God’s Wrath as the Needed Backdrop for Mercy
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people…
Romans 1:18 (NIV)
This passage invites us to confront a challenging aspect of our faith: the reality of God’s wrath. It’s a topic has often been neglected in our churches since this unpopular term might stir up uncomfortable imagery of a scary cosmic vengeful judge. Yet, the Biblical portrayal of God’s wrath is deeply intertwined with His characteristics of justice, holiness, and love. Understanding this is crucial for a holistic view of God’s character and our relationship with Him.
Imagine a pair of teenage brothers who start hanging out with members of a gang. Seeing the dangerous path his children are heading down, the father, who is a cop, intervenes with what seems like wrath. He raises his voice not because he hates them, but because he wants to save them from a future when he has to hunt them down. He knows the peril and destruction that lie down that road—prison, harm, or even death. His “wrath” isn’t born out of a desire to control or punish for punishment’s sake but out of a deep, loving desire to protect and guide his children toward safety and a better future.
God’s wrath is a response to “godlessness” and “wickedness”—terms that describe our failure to live in relationship with Him and to uphold His moral standards. “Godlessness” touches on our spiritual state, how we relate to God Himself. It’s about ignoring His existence and sovereignty, living as if He’s not central to our lives. “Wickedness” pertains to our actions, the moral choices we make that go against God’s design for how we should live.
It’s vital to recognize that God’s wrath is not contrary to His love; rather, it underscores the seriousness of sin and the depths of His love for us. God doesn’t delight in expressing wrath; His ultimate desire is to draw us back to Himself, to save us from the very destruction our sins warrant. The cross of Jesus Christ is the profound intersection where God’s wrath against sin and His love for sinners meet. Jesus bore the wrath we deserved, offering us redemption and a path back to a right relationship with God.
Acknowledging God’s wrath enriches our understanding of His mercy. It highlights the gravity of what Jesus accomplished on the cross—saving us not only from sin but from its ultimate consequence, separation from God. This truth should not drive us to fear but to gratitude and a deeper commitment to live in the light of His grace.
Therefore, as we reflect on God’s wrath and mercy, let’s embrace the fullness of the gospel message. Let it motivate us to renew our relationship with God and live out His call to righteousness. Understanding both God’s wrath against sin and His mercy towards sinners leads us into a more profound, authentic relationship with Him, rooted in the reality of who He is and what He has done for us through Christ.
God’s wrath and mercy are integral parts of the gospel message. How can you share this balanced view of God’s character with someone who has a skewed perception of Him as only wrathful or only merciful? Talk to God about this topic.
Without understanding the Gospel, it is so easy for me to avoid upsetting people and sidestepping the uncomfortable issue of God’s wrath on sin. But I am glad that we are using “Just For Starters” with people to help them establish the foundation of faith. In session 1, we focus on both mercy and wrath in Romans 5:8-9, “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!”.
Lord Jesus, thank you for your truth and for strengthening my backbone with the truth of the Gospel. Amen
I think that having a complete understanding of the true gospel message, and diligence in studying His word in its full context have been instrumental in helping me be able to share a balanced view of God’s character with those that would perceive Him as either only wrathful or only merciful. As our reading today pointed out, His wrath really highlights His mercy, and vice versa, and they are interwoven quite beautifully throughout all of Scripture, culminating most clearly at the cross of Jesus Christ. God’s character, both His wrath and His mercy, is always leading us toward a repentance that we would not perish, but obtain the abundant life He has for us.
I think what Bumble pointed out in the sermon last Sunday is the easiest way to see this balance view. Bumble pointed out that a parent that allow the children to run wild and do whatever they want is not loving. Being absentee parent is not loving. Being overly indulgence is not loving. Never ever being angry when seeing your children make life damaging choices is not loving. Being angry and outrage and “wrath full” when trying to protect your children from their own actions is actually loving. It seems pretty clear to me when presented this way. If you take what’s in the Bible out of context and refers only to His wrath without understanding what it is that’s anger Him then you get the wrong view of God. God is jealous and want you to worship only Him because it is harmful to you to worship false idols that can and will cause great damage to you. Taken like that, you should be worried if God stop being angry with you because that means He also stopped caring about you!