Posted on 03/22/2011 12:58:11 PM PDT by RnMomof7
It is sad to find so many professing Christians who appear to regard the wrath of God as something for which they need to make an apology, or at least they wish there were no such thing. While some would not go so far as to openly admit that they consider it a blemish on the Divine character, yet they are far from regarding it with delight, they like not to think about it, and they rarely hear it mentioned without a secret resentment rising up in their hearts against it. Even with those who are more sober in their judgment, not a few seem to imagine that there is a severity about the Divine wrath which is too terrifying to form a theme for profitable contemplation. Others harbor the delusion that God’s wrath is not consistent with His goodness, and so seek to banish it from their thoughts.
Yes, many there are who turn away from a vision of God’s wrath as though they were called to look upon some blotch in the Divine character, or some blot upon the Divine government. But what saith the Scriptures? As we turn to them we find that God has made no attempt to conceal the fact of His wrath. He is not ashamed to make it known that vengeance and fury belong unto Him. His own challenge is, "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand. For I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, I live forever, If I whet My glittering sword, and Mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine enemies, and will reward them that hate Me" (Deut. 32:39-41).
A study of the concordance will show that there are more references in Scripture to the anger, fury, and wrath of God, than there are to His love and tenderness. Because God is holy, He hates all sin; And because He hates all sin, His anger burns against the sinner: Psalm 7:11.
Now the wrath of God is as much a Divine perfection as is His faithfulness, power, or mercy. It must be so, for there is no blemish whatever, not the slightest defect in the character of God; yet there would be if "wrath" were absent from Him! Indifference to sin is a moral blemish, and he who hates it not is a moral leper. How could He who is the Sum of all excellency look with equal satisfaction upon virtue and vice, wisdom and folly? How could He who is infinitely holy disregard sin and refuse to manifest His "severity" (Rom. 9:12) toward it? How could He who delights only in that which is pure and lovely, loathe and hate not that which is impure and vile? The very nature of God makes Hell as real a necessity, as imperatively and eternally requisite as Heaven is. Not only is there no imperfection in God, but there is no perfection in Him that is less perfect than another.
The wrath of God is His eternal detestation of all unrighteousness. 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 which He passes upon evil-doers. God is angry against sin because it is a 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 that threatened wrath which they so little regarded. Not that God’s anger is a 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 the Governor of the universe, He will not be vindictive........
The wrath of God is a perfection of the Divine character upon which we need to frequently meditate. First, that our hearts may be duly impressed by God’s detestation of sin. We are ever prone to regard sin lightly, to gloss over its hideousness, to make excuses for it. But the more we study and ponder God’s abhorrence of sin and His frightful vengeance upon it, the more likely are we to realize its heinousness.
Second, to beget a true fear in our souls for God: "Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:28,29). We cannot serve Him "acceptably" unless there is due "reverence" for His awful Majesty and "godly fear" of His righteous anger, and these are best promoted by frequently calling to mind that "our God is a consuming fire."
Third, to draw out our souls in fervent praise for having delivered us from "the wrath to come" (1 Thess. 1:10). Our readiness or our reluctancy to meditate upon the wrath of God becomes a sure test of how our hearts’ really stand affected toward Him.
If we do not truly rejoice in God, for what He is in Himself, and that because of all the perfections which are eternally resident in Him, then how dwelleth the love of God in us? Each of us needs to be most prayerfully on his guard against devising an image of God in our thoughts which is patterned after our own evil inclinations. Of old the Lord complained, "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether as thyself" (Ps. 50:21), If we rejoice not "at the remembrance of His holiness" (Ps. 97:12), if we rejoice not to know that in a soon coming Day God will make a most glorious display of His wrath, by taking vengeance on all who now oppose Him, it is proof positive that our hearts are not in subjection to Him, that we are yet in our sins, on the way to the everlasting burnings.......
Then flee, my reader, flee to Christ; "flee from the wrath to come" (Matt. 3:7) ere it be too late. Do not, we earnestly beseech you, suppose that this message is intended for somebody else. It is to you! Do not be contented by thinking you have already fled to Christ. Make certain! Beg the Lord to search your heart and show you yourself.
A small ping for the Nature and Character of God
bkmk
“Indifference to sin is a moral blemish, and he who hates it not is a moral leper.”
That is a great line....it is what is wrong with a lot of Christian churches today. It is what happened in Christian Europe decades ago....this accepting sin as normal and good.
The churches (since the Polyanna movie) are afraid to call sin, sin. They want to be popular so they sold their soul to the devil.
Exactly, sin is not longer sin.. it is “bad choices”
I have heard some say that it is wrong to attribute wrath to God because God is love.. what they fail to realize His Holiness is his prime attribute and to offend that in anyway is to bring His wrath in defense of His holiness
THX THX.
I know there's a zillion imperfections when using human relationships as an analogy to our relationship with an infinite being - but so many people who would be loathe to constantly do what a loved one asked us to refrain from doing would understand that such action would lead to issues. Why would it be so different with God? Yes, He loves us - but he is our Authority. How could the wrath not be worse?
Then we hear about a God who spoke that he loves us, That He spread his beaten arms so wide to die on a cross for us . Yet we still wonder why the wrath if we refuse.
Everything we have is from the All and All. The Lord our Creator.
Seek and you will find.
Psalm 9:10 "And let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord."
Great article RM7!
"Then flee, my reader, flee to Christ; "flee from the wrath to come" (Matt. 3:7) ere it be too late. Do not, we earnestly beseech you, suppose that this message is intended for somebody else. It is to you! Do not be contented by thinking you have already fled to Christ. Make certain! Beg the Lord to search your heart and show you yourself."
Flee indeed.
Praise Jesus!!! AMEN!!!
Sounds good, Mom. So many are asleep - especially in America. Witness the horrible decline in the USA since WW2. It has been said that God will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah if He does not punish America in like manner!
John 10:10:
“The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Revelation 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who is able to stand? This is the most clear beginning of God's wrath as recognized by those who are hiding in the mountains, and see God's wrath coming upon them.
1 Thess 5:2,4,5 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.... But ye, breathren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are the all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. And since we are of the light, and not of the night, then we do not look for a thief to surprise us, the thief motif is only for those to do not know what to look for and are unprepared...
Those who go before the White Throne of Judgment and find that their name is not in the Book of Life will discover just what God’s Wrath is all about.
We cannot expect to understand His love if we first don’t understand His righteousness and His wrath against unrighteousness.
Without His wrath, His love is nothing more than mushy oatmeal.
As an ex myself I agree with you... I recently commented to a friends that we should be looking up for the fire and brimstone ...
The judgement will come and all will see it from here or there.. God must vindicate His righteousness
Amen, to be spared from His judgement by the cross of Christ is a blessing not one of us deserve
Exactly ... Mercy would have no meaning if it was not Mercy from His wrath
Great post Mom.
You want to see God’s wrath? Look at how is was poured out on an innocent man on a cross 2000 years ago on a hillside in Jerusalem.
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