Passage of the Day: Romans 1: 18 … The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, …
My Journal for Today: These words of truth are strong concerning God’s wrath; and I agree with John MacArthur, who in Strength for Today on this date, posits that Evangelical Christians tend to think of God in terms of love/grace, rather than about God’s wrath. Often it is thought that God’s wrath is Old Covenant theology and God’s grace is New Covenant doctrine. It’s understandable that we humans would want to sweep the truth about God’s wrath under the carpet and ignore it; but … it’s wrong to do so because God’s wrath is just as much a part of the character of God in the New Testament as is His love for His children under the Old Covenant.
God hasn’t changed (see Hebrews 13: 8)! And today’s New Testament verse focuses on the same quality of God that was seen evident at the time of the great flood (Genesis, Chapters 6 and 7) as well as when God brought His wrath down upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis, Chapters 17 and 18).
Make no mistake. Jesus spoke clearly of God’s wrath in the context of salvation in the same Bible passage where we read the description of the extent of His love (i.e., John 3: 16). Check out John 3: 36 …
SCRIPTURE: John 3: 36 … [Jesus] … “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
Therefore, we New Covenant [i.e., New Testament] believers must remember that God’s wrath, which, in the Greek of today’s verse, is “orge,” … is theologically defined as “the settled, determined indignation and hatred which God has for sin” … Old or New Testament. And without the balanced qualities of mercy/grace, which I’ve been reviewing the past few days in my devotional journal entries, we would be doomed by God’s wrath. However, being able to receive God’s saving grace from the covering of blood provided by the Lamb of God, i.e., Christ on the cross, any believer can and will escape the horrible wrath that God holds for anyone who is unholy. And I reflect with horror on all those years in which I mocked and “spit-in-the-face” of the grace-filled God Whom I now worship and serve. To think that I ignored God’s wrath for sin for all those younger adult years of my life is scary, especially now knowing about and recognizing just how much God’s wrath hates any kind of sin, … especially the chronic intentional and habitual sin to which I was bound for all those years of pleasure seeking. >>> How grateful can a sinner-turned-saint be? Well, look no further than yours truly to find one.
My fellow believer, KNOW that Jesus is going to return to deal out His wrath upon unrepentant sinners who reject Him (see 2nd Thes. 1: 8 or 2nd Pet. 2: 4 -10 - both linked). But the other side of this balanced theological coin is the truth that God’s love/mercy/grace is offered to any or all who believe and receive salvation in the Person and sacrifice of Jesus Christ (see Romans 10: 9 – 13). And for any or all who read here who’ve “sealed the deal” and have received God’s free grace of salvation through your faith, we will share heaven together [!] because of God’s love.
Can I hear a resounding ” HALLELUJAH!!; or at least, a sincere … “PRAISE THE LORD?”
My Prayer Today: Lord, Your wrath is very real; but Your love and mercy are mine in Christ. Amen
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