Day 79: We Have Been Delivered From Wrath
In Christ, through faith we have been delivered from Wrath. God’s wrath is simply His turning people over to the consequences of their own sinful choices. Jesus has delivered us from both God’s present and future wrath.
What is God’s Wrath?
The wrath of God is not a popular topic these days (nor has it ever been). People don’t like to hear about God’s wrath and assume that it is a part of His personality that He left behind in the Old Testament. But this is far from the truth. Take a look at the following passages:
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is presently revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, …
Ephesians 5:6
Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. (see Colossians 3:6 for a parallel statement of this)
Simply stated, God’s wrath is his righteous way of dealing with sin and evil (all that is not in line with His truth, goodness and beauty) by allowing them to have their way. On a personal level, God’s wrath is His turning people over to themselves which ultimately results in their own destruction.
There are two aspects of God’s wrath that we need to consider: 1) His present wrath, and 2) His future wrath. God’s present wrath is displayed in the way He is allowing rebellious humanity to cave in upon itself because of its own wicked and corrupt desires. God’s future wrath is also coming. This wrath is displayed in the present reality of Hell and the coming eternal reality of the The Lake of Fire. This will be the eternal destiny of all those who ultimately and finally rejected the mercy and grace of the One True God made available in Christ.
The Biblical truth of God’s wrath is not very popular because questions like “How could a loving God send anyone into eternal torment?” come up. In order to understand this we need to see how wrath is actually bound up with God’s love and righteousness and desire.
God’s Wrath is related to God’s love and desire.
God’s righteous wrath against sin and wickedness and His love for things good and pure are really two sides of the same coin. Since God loves what is true, good and beautiful, He hates all that stands contrary to these—all that is evil and twisted and corrupt. In fact, God loves what is good and glorious so much that His righteousness demands that He ultimately destroy all that is evil and corrupt. This is the reality of His wrath.
In Ephesians 2:2 Paul says that we all were “children of wrath.” We were children who were destined for and deserving of wrath because we were born dead in Adam, enslaved to the Evil Powers of this world, and enslaved to our own sinful desires. We too were once among the “sons of disobedience” who are worthy of God’s condemnation. But God has provided the means in Christ by which we escape His wrath.
Christ’s sacrifice for us turns away God’s wrath.
Earlier, we saw how Christ has redeemed us—He has given His blood to set us free from all that enslaved us. Jesus’ blood has also provided another great blessing for us: the propitiation of God’s wrath. Propitiation takes place when an acceptable blood sacrifice is given to satisfy God’s righteous wrath. For us, Christ is that sacrifice. Take a look at what John says about this:
1 John 4:10
In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the satisfying sacrifice (propitiation) for our sins.
God displays his great love for us in that He sends His One Unique Son Jesus to be a satisfying sacrifice for our sins so that He can freely and lavishly accept us as His sons and daughters!!!
This is not a sacrifice that we have to bring to God and offer Him; this is a sacrifice that He makes for us and then offers it to us freely, without cost to us!!! There is no offering that you could possibly bring to God to accomplish propitiation. God Himself had to provide His own acceptable sacrifice.
There is an illustration that helps communicate this awesome concept. The Native Americans on the plains of North America lived under constant threat of wildfires that swept across the plains, fed by forceful winds. Wildfire could appear and encircle a village in a matter of minutes, preventing any escape. But the Indians learned that as wildfire rushed toward them, they could voluntarily burn a wide fire-ring around their village. When the wildfire met the fire-ring that had already been burned, it could not burn again where the fire had already burned. The wild fire would pass them by. All those who were inside the fire-ring of safety were passed by and saved.
In Christ, you are saved from God’s wrath because His wrath has already burned and been satisfied in Jesus’ suffering for you. He provides a “ring of safety” for all who trust in Him. When you accepted Him and stepped inside the family circle of all those in Christ, you entered into a position in which God’s wrath has been satisfied, never to burn again.
In 1 Thessalonians Paul encourages the community of believers with the blessings that have come to them in Christ in spite of some affliction that they were enduring. There he says:
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
For people everywhere report how you welcomed us and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.
Jesus is our Deliverer from the coming, future wrath of God! Father-God will never abandon you to yourself; He will not turn you over to your un-purified desires. You are now in His care in Christ, delivered from both His present and future wrath!
Take a few minutes and think about the implications of our discussion today. What do you feel knowing that you have been freed from God’s wrath and have no reason to fear it anymore?
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
