, I believe it deserves significant time and attention if we are to truly see the glory of God’s justice in it, our need for salvation from it, and God’s ultimate expression of His love in granting that salvation.  Thus, being the contrarian person that I am, I will be highlighting this much disdained doctrine in my next few posts.

There are various questions we can ask as Christians to start a conversation with someone we hope to lead to salvation in Jesus.  We typically ask, “Are you a Christian?”, or “Do you know Jesus?”  More indirectly we may ask, “Do you go to church?”, or “Do you read the Bible?” However, the question that we should ask if we want to quickly get to the crux of the matter is “Have you been saved?” to which their response will likely be “Saved from what?”, to which our response must be “The wrath of God.”

The universal need of all mankind is salvation from the wrath of God; wrath that is presently being revealed in this present world against all of mankind (Romans 1:18), in all of the misery and  sorrow,  futility and frustration brought on by our unrighteous and ungodly lifestyles.  The Bible teaches that this wrath will continue in ever increasing measure (Romans 2:5) beyond this world and throughout eternity against all who do not know God and thus do not obey the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10); the Gospel being the good news of what Jesus Christ has done to deliver us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).

The term wrath in general is defined as a deep, intense, passionate display of anger over actual or perceived injustice – of being unjustly and maliciously harmed, deprived or slandered.   And the Bible tells us that wrath, as an expression of His justice, is an attribute of God, as much of an attribute of the infinite perfections of His Being as are His wisdom, power, mercy and grace.

Theologian Arthur Pink comments on this in His book, The Attributes of God, that the wrath of God is His eternal detestation of all unrighteousness (all that is contrary to His nature).  It is the displeasure and indignation of Divine equity against evil.  It is the holiness of God stirred into activity against sin. It is the moving cause of that just sentence he passes upon evil doers.  God is angry against sin because it is rebelling against His authority, a wrong done to His inviolable sovereignty.  Insurrectionists against God’s government shall be made to know that God is the Lord.  They shall be made to feel how great that Majesty is which they despise, and how dreadful is the threatened wrath which they so little regarded.  Not that God’s anger is malignant and malicious retaliation, inflicting injury for the sake of it, or in return for injury received.  No; while God will vindicate His dominion as Governor of the universe, He will not be vindictive. 

From another perspective, the wrath of God refers to His active, passionate, personal and necessary expression of His perfect hatred and hostility, His righteous indignation and moral outrage toward sin – His just and measured vengeance toward sinful men and angels who have defied His righteous laws, slandered His holy character; despised His unfailing love and denigrated His infinite glory; who in doing so have brought nothing but corruption, destruction and disorder – pain, sorrow and suffering into His good and perfect creation.  It is his resolute activity in punishing the sin he hates (Psalm 7:11-13).

There are those who would say wrath is not consistent with or becoming of a “loving” God; that a gracious and merciful God would never purposefully, intentionally punish people and would certainly not send people to a place of eternal shame and torment (Hell).  However, the Bible says He will and has and is perfectly just in doing so (Revelation 14:9-11)

I would contend, as the Bible does, that God would not be good, would not be just and would not be loving if He did not hate and punish and ultimately destroy that/those which would bring such corruption and disorder into his good and perfect creation – those who would disrupt, diminish and interfere with the joy, pleasure and satisfaction, the peace and prosperity, the significance and security that God designed man to enjoy in Him, and within His good creation (Psalm 33:5)

And even more I would ask those of you who feel that such actions are unworthy of a loving God – How would you expect the infinitely Holy creator and sovereign ruler of the universe to respond to such blatant and pervasive and profound opposition to and contradiction of His glorious person and purposes by creatures – beings He created for His glory, who live in this world as if they have nothing but disdain and contempt for the God who created them (2 Chronicles 36:16)?

In upcoming posts, I will look at how men and women created in the image of God went from being the objects of God’s love to becoming the objects of His wrath, and how we are saved from that wrath and accepted again as his beloved children through faith in the person and work of God the Son – Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Grace and Peace ×