Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Romans 5:9 (ESV)

 

We were made right with God through Jesus Christ. His finished work justifies us before God and saves us from wrath.

God’s wrath isn't an uncontrollable divine rage. Rather it is a positive attribute of His redemptive love and justice. God’s wrath is retributive justice against sin. God hates sin and what it does to us, yet because God loves us, He must deal with sin correctly– without wiping us out in the process. God justly judged sin and set us free from its consequences on the Cross. God simultaneously condemned our sin in Christ's body (Romans 8:3) and imputed Christ's righteousness to us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

God's wrath is against sin, not against us.

Jesus did such a perfect work that God never count our sin against us again (2 Corinthians 5:18) We have no fear of God’s wrath because Christ has saved us. However, that does not imply that we should take sin lightly (Hebrews 3:15; 12:5), but rather that we should pursue holy living and become mature in our faith. However, no matter how grave our sin, we can be confident of God's forgiveness and love for us.

The New Testament writers tells us that God will one day confront all the evils in the world and say “Enough!” He will deal with Satan and his wicked workers of iniquities, and they will be defeated forever. Wickedness, in the Bible, is not bad behaviour, but anti-God—and not only anti-God, but anti-everything relating to God’s redemptive plan.

Meanwhile, we are committed by God to be ambassadors of grace and reconciliation. What a privilege to share the good news and bring others to be reconciled to our God.