Roman 5:9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
Our church has been preaching through the book of Nahum. Nahum has shown us that the justice of God is absolute and comprehensive. God does not let sin go unpunished. He by no means clears the guilty. His holiness will not abide those who ignore him for their own false sense of glory. He will not allow this world to oppress those he calls his children. God's eternal perfection in righteousness demands his eternal judgment and wrath upon every sin and every sinner.
Our church has seen the reality of a world power brought to its knees and experience the sentence of utter destruction. Nineveh had been reduced to a pile of rubble that we dig out of the ground in amazement that this once great power had so quickly become "no more." The archeological digs of Nineveh have shown that human might is no match for the power and justice of God. Each Sunday in the book of Nahum we have seen evidence that God's wrath is real, righteous, and if God is against you there is no other power that can be for you.
As a pastor I have learned something more of the significance of the gospel. It's not as though I have not known that Christ's atoning sacrifice has saved me from God's wrath. It is that understanding God's wrath in vivid reality has helped me see the need to preach a gospel with a greater relief. God's grace is bigger to me for having preached his wrath. His forgiveness is more wonderful for having preached his justice. His mercy is more precious for having preached the historical evidence of his judgment.
The sheer power of God displayed in his judgment upon the Old Testament nations has made me more acutely aware that wrath is necessary to understand grace.
I have never been scared to mention wrath or even hell as I do so regularly. I do see, however, that until we define it, explain it, and even describe it, it can be a spoken concept that comes and goes in a sentence. God's wrath is the outworking of his justice and righteous anger, and it is executed in unimaginable power. No human can stand against it. No nation or combination of world power can stand against it. No world power or spiritual power can stand against it.
God came into this world and endured his unimaginable wrath in the place of every person who turns from their sin and comes to faith in Jesus. We have been made right with God in Christ. Because the wrath of God has been poured out on Christ, in Christ we are saved from that wrath.
My heart for my church family is not that they walk away scared or in terror at the wrath of God. My heart is that through preaching God's wrath they know the glory of a much bigger relief. My desire is that we know that the good news of the gospel is bigger and better than we can ever imagine. Don't shy away from the seeing the reality of God's wrath, it makes the cross so much more spectacular. It makes our praise so much more meaningful. It makes our hearts so much more joyful.
Look at what our God has done for us - what grace - what mercy - what forgiveness - what love. Look at what you deserve and match it with what Christ has done.
Hallelujah!! Much more will we be saved by him from the wrath of God.