His Word Today

“When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ² “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” ³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, ⁴ and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. ⁵ But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.” (Matthew 26:1–5 (ESV)

The phrase “When Jesus had finished all these sayings” immediately follows all the five discourses in Matthew’s Gospel (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1). This fifth and final statement transitions into the final days of the Lord Jesus’ Passion Week.  

“The Savior has already told His disciples three times that He will die and be raised (Matt.16:21; 17:22–23; 20:17–19), but in today’s passage He explains for the first time that this will take place during Passover. This provides a theological framework for understanding the significance of the Messiah’s death. Just as the angel of death passed over all of those who were covered by the blood of the lamb (Ex. 12), so too will the blood of the Lamb “slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8, NKJV) shield those whom it covers from eternal destruction,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Two main perspectives dominate today’s text. They are God’s providence, or purposeful sovereignty, contrasted by the plot by sinful and fallen men. The former will always supersede the latter. The Lord used the latter in order to accomplish the former; His sovereign will (Acts 2:22-24). God’s control is always greater than man’s confident collusion.

Jesus’ statement to His disciples unveiled not only His omniscient knowledge of future circumstances, but also of the Old Testament Scriptures (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). By saying, ““You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified,” Jesus acknowledged He, along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, was in complete control of His circumstances.

Jesus would pray a few days later this prayer to the Father. “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, ² since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³ And this is eternal life that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴ I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:2–5 (ESV)

The fallen world bristles at such sovereign control by God. Even some believers in Christ struggle relinquishing their presumed authority, even when we truly have very little control over our circumstances. The idea humanity does not determine their own destiny is repugnant to the culture. However, we are not the master of our fate and the captain of our souls.

Pastor Michael Reeves explains, “Perhaps this is why Christians have so little joy, are anemic in prayer and enslaved by their sins. This idea (God’s providence and sovereignty) is hard to stomach in a culture sauced in Hollywood goo.”

We witness in the crucifixion God causing all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28). In other words, what the chief priests and elders meant for evil, God meant for good (Genesis 50:20).  

“According to Matthew, Caiaphas is the high priest under whom this will happen (Matt. 26:3), but Luke tells us that Annas is also high priest at this time (Luke 3:1–2; Acts 4:5–6). In AD 15, Rome deposed Annas from the high priesthood, later replacing him with his son-in-law, Caiaphas. Yet Annas continued to wield power behind the scenes, almost like a “co-high priest” with Caiaphas,” explains one commentator.

“Caiaphas and the others want to kill Jesus because the messianic clamor His presence creates might draw the ire of Rome, but they want to postpone His execution lest it provoke the people to rebel against the priests for murdering God’s Messiah,” But the Almighty has other plans, and in His sovereignty He will bring about Jesus’ predicted death during the Passover,” explains Dr. Sproul.

“The Creator’s providence,” John Calvin says, “will ensure that events turn out exactly as He has planned.”

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:41–46 ESV)

Jesus described hell in four distinct ways in today’s text. First, hell is separation; “Depart from me.” Second, hell judgment; “…you cursed.” Third, hell is association; “… into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Fourth, hell is “eternal punishment.”  

The Lord judges the goats, or the unrighteous, by the same judgment in which He judges the sheep, or the righteous (Matt. 31-40). The behavior of each reflect the heart and soul of each. The behavior of both is toward Jesus’ brothers, or His disciples. This does not refer to the Lord’s disciples at that time, but His disciples of all time.

The unrighteous hate the Lord’s disciples (John 15:18-25). They always have and they always will. This reflects their fallen condition. The Apostle expressed this in Colossians 1:24-26. The Apostle Peter stated the same (I Peter 1:3-7; 2:12; 18-25; 3:13-17; 4:1-6; 12-19) as did James (James 1:2-4).

The specific reasons for God’s judgment are stated. “⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”  

“It should be noted that all these sins are negative. Not a single sinful deed—such as idolatry, murder, adultery, theft, etc.—is mentioned. Only sins of omission are enumerated, sins of neglect. Cf. Heb. 2:3. This neglect proves that these people have not believed in the Son of man. For this unbelief, thus demonstrated, they are condemned,” states Dr. William Hendriksen.

“We actually serve the Lord when we do simple acts of service for one another. It does not take much effort to make a meal for new parents or a family who has recently lost a loved one. A call or visit to the lonely or shut-in takes mere moments but can reap lasting rewards. The donation of time, money, or supplies to your church’s mercy ministry is an act of love for Jesus. Our profession of faith is invalid if we are not engaged in these or other similar activities,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.    

Soli deo Gloria!                    

³⁵ “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:35–40 (ESV)

Today’s text ranks as one of the most familiar, and often quoted, portions of Scripture. It may also be one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted. For many churches and para-church ministries, Matthew 25:35-40 has become a clarion call for a social gospel or social justice.

The Social Gospel was/is “a religious social reform movement prominent in the United States from about 1870 to 1920. Advocates of the movement interpreted the kingdom of God as requiring social as well as individual salvation and sought the betterment of industrialized society through application of the biblical principles of charity and justice,” explains the Encyclopedia Britannica.

“The Social Gospel was especially promulgated among liberal Protestant ministers, including Washington Gladden and Lyman Abbott, and was shaped by the persuasive works of Charles Monroe Sheldon (In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? [1896]) and Walter Rauschenbusch (Christianity and the Social Crisis [1907]). Labor reforms—including the abolition of child labor, a shorter workweek, a living wage, and factory regulation—constituted the Social Gospel’s most prominent concerns. During the 1930s many of these ideals were realized through the rise of organized labor and the legislation of the New Deal by U.S. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt.”

The Social Justice movement is similar in focus. It seeks to address current social desires. According to the Human Rights Careers website, social justice “is built on the pillars of human rights, equity, participation, and access. When a society is just, everyone is respected, supported, and protected.” No mention is made concerning an individual’s salvation by the One, True God the Scripture.

Some of the issues the social justice movement addresses include the gender pay gap, income inequality, climate change, food insecurity, the refugee crisis, universal healthcare, poverty, gender-based violence, state violence, threats to the trans-community, reproductive rights, and racism. The movement is an explicitly liberal, progressive and woke movement.  

In northeast Indiana, one ministry bases it mission, vision and values on today’s text. Its mission statement says they are “a gospel-inspired healthcare center that provides high-quality medical, dental, vision, and mental health services at no charge to low-income, uninsured adults in Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio. We are supported solely by donations, grants, and foundations. Inspired by the Bible verses for which we are named, we offer hope to the most vulnerable in our community—treating them with compassion and dignity, regardless of background or beliefs.”

What the social gospel and the social justice movement has forgotten, set aside or is unaware is the Gospel. The biblical Gospel is primarily concerned with the salvation of the sinner, which then impacts the individual’s various social needs. In other words, humanity’s social requirements, or desires, must not obscure, or violate, the real reason for those social needs; the reality of sin in a fallen world and salvation from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin by grace alone, through faith alone, and in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

It should be noted what the culture calls social needs or justice is in several ways condoning sinful and unrighteous choices. The church must never compromise biblical ethics, which are based upon the biblical Gospel. .

“Christians have heard the account of the sheep and the goats used as an exhortation for the church to meet the needs of all the destitute. Certainly, we must care even for the needy who are not part of the covenant community. After all, the Mosaic Law encourages generosity toward strangers (Lev. 23:22), a principle not limited to the old covenant era (Luke 14:12–14). Not inappropriately, believers have served all mankind based on Matthew 25:31–46,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“However, Jesus in today’s passage is not dealing first and foremost with poor people in general. Instead, He is referring primarily to our care for other Christians. Since Christ identifies His disciples as His brothers elsewhere in Matthew (12:46–50), the story of the sheep and the goats concerns our treatment of other believers (see 25:40). John Calvin and other commentators recognize this point.”

“This does not mean that doing good to believers’ merits salvation. Jesus is merely teaching that “if anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4:20). True love for the Savior begets love for all those united to Him by faith. Even if only in simple deeds, the sheep are to serve one another, especially the needy. Goats, though they dwell among God’s flock today, disregard the sheep and overlook their needs. Thus, they manifest hatred for the One to whom the sheep are united and deserve only a dreadful fate (Matt. 25:41–46),” concludes Dr. Sproul.

How may we serve the Lord Jesus Christ today as we serve the least of these; believers and non-believers? Have a God-honoring day.

Soli deo Gloria!

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:31–34 ESV)

Returning to our study of the Gospel of Matthew, today’s text continues the theme of the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord does not present His return as a possibility (if), or even a probability, but rather a certainty (when). The Son of Man, Jesus’ most frequent reference of Himself, will come in His glory, splendor and majesty. This will be a fulfillment of Daniel 7:1-14.

Jesus will not return to earth alone. His angels will accompany Him. He will then reign in absolute and consummate glory, power and authority.

“What follows is not really a parable, though it does contain parabolic elements. It is a very dramatic, frequently symbolic, description of the last judgment,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

“In both cases the glorious coming of the Son of man, accompanied by angels, is described. The Son of man is here represented as seated upon “the throne of his glory.” The symbol indicates a most glorious throne, that is, a throne characterized by external splendor, brightness, brilliance, or radiance, corresponding with the internal and essential splendor of its Occupant’s attributes.”

Jesus does not tell us where His throne is located. Will it be in heaven? Will it be on earth? We do not know.

“One thing is certain. It will be a very glorious throne. God, through the Mediator Jesus Christ, will be Judge. Of course, in the outgoing divine works (such as creation, providence, redemption, and judgment) all three persons of the Holy Trinity co-operate. Nevertheless, from our present passage it is clear that the honor of judging was conferred on Jesus Christ as Mediator, that is, as a reward for his accomplished mediatorial work,” states Dr. Hendrikson. (See also Dan. 7:13; Joel 3:2 (Heb. 4:2); Matt. 13:41; 16:27; 26:64; 28:18; John 5:22, 27; Phil. 2:9, 10.)

The Lord’s judgment from His position of authority will also feature the angelic host. They are mentioned not only because they enhance His glory, but also because they assist the Lord in this great task. They will gather the wicked before the judgment throne and cast them into the furnace of fire (13:41, 42; 24:31; 2 Thess. 1:7, 8; Rev. 14:17–20). The angel’s involvement is stated in Matt. 24:31.

The metaphorical comparison of the Lord separating believers from the unbelievers is of a shepherd separating sheep from the goats. The Lord’s sheep (Ezekiel 34; John 10) will be on His right while the goats will be on His left. The Lord explains the positional distinction. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’” Conversely, those on the left are those who are judged by God the Father who will are consigned for eternal judgment from the foundation of the world.

“According to Matthew’s gospel, only two kinds of people walk this earth: those who love Jesus and those who do not. There is no middle ground — either we are for the Savior or against Him (12:30). On one hand, Herod’s evil plans showed him to be one of the Lord’s enemies (2:16–18), and on the other, Matthew’s leaving all to follow Christ indicated what side he was on (9:9). Then there was the rich young ruler, whose seeming love of money placed him on the wrong side (19:16–22),” comments Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“The picture of final judgment in today’s passage is further evidence that all people will be grouped into two categories at the end of this age.”

The Lord’s judgment is coming. Are you ready?

Soli deo Gloria!

³⁰ “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹ because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30–31 (ESV)

What do the Scriptures say regarding hell being the final judgment of, and from, God? Remember, salvation is not only deliverance by God, but also deliverance from God. God is not only love (John 3:16; I John 4:7-11), but He is also just (Romans 3:21-26; I John 1:9). He must punish sin.

The final judgment by the LORD is predicted in the Old Testament (1 Chron. 16:33; Ps. 9:7; 96:13; Eccles. 3:17), and is also a first principle of the gospel (Heb. 6:1-2). God has appointed a day for it (Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16), which is unknown to us (Mark 13:32).

Other names for the final judgment include Day of Calamity (Job 21:30), Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly (2 Pet. 3:7), Day of Wrath (Job 21:30; Rom. 2:5; Rev. 6:17), Judgment of the great day (Jude 6) and the Revelation of God’s righteous judgment (Rom. 2:1-5).

The final judgment involves the Lord Jesus Christ. It shall be administered by Christ (John 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10), will include believers in Christ (1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 20:4), and will take place at the coming of Christ (Matt. 25:31; 2 Tim. 4:1).

The final judgment will be based on objective laws and standards. These will include the law of conscience (Rom. 2:12, 14–15), by the Law of Moses (Rom. 2:12) and the Gospel (James 2:12). The judgment will involve all nations (Matt. 25:32), all kinds of individuals (Heb. 9:27; 12:23; Rev. 20:12), the righteous and wicked (Eccles. 3:17), along with the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Pet. 4:5).

The final judgment shall be done in righteousness (Ps. 98:9; Acts 17:31), and the books shall be opened (Dan. 7:10). This will encompass all acts (Eccles. 11:9; 12:14; Rev. 20:13), words (Matt. 12:36–37; Jude 15), thoughts (Eccles. 12:14; 1 Cor. 4:5).

None, by their fallen nature, can stand in the judgment (Ps. 1:5-6; 103:3; 143:1-2; Rom. 3:19). Believers shall, through Christ, be enabled to stand in the judgment (Rom. 8:33–34). Christ will acknowledge believers at the judgment (Matt. 25:34–40; Rev. 3:5), and God’s perfect love will give believers in Christ confidence in the judgment (1 John 4:17).

Believers shall be rewarded at the final judgment (2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 11:18), while the wicked will be condemned (Matt. 7:22–23; 13:40–42; 25:41, 46) by the word of Christ (John 12:48).

The certainty of the final judgment is a motive for repentance (Acts 17:30–31), faith (Isa. 28:16–17), holiness (2 Cor. 5:9–10; 2 Pet. 3:11, 14), prayer and watchfulness (Mark 13:33). The wicked dread the final judgment (Acts 24:25; 2 Cor. 5:11; Heb. 10:27), neglected blessings will increase condemnation (Matt. 11:20–24; Luke 11:31–32) and demons will also be condemned at the final judgment (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).

“One of the most important things we can do in our proclamation of the gospel is to remind people that a day of judgment is coming and that they will be condemned for all eternity on that day if they do not rest in Christ alone for salvation. God will not overlook sin forever, but many people are counting on Him to do so. Let us remind them of God’s righteousness and call them to trust in Christ alone,” concludes Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁸ “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹ For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:18–21 (ESV)

In any study of Scripture, particularly the tudy of hell, we must understand to know God is to know His attributes, which are His personal characteristics. These are those qualities which make God, God. Some of God’s attributes He has chosen to share with His creation. Some of His attributes, He alone possesses. The Bibles reveals God is self-existent, He makes decisions, He is glorious, omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign and holy. However, of all of God’s attributes the one which often solicits the most controversy and debate is God’s wrath.

Notice the present tense verb phrase is being revealed. God’s wrath is not just a future event (Revelation 14 & 19) but a present reality. Theologian Charles Hodge explains that there are three manifestations of God’s present wrath: “the actual punishment of sin,” “the inherent tendency of moral evil to produce misery,” and “the voice of conscience”

The Apostle Paul also explains in Romans 1:18 that God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness belonging to and originating from sinful mankind. Ungodliness is a “lack” of reverence for, devotion to and worship of the One, True God. Ungodliness reflects the sinner’s defective and adversarial relationship with God (Jude 14-15).

Unrighteousness is the result of ungodliness. It is a lack of conformity by thought, speech and behavior to the person and truth of and from God. It is a life lived in rebellion against God and His Word.

Unfortunately, rather than repent sinful mankind seeks to suppress God’s truth in their unrighteousness. As Dr. MacArthur explains, “Although the evidence from conscience (Romans 1:19; 2:14), creation (Romans 1:20), and God’s word is irrefutable, men choose to resist and oppose God’s truth by holding fast to their sin (cf. Psalm 14:1; John 3:19–20).”

Commentator Robert Haldane states, “The wrath of God … was revealed when the sentence of death was first pronounced, the earth cursed and man driven out of the earthly paradise, and afterward by such examples of punishment as those of the deluge and the destruction of the cities of the plain by fire from heaven, but especially by the reign of death throughout the world. It was proclaimed by the curse of the law on every transgression and was intimated in the institution of sacrifice and in all the services of the Mosaic dispensation. In the eighth chapter of this epistle (Romans) the apostle calls the attention of believers to the fact that the whole creation has become subject to vanity and groaneth and travaileth together in pain. This same creation which declares that there is a God, and publishes his glory, also proves that he is the enemy of sin and the avenger of the crimes of men.… But above all, the wrath of God was revealed from heaven when the Son of God came down to manifest the divine character, and when that wrath was displayed in his sufferings and death in a manner more awful than by all the tokens God had before given of his displeasure against sin.”

To deny the wrath of God, as many Christians even do, is to attack and deny the very nature of Jesus Christ’s substitutionary atonement on the cross on the sinner’s behalf. The purpose of Christ’s death and resurrection was not only to provide redemption, justification and reconciliation on behalf of sinners, but also to satisfy the holy and righteous wrath of God toward sinners. There is one particular word which describes this truth and that is the biblical word propitiation.

Dr. John MacArthur comments that, “Crucial to the significance of Christ’s sacrifice, this word (propitiation) carries the idea of appeasement or satisfaction—in this case Christ’s violent death satisfied the offended holiness and wrath of God against those for whom Christ died (Isaiah 53:11; Colossians. 2:11–14). The Hebrew equivalent of this word was used to describe the mercy seat—the cover to the ark of the covenant—where the high priest sprinkled the blood of the slaughtered animal on the Day of Atonement to make atonement for the sins of the people. In pagan religions, it is the worshiper not the god who is responsible to appease the wrath of the offended deity. But in reality, man is incapable of satisfying God’s justice apart from Christ, except by spending eternity in hell.” (Cf. Leviticus 16; Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1; Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:1-2; 4:7-11).”

Therefore, even in this brief explanation regarding the wrath of God, we can see that the truth of God’s wrath is crucial in understanding the depth of God’s love for sinners. The wrath of God does not contradict God’s love but rather gives greater significance to His love in sending Jesus Christ.

Take time today to thank God for sending Jesus Christ to take your place and receive on your behalf the wrath of God. If you have not repented of your sin and trusted Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, do so immediately in order to no longer face the wrath of God.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁸ “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹ For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:18–21 (ESV)

Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! (Luke 12:4–5)

If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. (Matt. 18:8–9)

Dr. James Montgomery Boice comments that, “Today’s preaching is deficient at many points. But there is no point at which it is more evidently inadequate and even explicitly contrary to the teachings of the New Testament than in its neglect of “the wrath of God.” God’s wrath is a dominant Bible teaching and the point in Romans at which Paul begins his formal exposition of the gospel. Yet, to judge from most contemporary forms of Christianity, the wrath of God is either an unimportant doctrine, which is an embarrassment, or an entirely wrong notion, which any enlightened Christian should abandon.”

In the Old Testament, there are more than twenty words used to refer to God’s wrath.  There are close to six hundred important passages on the subject. These passages are not isolated or unrelated to each other but present a consistent understanding that wrath is part of God’s character. God wrath is one of the most important themes and events of Scripture.

J.I. Packer says, “One of the most striking things about the Bible is the vigor with which both Testaments emphasize the reality and terror of God’s wrath.”

Arthur W. Pink writes, “A study through a concordance will show that there are more references in Scripture to the anger, fury, and wrath of God than there are to His love and tenderness.”

Wrath is God’s holy displeasure and righteous vengeance against sin. There are two main words for wrath in the New Testament. One is thymos, from a root that means “to rush along fiercely,” “to be in a heat of violence,” or “to breathe violently.” The other biblical word for wrath is the Greek word orge meaning divine punishment based upon God’s angry judgment against someone. Orge means “to grow ripe for something.” It portrays wrath as something that builds up over a long period of time, like water collecting behind a great dam or a ripening peach which is ready to burst forth with flavor and juice.

Please notice the two preceding adjectives describing God’s displeasure and vengeance against sin in Romans 1:18 are the words holy and righteous. God’s wrath is never, ever sinful. His wrath is a holy wrath, a righteous wrath. It is a wrath which is in keeping with the sinlessness of His character.

Additionally, God’s wrath should never be likened to a person “blowing their top,” “being out of control,” or “losing one’s cool.” Rather, God’s wrath is a settled opposition against the sinner because of their sin. Along with this settled opposition comes the solemn promise of judgment.

Dr. John MacArthur writes that God’s wrath, “is not an impulsive outburst of anger aimed capriciously at people whom God does not like. It is the settled, determined response of a righteous God against sin (cf. Psalm 2:5, 12; 45:7; 75:8; 76:6–7; 78:49–51; 90:7–9; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15–16; John 3:36; Romans 9:22; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:5–6).”

Theologian John Murray says in his exposition of Romans 1:18 that “wrath is the holy revulsion of God’s being against that which is the contradiction of his holiness. Before all else, as Christians, we confess that we ourselves justly deserve the wrath of God save for Christ’s mercy alone.”

Pastor and author D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says, “Grace is favor shown to people who do not deserve any favor at all… We deserve nothing but hell. If you think you deserve heaven, take it from me, you are not a Christian.”

Take time today to thank God for sending Jesus Christ to take your place and receive on your behalf the wrath of God. If you have not repented of your sin and trusted Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, do so immediately in order to no longer face the wrath of God.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁵ “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:15–17 (ESV)

“Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4 (ESV)

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned,” (Romans 5:12 ESV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 (ESV)

What is eternal death? It is simply eternal separation from God and His blessings. One author writes, “Eternal death is not just physical death, which everyone experiences. But “eternal death”, means separation from God in Hell (Mark 9:43-48). Eternal death is what sinners deserve. It is the penalty for sin. All of us have missed God’s standard of holy perfection.”

Eternal death is the necessary consequence of sin (Rom. 6:16, 21, 23; 8:13; James 1:15), and the portion of the wicked (Matt. 25:41, 46; Rom. 1:32). The way to eternal death is described in Ps. 9:17; Prov. 14:12; Matt. 7:13). It is God alone who can inflict eternal death (Matt. 10:28; James 4:12).

Eternal death is being separated from the presence of God (2 Thess. 1:9), to be in utter darkness (2 Pet. 2:17), to experience God’s fury and wrath (Rom. 2:8–9). It is metaphorically described as a lake of fire (Rev. 19:20; 21:8), outer darkness (Matt. 25:30), and the worm that does not die (Mark 9:48).

Other names for eternal death include destruction (Rom. 9:22; 2 Thess. 1:9), eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46), the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29), a resurrection to shame and everlasting contempt (Dan. 12:2), the second death (Rev. 2:11), the sentence of hell (Matt. 23:33), and the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10).

Eternal death will be inflicted by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 25:31, 41; 2 Thess. 1:7–8), and who is the only One who provides an escape from eternal death (John 3:16; 8:51; Acts 4:12; Rev. 2:11; 20:6). Believers in Christ should strive to save others from eternal death (James 5:20). The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus illustrates eternal death (Luke 16:23–26).

“It is a serious mistake to imagine that we improve Scripture or enhance its effectiveness by blunting its sharp edges. Scripture is a sword, not a cotton swab, and it needs to be fully unsheathed before it can be put to its intended use,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

“The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The gospel is supposed to be an affront to fleshly pride, offensive to human sensibilities, foolishness in the eyes of worldly wisdom, and contrary to all carnal judgments.”

“No Christian teaching exemplifies those characteristics more powerfully than the doctrine of hell. It is an appalling truth. We rightly recoil at the thought of it. The doctrine of hell thus stands as a warning and a reminder of what a loathsome reality sin is. No reasonable or godly person delights in the reality of eternal damnation. God Himself says, “As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek. 33:11),” continues Dr. MacArthur.

“We do no one any favors by downplaying the truth of God’s wrath or neglecting to mention the severity of His judgment. We certainly don’t eliminate the threat of hell by refusing to speak or think of it. If we truly believe what the Bible teaches about the eternal fate of unbelievers, it is in no sense “loving” to remain silent and refuse to sound the appropriate alarm.”

“What, after all, is the good news we proclaim in the gospel? It is not an announcement that no one really needs to fear God or fret about the possibility of hell. As a matter of fact, there would be no glad tidings at all if God merely intended to capitulate to the stubborn will of man and forgo the demands of His perfect righteousness,” concludes Dr. MacArthur.

Soli deo Gloria!

“If we don’t believe in hell, the good news isn’t really that good. And if we don’t believe in hell, we have no good reason to believe in heaven either. Hell is a foundational doctrine of the historic Christian faith, and to deny it is to deny the faith, because if we don’t believe in hell, we don’t believe Jesus. We cannot deny hell and accept the words of Jesus.” – Pastor Dr. Burk Parsons

What is hell? Where is hell? Why does hell exist? Is the notion of hell the figment of some medieval imaginative mind or a biblical doctrine which must be preached (2 Tim. 4:1-5)? Does this biblical doctrine detract from the love of God? How does the doctrine relate to the justice of God? Let’s begin to answer these questions.  

“Hell is the final destiny of unbelievers and is variously described by the figures of speech as a furnace of fire, eternal fire, eternal punishment (Matt. 13:42, 50; 25:41, 46); outer darkness, the place of weeping and torment (8:12); the lake of fire, the second death (Rev. 21:8); a place for the devil and his demons (Matt. 25:41). Evidently, those in hell experience everlasting separation from the Lord, never to see the glory of his power (2 Thess. 1:9). Those who worshiped the beast will be subject to continuous torment (Rev. 14:10–11),” explains the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.

“The sobering reality of an eternal hell should break our hearts for the lost. May God open our eyes to humanity’s desperate condition that we might more willingly and prayerfully declare the grace of God in Christ to those God has placed in our midst,” explains one author.

In the Scriptures, hell is described as the second death or eternal death (Rev.  20:11-14). Hell contains anyone whose name is not found written in the book of life (Rev. 20:15).

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary states, “Other expressions that indicate that the final state of the wicked is eternal are these: “burn with unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:12); “to the unquenchable fire … where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mk. 9:43, 48); there is sin that “will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matt. 12:32, rsv). When Scripture is understood properly, there is no hint anywhere of the termination of the terrible state of unbelievers in hell. Their doom is unending; there is a solemn finality about their miserable condition. (It is significant that the most descriptive and conclusive utterances about hell come from the lips of Jesus).

There is much confusion regarding the metaphorical descriptions of hell. The illustrative terms such as “lake of fire,” a place where ‘the worm devours,” and a place “of utter darkness” appear confusing and contradictory. The student of Scripture should not lose sight of the real torment of hell.

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary concludes, “Hell is hell for those who are there essentially because they are completely alienated from God, and wherever there is alienation from God, there is always estrangement from one’s fellows. This is the worst possible punishment to which anyone could be subject: to be totally and irrevocably cut off from God and to be at enmity with all those who are around oneself. Another painful consequence of such a condition is to be at odds with oneself—torn apart from within by an accusing sense of guilt and shame. This condition is one of total conflict: with God, one’s neighbors, and oneself. This is hell!”

“There is, however, another more subtle, diabolical, and dangerous denial of hell that is rampant in the church today. While many preachers have not yet denied hell and perhaps still mention it occasionally in their sermons, they are not preaching the biblical doctrine of hell but a non-offensive, man-made version of hell without all the fire and brimstone,” suggests Dr. Parsons.

“They point to the vivid imagery that Jesus used to describe hell, and they suggest that because Jesus used such imagery we should not think that hell is a literal lake of fire where the damned will be punished eternally. Thus, they reason that since we don’t really know what hell will be like, we don’t need to preach it as Jesus preached it. And though it is true that the imagery Jesus used may not be the literal reality of what hell will be like, that is no comfort whatsoever. The reality will likely be far more terrible than what we can comprehend, considering the limits of our language and understanding. Nevertheless, I cannot think of anything more terrifying than eternally burning in a lake of fire, and that is precisely the point, and precisely why we must preach hell as Jesus preached hell and preach the gospel of eternal life as He preached it—for the love of God and our love for the lost.”

More to come.

Soli deo Gloria!