Wrath Released

Rightly responding to God.

1) Questions about God’s Wrath

God’s wrath is an intense anger against all forms of rebellion against His person and ways. The word depicts the very way God will aggressively carry out justice. He will not lighten the sentence.

Our minds are so boggled with questions about God’s judgment that we sometimes wonder whether God is really like that. The scriptures enable us to discover what God really is like. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Romans 1:18). In a sense, it doesn’t even matter whether we like the way He is. God pours out His wrath on the wicked; we should learn to accept this characteristic about Him. He openly has spoken about His judgment upon the world.

• Is God of the Old Testament the same as the God of New Testament?

Some wonder whether God is really as wrathful as the Old Testament states. The problem is easily solved by reading the New Testament. There we discover that God’s wrath and judgment is described throughout the New Testament (37 times) just like the Old (147 times). “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).

God’s wrath is on all sinners already. Even without a chance to reject Christ, the curse of death clearly demonstrates judgment is already upon mankind.

• Can a loving God judge sinners?

Many people are certain of God’s love, but they question whether love is compatible with judgment. They say, “If God is loving, then He wouldn’t judge anyone,” or “Since God is loving, He will save everyone.”

But in fact God’s great anger against sinners is compatible with His love. “Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness” (Romans 11:22). Underline the two characteristics of God shown in this verse.

2) God’s Kindness and Severity

Terrible events occurring across the globe are genuine warnings to mankind. God calls mankind to repent and escape His soon-coming intense wrath. The Lord graciously warns us of His judgment through earthquakes, tsunamis and diseases such as AIDs. Suffering on earth is temporary, but His judgment has eternal consequences.

Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction... (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).

God’s kindness is also found in the great sacrifice of His Son Christ Jesus. The innocent died for the guilty that the guilty would go free from His judgment. “Wait for his Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Application: Have you repented from your sin? If you are not clear about this, turn now away from your sin and plead for forgiveness through Jesus. God will forgive you and grant you new life so that you will desire to live His ways.

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