“Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us.” (2 Kings 2:13
It was the Apostle John, in the Gospel of John, who wrote: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (Jn. 3:36) What did John mean by writing this, and how can he write concerning the love of God for the world, and at the same time speak of the wrath of God abiding upon the unbeliever? It is only by going back to look at the essential holy nature of God that we begin to discover the answer.
In the first epistle of John we read, “God IS love.” (4:8) The love of God is not only foremost in the list of the fruits of the Spirit of God, but also, in the duty of man in response to that love. We know from the Old Testament that the first, and greatest commandment, is to love God with our whole being. We also know that the evidence of such love by the Spirit is love for the brethren, and our neighbor. Christ’s words to Peter after his three-fold denial was: “Do you love Me?” On Calvary, we know that the justice and mercy of God met that day in the sacrifice of the Son of God. But the motivation in giving the Son is clearly declared, and emphasized in Scripture: “…for God so LOVED … that He gave…” (Jn. 3:16) So that, in the overwhelming testimony and revelation that God has given to man, it is His love that dominates. However, with equal truth and solemnity, we see that Scripture, in speaking of the holiness, righteousness, and justice of God, God has a certain attitude towards sin, and the sinner who refuses for one reason or another, to embrace by faith God’s way of reconciliation with Him. That antagonistic attitude is called wrath. It is a settled disposition of God towards every sin, and every sinner, who will not repent of his sins to be saved. It is an attitude that is represented by picture of a fire, for it burns against sin. So, God loves the sinner, but hates his sin, and this so much, that the only way for the sinner to be saved is to trust Someone else to die for him in his place, receiving the full judgment and punishment for his sins. Only as the entirety of those sins is placed upon the sacrifice on Calvary can the sinner be free from the judgment of those sins. Only by the embracing by faith of this blessed sacrifice of love can the sinner be free of the wrath of God concerning him. In rejecting Christ, for any reason, there remains the wrath of God on the individual simply because his sin remains, he is bearing his own sin and its consequence.
Does wrath apply to true believers, Christians or disciples of Christ. Though there is no condemnation to those who are IN Christ Jesus, all of his sins being taken away by Christ’s death, and finished work, the attitude of God towards sin itself does not change. He hates sin, as it is a total contradiction with His holy, good nature. Also, sin is the cause of all the suffering in the world today, for God cannot bless sin. Satan uses the disposition of sin to steal, kill, and to destroy. The man who will not repent of his sins, is the man who will not fully embrace Christ, God’s only answer to sin. Therefore, nothing can separate the believer from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Thus, the believer is called to walk before God, by the Spirit, according to the will of God. He is to reign in life by One, Christ Jesus.
The wrath of God has but one Divine remedy, the love of Christ.
Dear Father, Show us now Thy way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.