{"id":32084,"date":"2018-01-16T03:19:33","date_gmt":"2018-01-16T11:19:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prayingpint.com\/?p=32084"},"modified":"2018-01-16T03:19:33","modified_gmt":"2018-01-16T11:19:33","slug":"knowing-gods-grace-and-wrath","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/2018\/01\/16\/knowing-gods-grace-and-wrath\/","title":{"rendered":"Knowing God’s grace and wrath"},"content":{"rendered":"

Psalms 88:4<\/b>\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, \u00a0like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. \u00a0You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep.\u00a0Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah <\/i>\u00a0You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; \u00a0my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O LORD; I spread out my hands to you. \u00a0Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah <\/i>\u00a0Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? \u00a0Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? \u00a0But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. \u00a0O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? \u00a0Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. \u00a0Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. \u00a0They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. \u00a0You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.<\/p>\n

There are times we get sideways with God.\u00a0 It is by our own choice and actions. \u00a0 We may encounter times when it appears \u00a0we are like the Psalmist who is living under God\u2019s wrath and coming to a point in their life when they realize their only hope is in God.\u00a0 They come broken and wanting to be restored.\u00a0 I recently read an article by Joseph Scheumann about God\u2019s wrath and want to share it with you.<\/p>\n

The doctrine of the wrath of God has fallen on hard times. In today\u2019s world, any concept of God\u2019s wrath upsets our modern sentiments. It\u2019s too disconcerting, too intolerant.<\/p>\n

We live in a day where we have set ourselves as the judge and God\u2019s character is on trial. \u201cHow can hell be just?\u201d \u201cWhy would God command the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites?\u201d \u201cWhy does God always seem so angry?\u201d<\/p>\n

The fact that so many people struggle with these questions, and many more like them, means that more than ever right thinking is needed about the doctrine of God\u2019s wrath. It is needed for motivation for Christian living, fuel for proper worship, and as a toolbox to confront objections to Christianity.<\/p>\n

Here are five biblical truths about the wrath of God:<\/p>\n

1. God\u2019s wrath is just.<\/b><\/p>\n

It has become common for many to argue that the God of the Old Testament is a moral monster that is by no means worthy of worship.<\/p>\n

However, biblical authors have no such problem. In fact, God\u2019s wrath is said to be in perfect accord with God\u2019s justice.<\/p>\n

2. God\u2019s wrath is to be feared.<\/b><\/p>\n

God\u2019s wrath is to be feared because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23<\/a>). God\u2019s wrath is to be feared because we are justly condemned sinners apart from Christ (Romans 5:1<\/a>). God\u2019s wrath is to be feared because he is powerful enough to do what he promises (Jeremiah 32:17<\/a>). God\u2019s wrath is to be feared because God promises eternal punishment apart from Christ<\/p>\n

3. God\u2019s wrath is consistent in the Old and New Testaments.<\/b><\/p>\n

It is common to think of the Old Testament God as mean, harsh, and wrath-filled, and the God of the New Testament as kind, patient, and loving. Neither of these portraits are representative of Scripture\u2019s teaching on the wrath of God.<\/p>\n

We find immensely fearful descriptions of the wrath of God in both the Old and the New Testament. Here are just a few examples: The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.\u00a0 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.<\/p>\n

4. God\u2019s wrath is<\/i> his love in action against sin.<\/b><\/p>\n

This is counter-intuitive, but hear me out.<\/p>\n

God is love, and God does all things for his glory (1 John 4:8<\/a>; Romans 11:36<\/a>). He loves his glory above all (and that is a good thing!<\/a>). Therefore, God rules the world in such a way that brings himself maximum glory. This means that God must act justly and judge sin (i.e. respond with wrath), otherwise God would not be God. God\u2019s love for his glory motivates his wrath against sin.<\/p>\n

5. God\u2019s wrath is satisfied in Christ.<\/b><\/p>\n

Here we have the ultimate good news: \u201cChrist Jesus came into the world to save sinners\u201d (1 Timothy 1:15<\/a>). Because of Christ, God can rightly call sinners justified (Romans 3:26<\/a>). God has done what we could not do, and he has done what we didn\u2019t deserve. Charles Wesley rightly exulted in this good news:<\/p>\n

And can it be that I should gain<\/p>\n

An interest in the Saviour\u2019s blood?<\/p>\n

Died he for me, who caused his pain!<\/p>\n

For me, who him to death pursued?<\/p>\n

Amazing love! How can it be<\/p>\n

That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Psalms 88:4\u00a0\u00a0I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, \u00a0like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. \u00a0You have put me in … Continue reading “Knowing God’s grace and wrath”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-prayers"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32084"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32084\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32086,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32084\/revisions\/32086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}