Modern-day Christianity emphasizes the love of God, often shying away from the topic of His wrath. However, it’s important to recognize that God’s wrath exemplifies His love and its significance. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son.” But why did He give His Son? He offered Him up to bear the wrath on behalf of humanity. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is where God’s love is ultimately displayed (Isaiah 53:5-6, Romans 3:26).
This raises the question: How can this be considered love, and what is this wrath that is satisfied? God’s wrath is the just response to opposition against righteousness and right living. To live rightly is to embody godliness, which includes qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This nature is united and in harmony with the very character of God.
Jesus exemplified this life perfectly, living out the nature of God as a human. By doing so, He exchanged His life for the wrath that comes from a life lived apart from God’s nature, incurring the consequence of death on behalf of humanity (2 Corinthians 5:21). God’s wrath naturally opposes anything contrary to His nature, which is fundamentally life-giving. When His life-giving essence is suppressed, death becomes the inevitable response.
What we see today is a disconnection from our life source, leading many to grasp in the dark for meaning and fulfillment outside of the very Giver of life (1 John 1:5-7). Why is this happening? Because acknowledging God would mean recognizing an authority greater than ourselves—an authority with the right to define righteousness and godliness. Instead, mankind has created “gods” in our own image, exercising our own authority rather than submitting to the Author of life.
God’s response to humanity is to allow them to choose their own path, one that leads not to true life, but to a slow death. This chosen life may appear to offer fulfillment and flourishing but ultimately lacks the ability to reproduce and is gradually dying off.
Why is this the case? Because lives not rooted in godliness and righteousness—the very nature of God—fall into a life of opposition filled with envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossip, slander, hatred, insolence, haughtiness, pride, foolishness, faithlessness, heartlessness, and ruthlessness. All of these lead to death. Those who suppress the truth are likewise suppressing the Word of God, suppressing Christ, who is the life-giver and redeemer of humanity.
Lord, we pray that we would view the cross for what it truly is: an instrument of death, a death that we deserve. We ask that we look to Jesus and give thanks, being moved by the love of Christ to surrender ourselves to the truth of the cross, where our sin was put to death. Grant us a willing spirit to submit to your will, so we may not conform to this world but rather be transformed by the renewal of our minds. Help us to live our lives according to your Spirit.