Romans: Understanding the Wrath of God (Part Two)

The wrath of God is Paul’s starting point of the Gospel.

God’s Wrath Defined

Wrath: strong vengeful anger or indignation; retributory punishment for an offense or a crime:

Wrath of God: An expression of divine displeasure with human sin.

The free, subjective and holy response of God to sin and to the evil and wickedness exhibited by creatures in opposition to God.

God’s wrath is not so much a “feeling” as much an action of God, His judgment on sin.

Human anger is often a loss of self-control, whereas God’s wrath is calculated and intentional against sin and his desire for justice.

In the Old Testament, God’s wrath would be appeased by

Death of the guilty

Exile of the guilty

Death of animal sacrifice

It is foolish to think that the God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath, while the God of the New Testament is a God of grace.

In the New Testament, Jesus is the propitiation for our sin.

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;Romans 3:25

Propitiation deals with a covering for our sin.

Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.Psalm 85:2

Propitiation deals with turning away the wrath of God.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.John 1:29

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;Romans 3:25

Propitiation does not turn the wrath of God into the love of God.

Propitiation deals with the cleansing of sin, thus affirming the holiness of God and His desire for justice.

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.Romans 3:25-26

God’s wrath is withheld from those who are saved.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,1 Thessalonians 5:9

To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,Romans 2:7-8

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;Romans 1:17-18

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.Ephesians 5:5-6

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.Romans 5:9

God is forbearing in His wrath for those who are not saved.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?Romans 2:4

What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?Romans 9:22-24

God’s wrath is already upon those without Jesus.

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.John 3:36

The full force of God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus.

The full force of God’s wrath will be poured out during the Tribulation and the final judgment.

Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.Isaiah 13:9

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?Matthew 3:7

And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.Daniel 8:19

The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.Zephaniah 1:14-16

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’s anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.Zephaniah 2:1-3

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.Luke 21:23

The full force of God’s wrath will be poured out in Hell for all eternity.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.Revelation 20:12-15

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:Matthew 25:41

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.Matthew 25:46

Understanding the wrath of God is critical for understanding the character of God.

Understanding the wrath of God is critical for understanding God’s attitude toward sin.

Understanding the satisfaction of wrath of God by Jesus’ sacrifice helps us to live lives of gratitude and worship.