Protection From Wrath

Protection From Wrath

God has every right to exercise his judgment and his power, but he also has the right to be very patient with those who are the objects of his judgment and are fit only for destruction. He also has the right to pour out the riches of his glory upon those he prepared to be the objects of his mercy. –Romans 9:22-23

Certainly one of the most politically incorrect words in the English language today is judgment. And to say that God will judge sin is considered an old-fashioned scare tactic. But if we are going to believe what the Bible teaches, then we have to affirm that judgment for sin is certain and will be terrifying for those not protected from it. Paul tells us in Romans, “There is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, will judge all people according to what they have done. . . . He will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds” (2:5-6, 8). One day, the wrath of God against sin is going to be poured out on the earth. In Noah’s day, that wrath was poured out in an obliterating flood. A day is coming when “he will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8). But when fire rains down on the earth, those who are in Christ will be protected from the wrath of God by the protective gift of God—Jesus.

My husband is Mr. Johnny-on-the-spot when it comes to having an umbrella. He has one stashed in each car and never fails to have one handy. But I’m far too careless and casual. I never seem to have an umbrella when I need it because I rarely want to go to the trouble of lugging one along. I figure I’ll take my chances and make a run for it. But this has made for more than one significant bad hair day. I suppose that is the attitude many people take toward judgment. They are willing to take their chances, hoping to make a run for it when the wrath of God begins to fall, unwilling to go to the “trouble” of accepting God’s offer of protection from wrath in the person and work of Jesus. Jesus is your umbrella that will protect you from the wrath of God, but only because there was no umbrella to protect him. As Jesus hung on the cross, he absorbed the wrath of God in our place to protect us from that wrath. “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s judgment” (Romans 5:9).

My Protection from wrath, I thank you for pouring out on me the riches of your glory, the fullness of your mercy, not because I deserve it, but because of your patience with me and your love for me.

DIGGING DEEPER