The Goodness in God's Wrath: Five Key Truths to Remember
The Goodness in God’s Wrath
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
—Romans 5:8-9 NIV
The gospel is the most beautiful truth in the entire world. I believe that with my whole heart. I believe it is good down to its very core, and that there isn’t a corner of the Christian faith that we could shine a light on and remain un-enchanted.
So when it comes to a topic such as the wrath of God—a topic that, on the surface, may seem dark and dismal—my faith in the goodness of God bids my heart to explore the topic a bit further. My soul is beckoned to step further into the mystery of wrath with eyes prayerfully wide-open, as I invite God to reveal how even his wrath is enveloped in glorious light.
And oh! What a joyful endeavor this has been! Because it’s true, guys. God’s wrath is wrapped up in his goodness. His unceasing mercy is present even when we discuss the topic of his ultimate judgement of sin.
In this devotional, we will discuss the freedom God offers to mankind, his graciously clear boundaries, and his abundant patience. We will cover how God made a way for every person to be saved from judgment, and how his ultimate judgement is tightly knit together with his love for goodness and purity.
So, shall we? Let’s dive in.
Before we cover the obvious beauty found in God’s generous choice to send Jesus as an atoning sacrifice for believers (fully satisfying his own wrath), let’s take a moment to consider what stirs up God’s wrath in the first place…
May we remember, with sober hearts, that God hates sin; sin has seriously detrimental effects on the people and world he loves so very much. And yet, despite this hatred of sin, God holds a deep and everlasting love for the sinner.
You see, while the world was still in sin’s chokehold—being manipulated by and choosing to do evil—God, in his love, sent Jesus to the cross to die for those entrapped by sin. (Romans 5:8)
And Romans 8:1 tells us so clearly, that there is no condemnation for those who have chosen to trust in Christ’s atoning sacrifice on their behalf. If you are in Christ, you are set free from the wrath of God.
This freedom (from God’s wrath) is a grace-filled, compassion-cocooned gift. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is evidence that God does, in fact, love us.
So, as we keep God’s love at the forefront of our minds, I think there are some helpful things to remember as we process the wrathful actions observed in the Old Testament, along with the upcoming judgment described for those who choose not to place their trust in Jesus.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: God’s wrath is wrapped up in his goodness!
That’s the phrase that keeps coming to mind and heart. As I prayerfully read through Old Testament text, what becomes highlighted to me is the heart of a Father desperately after all things good.
I see a loving God who hates seeing the weak and defenseless in trouble. He hates seeing the pain inflicted on people by the sin of others. He hates obstruction. He hates perversion.
He is a masterful artist who created the most exquisite designs for his world, and seeing those good designs tarnished and marred is rightfully upsetting to him.
It is so fair that God has wrath over all these things that go against his perfect plan. May we not forget that he is the Good Master of the Universe; he wants goodness for the world, and he hates seeing that goodness opposed.
And yet, people were given the freedom to oppose God’s authority. (And they did.) Despite an abundance of blatant rebellion, God exemplified perfect love and justice as he sent Jesus to atone for the wretched sin of the world. It’s as though his fiercely justice-committed self couldn’t deny the truth that judgement was deserved, and yet because his justice lives in conjunction with his extravagant love, he created a sort of loophole for us.
He sent Jesus so that—while he hated our sin (and knew it was absolutely worthy of punishment)—there was still a way for us.
In Jesus, there is still a way for relationship. In Jesus, there is a way for us to be defended in heaven’s courtrooms against the sins we have clearly committed. In Jesus, we have been given access to God’s love, and the right to be called his children. (John 1:12)
In Jesus, God’s wrath is satisfied. And for every person who openly places their trust in the name of Jesus, there is salvation. For those who reject this generous gift of grace, even the wrathful judgement of God is wrapped up in the goodness of his character.
Below are five key truths below you may find helpful to keep in mind as the topic of God’s wrath arises:
Five Things to Remember Regarding God’s Wrath:
God has made himself known to all, through creation, dreams, warnings, consciences, and his powerful Word. In perfect goodness, God made a way for all to know about who he is and what he requires. (Romans 1:18-32, Job 36:5-12)
Despite knowledge of God, mankind chose to suppress the beautiful truth God had revealed to their hearts. They chose evil. God is the giver of all good things; he doesn’t tempt or cause anyone to do evil. Rebellion is a choice made by individuals, and we have all been found guilty of it. (James 1:13-18, Romans 1:18-32, Romans 3:23)
Although there has been blatant rebellion, God doesn’t want any of the people he loves so much to perish. His desire is that all would turn from evil and embrace his goodness. Even when tangled up in the most wretched of sins, God continues to love every person. (Ezekiel 18:30-32, Romans 5:8, John 3:16-17)
God provided a way for every person to escape judgement in the person of Jesus. He loves his people and has made a way for their salvation. And yet, he gives each person total freedom to choose him (or not). As people continually choose sin, God remains patient, holding off on judgement. And when they do turn from their sin and call out to him, it’s in his character to save the one who cries out, and to offer forgiveness to the repentant heart. He is merciful and forgiving—even to the most rebellious. (Psalm 106, 2 Peter 3:3-13, Daniel 9:9, Daniel 9:18, John 1:9-13, Romans 5:8-9)
When God does execute his wrath and judgement, even this action is wrapped up in his good character. His heart for the oppressed drives his judgement. His heart for goodness drives his judgement. His heart for purity drives his judgement. It’s God’s extreme desire for all things good and for the defense of the powerless—and his aversion to the pain of the world—that drives his wrath. God is all-the-way-through good, even in his ultimate judgement. (Jeremiah 21:12-22:17, Isaiah 1:16-28)
The entirety of the Good News Gospel is displayed in this topic of God’s wrath. He never stops being good! May we pray that those around us are able to step into the light of God’s beauty and embrace his purification and saving grace.
May you know and celebrate God’s glorious gifts—his generous grace and abundant love.
Annalisa
