There is a growing belief in the Church that God does not need to punish people for sin and that His wrath is directed specifically against all the ungodly behavior and unrighteousness of humanity that is damaging them, hurting them, causing them to sin against each other, and anything contrary to His nature.
Beginning in the 16th century, teaching began that Jesus became sin, rather than becoming a sin sacrifice and paying the penalty by taking upon Himself the punishment of God's wrath against sin.
The sacrificial death of Jesus was not to appease an angry, wrathful, distant deity somewhere way up there in the sky who uses pain, sorrow, suffering, or sickness to punish people. The Bible tells us that God doesn't want or need sacrifices (Jeremiah 22:23). It is fallen human beings who need them.
The Cross is the plan of God from before the foundation of the world to bring reconciliation of the universe, making peace with all things and redeeming humanity from being lost and remaining in the grip of the enemy and their sinfulness by casting down the principalities and powers that enslave and oppress them (Colossians 1:9).
The Bible does not say that "the cup" Jesus would drink from was the wrath God would pour out on the Cross or even that it would be appeased. God's wrath against sin was not satisfied on the Cross. The Father did not punish Jesus on the Cross for the sins of humanity. Jesus became the sin-bearer and took upon Himself our punishment for sin and delivered those who would repent of their sin and receive Him as Lord and Savior from the wrath that is still to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10). The Father received this sacrifice and accepted it (Isaiah 53:10-12). Jesus described His death as a ransom, not the way God would take out His wrath. His death was the payment to the Father to redeem us from the enemy (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).
While on the Cross, Jesus quoted from the book of Psalms when He said, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" which He knew would be understood by any Hebrew to be about the promised Messiah. Jesus was confirming once again He was the Messiah (vs. 22:1-31). Jesus drank the cup of our sin.
Jesus died as a substitute, bore the sin and guilt of every human being, was sacrificed for their forgiveness, and died in their place (Isaiah 53:4-5, 10; Romans 3:23-25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Heb 2:17; 9:26; 1 John 2:2). He willingly experienced the full consequences of sin that would have happened to every human without His sacrifice.
The Cross was not about human sacrifice to God but His sacrifice to humanity. It is the focal point of everything and the lens through which all else can be seen because it is the wisdom and the power of the Triune God, who is love (John 3:16; 1 John 14:8). It is the centerpiece of His plan for all creation because it is the glorification of Jesus and reveals what true endless love is (John 12:23). Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" because it is by grace alone, they have been saved through the faith of Jesus alone, and not by any work they could do because it is a gift of God alone (John 6:44; Galatians 2:17; Ephesians 2:8 ESV).
The Cross was the highest and ultimate revelation of love that God took the shame and corrupting power of death into Himself and did away with it. When a person looks at Jesus on the Cross, they are seeing God, the Father, in Jesus revealing His merciful love and pouring out forgiveness on the entire world for their salvation (Zechariah 12:10; 1 John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3). There is no hope for anyone apart from the Cross.
Contrary to much humanistic teaching on the subject, the wrath of God is not some sort of divine child abuse or an angry, vindictive, temper-tantrum of a deity who didn't get their way so that fire and brimstone must be poured out as punishment on a wicked world. Instead, it is God's reaction and resistance to sin.
The death of Jesus guaranteed that those who would receive Him as Lord and Savior would be saved from God's future wrath to come on the day of judgment against those who REJECT God's offer of salvation through Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16-18, 5:8-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Ephesians 2:3).
Because God is love, He does not delight in executing His wrath on sin. Understanding the nature of God's love reveals that He does get angry at those who do things against others (including Himself) that hurt or cause suffering (See Matthew 21:12; Mark 1:15; John 2:15). Jesus is the Creator God, Lord of the Universe, and absolutely holy and just. His anger is not judgmental indignation.
The words 'God is love' do not mean it is some sentimental, touchy-feely emotional infatuation that tolerates evil so that all people can just get along with each other (1 John 4:8). It is absolute truth that God desires to give only the best to His people. He clearly is not the author of pain, sorrow, suffering, or sickness.
The Bible reveals that the wrath of God is actually an expression of His love (See Jeremiah 10:24; Ezekiel 23:1; Amos 3:2). It is always regarded as the natural manifestation of the holy and righteous nature of God, and His just and righteous indignation against sin, and the sinner, because of their transgression. It must be maintained under all circumstances and at all costs (See 1 Peter 1:17; Hebrews 10:29; Numbers 11:1-10; Deuteronomy 29:27; 2 Samuel 6:7; Isaiah 5:25, 42:25; Jeremiah 44:6; Psalm 79:6).
The Bible says that there is only one thing that can save a sinner from the outpouring of God's righteous response against sin, and that is placing their wholehearted trust in Christ Jesus:
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36 NKJV)
God, the Holy Spirit gives a startling warning:
"It is IMPOSSIBLE for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have TASTED the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace." (Hebrews 6:4-6 NIV - emphasis mine)
The Bible declares that all human beings are "by nature children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3 NIV). The eternal truth of God is that those who continually reject Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord of the universe are:
"..storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." God "will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who, by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil…" (Romans 2:5-9 NIV - See also John 3:36; Romans 1:16-18, 5:9)
Jesus gave a frightful warning to those who would reject Him - be afraid of the "One who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28-29; Luke 12:5 NIV). However, those who place their trusting-faith in Jesus are "justified by His blood" and "shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans 5:9 NIV). The ultimate magnitude of God's love is manifested in the Cross, where Jesus became the ransom payment for everyone who has, is, or will ever live in this world.
The Fear of God
The Bible uses the word 'fear' over 300 times in reference to God, so it should not be downplayed like so much cotton candy Christianity taught today in the church that is sweet to the taste, full of fluff, with no substance.
The word 'fear' in relation to God can mean profound respect or reverential awe of Him. However, it can also mean dreadful terror. It depends on the context, so it is essential to exegete the verses to understand what is being said clearly. Fear can indeed save a person from being controlled by their sinful nature and look to God (See Genesis 42:18; Exodus 1:17, 9:29-31, 18:21, 20:20; Leviticus 19:14, 32; Matt 10:28; Romans 3:18; 2 Corinthians 7:1). However, taking a text out of context becomes a pretext for a proof text to twist God's written Word, the Bible, to conform it to a person's presupposition and confirmation bias.
The Bible says that perfect love expels all fear (1 John 4:18). At first glance, that appears to be a contradiction. The truth is that the Bible tells us that fearing God is a positive rather than a negative thing. The first words heard every time God appeared in a person's life were: "Don't be afraid," because His peace passes all human understanding (Isaiah 41:10; Philippians 4:7).
When the fear of God is preached, the message mustn't be just one of fearful punishment because that is not the real message of the Gospel a person hears or experiences when Jesus enters their life.
The perfect example of fear and perfect love working together was Jesus, who warned numerous times to fear God and not humans when people needed to confront their sinfulness and repent (Luke 12:1-5). At the same time, He demonstrated love beyond human understanding and said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13 ESV).
There are two types of fear of God. One is terror and trepidation. The other is respect and reverence, which is extremely important to the health of the Born-Again Christian. It is the proper view of God being love. Those that live that love live in God and He in them (1 John 4:16). This kind of 'fear' "is the beginning of knowledge…because fools (those that are not Born-Again) despise wisdom and instruction" (Proverbs 1:7). It will give a person a proper view of God that will lead them to love, serve, and obey Him (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). The only people who are to "fear" God, in the sense of being afraid in terror and trepidation, are those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Luke 7:16, 23:40-41).
God will "cast out" all fear of the future for divine retribution and condemnation when a person becomes Born-Again. He gives them a healthy view of Himself based upon His merciful grace, kindness, and love, which will lead them to walk daily in repentance and compels them to naturally yearn and desire to know Him more in deep intimacy (Luke 1:50, 12:5; John 3:16; Romans 2:4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 10:31; 1 John 4:16-18).
A person doesn't need to be terrified of the only one with the authority to forgive sins, thoroughly wash them all away, and make them positionally clean and perfectly holy before God (Hebrews 10:14; 1 Corinthians 6:18-19).
Having a proper and healthy fear in reverential awe and respect of God's might, majesty, and power with holy trembling to worship before Him for all eternity is most important in the life of a Born-Again Christian and will keep them living in obedience as they naturally produce good fruit (Matthew 7:17-18; Revelation 14:6-7,15:4, 19:5). God will discipline and correct those whom He loves just as a loving father would his children (Acts 9:21; Hebrews 12:6, also Proverbs 3:12). That kind of 'fear' does not conflict with a loving relationship with God (2 Corinthians 5:10-11, 7:1; 1 Peter 2:16-17).
When the manipulative tactic of legalistic fear and punishment in hellfire and damnation is employed to try and change a person's behavior, it might help for a time. Still, it is no different than using intimidation or brainwashing. God is compassionate, understanding, and, most importantly, forgiving. The greatest mystery of the universe is that the mighty and majestic Creator of all things knows everything about us and still loves us anyway. A god to be feared for his punitive threats is one with whom a person will never find warm intimacy.
The 'fear' of God must be preached within the context of unbridled love so that, by His grace and merciful kind goodness, a person will genuinely repent and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who will then come and take up residence within them (Romans 2:4; Ephesians 2:8-9). There is much to be feared about the Creator of all things, but there is nothing of Him to be afraid of.
The Judgment of God
It is commonly believed that God judges people today, and He does that by causing good things to happen to people who do good things and causing bad things to happen to people who do bad things. This belief is nothing new and is seen in Job, the oldest book of the Bible.
Every use of the word 'judgment' referring specifically to God in the New Testament is regarding salvation and His eternal punishment for those who reject Jesus as Lord and Savior. Receiving Him is the only way to escape it. The love of God for the Born-Again Christian that accepted, justified, sanctified, declared them holy, and made them the righteousness of Christ gives them confidence for the Day of Judgment, and it is His love that casts out any fear of it (Romans 5:1, 15:7; 1 John 4:17; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 10:10). They are not considered wrongdoers who will deny Jesus (Colossians 3:23-25).
"For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17 ESV)
The Greek word translated as judgment is "krima," which means a decision or a verdict was made and is not the act of judging. The verse does not say that the first verdict of God shall strike His own house, the Church, and after that, a second verdict shall strike the wicked in the world. It also does not mean that false Christians are to be exposed, and the house of God is to be purified by removing them, or that the true Born-Again Christians are to be purified by suffering from any sins still in them.
The image of the time has come for judgment beginning at God's household comes from the Old Testament (Ezekiel 7:7,12,9:6; Jeremiah 25:18-29; Amos 3:2). The Born-Again Christian also experiences the judgment of earthly courts (1 Peter 4:6), and God can use it to bring discipline to His Bride, just as persecution has refined and strengthened the church throughout history.
The Born-Again Christian's purification, or progressive conditional sanctification, is never called "the verdict." The emphasis is on God's verdict on humanity due to the crimes committed against every Born-Again Christian, just as every court verdict starts from the object involved in a crime. It is not for the Born-Again Christian, who is the house of God, but for those who deserve it because of their treatment of the Gospel and the Born-Again Christian.
"And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who PRACTICES righteousness has been born of him." (1 John 2:28-29 ESV - emphasis mine)
Every Born-Again Christian lacks no spiritual gift or blessing that would keep them from living a life that is pleasing to God (1 Corinthians 1:7; Ephesians 1:3). They were once "alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds," but, at the moment of salvation, they were "reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, to present" them "holy and blameless and above reproach before" Jesus. The proof a person has been justified and Born-Again is that they actively continue "stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel" (Colossians 1:21-23 ESV; also 1 John 2:19; Philippians 1:6).
No Condemnation
"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1 ESV).
The word "condemnation" (Gk: "katakrima") means an adverse verdict, judgment, and sentence pronounced after a detailed investigation. It was at the Cross that God pronounced judgment on the unbelieving world and against satan, the father of lies (John 8:4). Jesus said shortly before the Cross, "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31 ESV). The Greek word here for 'judgment' is 'krisis' and means the decisive verdict of the court.
God wants every Born-Again Christian to evaluate themselves (1 Corinthians 11:28). They do this by prayerfully practicing self-examination, honestly assessing their spiritual condition, and repenting of behavior that they know to be wrong before the eyes of an all-holy God so they can be more like Christ (Ephesians 4:21–23). God will lovingly correct and chasten His children by disciplining them (Hebrews 12:5–11; Revelation 3:19). God will bring them to a place of repentance and restoration when they sin to show they are not of this world, "But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned" (Gk: "Kataknno to cast a verdict) along with the world" (1 Corinthians 11:32 ESV).
When a Born-Again Christian sins (and they will because it is in their DNA [i.e., old nature] to do so) they are implored to "confess" their "sins," and God who is "faithful and just," will "forgive" their sins and "cleanse" them "from all unrighteousness." If they say they do not sin they "make him a liar, and his word is not in" them (1 John 1:9-10 ESV).
The Born-Again Christian abides in Christ, and when sin is present, they have an "advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked" (1 John 2:1-6 ESV).
The Second Coming of the Lord
Both Scripture and life make it clear that God is not continually judging the sins of humanity now. Still, He is waiting for the final judgment in the future that starts after the 7th Seal is broken and culminates when Jesus reveals Himself with His mighty angels (Revelation 14:7; 18:20).
The Second Coming of Jesus is the blessed hope of the Church (Titus 2:3; also Amos 5:18). The first "coming of the Lord" was through Mary. Jesus told the Disciples that He would return in power and "descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel," for His second "coming" immediately after the seventh and final trumpet sound of the Tribulation, which begins the day of His wrath that will be unleashed on those who have rejected Him as Lord and Savior, as He 'gathers' all His people; both the righteous living and those who have died, and take them with Him in spectacular power and glory to Israel to fight and defeat the Antichrist and his armies, and then begins His Millennial reign as "all things are subjected to Him" to establish the "Kingdom of Heaven" (2 Peter 1:16; Matthew 24:29-31, 37-39; John 6:40, 44,54; Romans 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:4:16,13-18,5:1-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-11, 2:1-4; Revelation 11:15-19, 19:20; see also 1 Corinthians 15:23,28,51-54; Zechariah 14:2; Jeremiah 6:11).
The Great Tribulation/Jacob's trouble is not the day of God's wrath. The final wrathful judgment of God against those who rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior begins afterward (Revelation 20:11-15, also Jeremiah 30:7).
The Bible also speaks of a single day of judgment at the end of history where all will be judged by Jesus (Amos 5:18-20; Zechariah 1:14,15,18,2:2; Matthew 10:15; 11:22,24; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:2,4; 2 Peter 2:9, 3:7; 1 Corinthians 1:8, 3:13; 2 Corinthians 1:14; Philippians 1:6,10; Jude 6; Romans 2:5,16; Hebrews 10:25; Revelation 6:17).
Faith in Jesus as the promised Messiah is the only way to escape that judgment, just as Lot and Noah, along with his family, were saved from destruction (Luke 17:26-30). God promised Abraham that if he found ten righteous people, He would not pour out judgment and destroy Sodom. I am pretty confident that there are at least ten righteous people in the world today. Jesus first came to earth because people were already under condemnation (John 3:17), and whoever rejects Him remains under God's wrath (John 3:36; Romans 1:18; 2:1-3:20).
Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does NOT come into judgment, but has passed from death to life" (John 5:24 ESV – emphasis mine).
The New Testament is written from the viewpoint that each Born-Again Christian has already been judged in Christ and continuously stands justified before Him. God identifies them with Jesus Christ and that when He died, they died with him (Romans 6:1–8).
The only reason the Born-Again Christian is predestined to go to Heaven is that they have believed in and received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and have accepted the fact that their sins were already judged and atoned for by His sacrifice on the Cross.
At-One-Ment
Jesus became human according to God's will "to give His life a ransom"… "for all" (See Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:20; Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:6 NIV). God "laid on Him the iniquity of us all" and literally became sin on our behalf (Isaiah 53:6; also 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13 NIV). Jesus "has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God," so that those who believe in Him might receive atonement and "be saved from [God's] wrath" through "the precious blood of Christ" (Ephesians 5:2; 1 Peter 1:19 - See also Romans 3:22, 5:9 NIV).
When Jesus became the perfect covering and absolute substitute sacrifice for sin, the love of God was poured out toward sinful humanity. The intent of the sacrificial death of Jesus on the Cross was not to influence humanity's morals but to satisfy the demands of divine justice (See Romans 3:25-26; 5:6-8; John 3:16; Hebrews 9:12, 15).
Throughout the Old Testament, all the symbols and examples of atonement sacrifice are complete and fulfilled in the New Covenant that was brought about by the shed blood of Jesus and clearly understood by His disciples (See Hebrews 9:22; compare 2:17, 7:26, 9:24-28; Matthew 16:13; 26:28; Luke 19:10; John 6:33, 53, 10:10; 14:6,9; 17:2; Hebrews 12:24).
The violent death and perfect sacrifice of Jesus brought about reconciliation - or at-one-ment - between humanity and God. It reinstated the intimate position humanity was destined to enjoy with God before the fall in the Garden of Eden. The atonement cleanses the repentant from sin and eliminates its effects on their life. This change starts within the new Born-Again Christian and works its way out into their attitudes, actions, behavior, beliefs, perspectives, etc., and can help them be an effective spiritual warrior and a catalyst of change in their world.
Jesus became the peacemaking sacrificial Lamb of God, who represents liberation, reparation, righting wrongs, and reconciliation, and who was slain from the foundation of the world to take away its sins, and by His shed blood, defeat, once and for all, the works of the devil, sin and death, and ransom all people from the power of the devil and declare the good and loving nature of God (Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8; Romans 5:8; John 14:7–10).
By His death on the Cross Jesus forgave all sin (Acts 13:38; Ephesians 1:7); healed human beings from their sin-diseased nature (1 Peter 2:24); reconciled all things to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18–19; Colossians 1:20–22); gave an example to follow (Ephesians 5:1–2; 1 Peter 2:21); and gave the Holy Spirit to empower those who entrust their lives to Him so they can live in an intimate relationship with Him (Romans 8:2–16).
The Cross is the pinnacle of divine love! Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess the name of Jesus because He emptied Himself to death in self-sacrificial love by His grace (Philippians 2; Ephesians 2:8-9). The patient, merciful, and endless love of the Lamb of God is a threat to every power, religious, and political system of this world.
Guilt causes alienation from God when a person violates His laws and makes them the captive of the devil and death. The only remedy was Jesus' death on the Cross, who descended into the realm of Death and was resurrected from the dead, which shattered the gates of Hell and set captive humans free from eternal death to join Him for all eternity.
The great mystery of salvation is accomplished not just on the Cross but from the very moment of the incarnation when the Only-Begotten and Co-Eternal Son became 100% human while remaining 100% God, united Himself forever with humanity in the womb of a young girl, and culminates in the Resurrection.
God's wrath and anger are against sin and its effects on a person's relationship with Him. He desires to lovingly remove sin from them to restore the relationship. His love for every human being drives His hatred of sin because it separates them from Him. Because He is love, He wants them to be united with Him for all eternity, starting now!
Salvation unifies human beings with their Creator if they willingly choose to stop trusting in themselves and cast off their unbelief to approach Him by repenting of their sin and accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. When a person does that, Jesus frees them from the bonds of sin and death that held them, and they begin immediately to experience eternal joy and peace that passes all human comprehension and understanding (Philippians 4:7).
From the moment of His incarnation, God, the Son, Jesus did all it took to release every person on the planet from slavery to the powers of this world, which culminated in His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection from the dead! The Born-Again Christian is called to advance the Kingdom of God by living a life that contradicts this world's kingdom (Ephesians 3:10).
The Gospel is a love story and not a courtroom. God delights in mercy, not retribution, and wants to free each human being from the power and weight of sin and change them through the power of His love. The shed blood of Jesus on the Cross delivered the Born-Again Christian, once and for all, from their sin, guilt, corruption, and eternal death (Romans 6:23; Hebrews 2:5-6).
