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Jonathan Edwards who was instrumental in the great awakening of the 1700s sometimes preached about God's hate & wrath, especially in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."
Yet there is a time for such preaching, so long as the mercy of God is presented. LORD knows I have NEEDED such preaching at times, when I've been stubborn, thick headed & foolish!
Almost the entire epistle of Jude comes across harsh, and contains the ominous prophecy of Enoch:
"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (14-15)
Further Jude states there are different ways to approach those caught up in sin:
"And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (22-23)
Revelation 19:11-15 also, which Edwards drew attention to the dual aspect of both fierceness AND wrath:
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."
Our God is a mighty God, the LORD God Omnipotent (Revelation 19:6), and is both a loving and merciful Father, as well as a chastizer who disciplines His children. And no chastizement seems joyous, but afterwards it does yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Even Paul uses serious words when he writes,
"Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." - Romans 11:20-22
And finally the dreadfully scary Hebrews 10:26-31, which along with Matthew 7:20-23 & 1 John 3:6 make up the "trinity" of most scariest verses in the entire Bible!
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
These are all written under the new covenant, under grace, yet serve as dire warning to all who begin to profess Christ. And, no, we don't lose salvation: if we are truly born again, yes, we are SEALED unto the day of redemption, and even Jude's ominous letter begins and ends with this truth, as it is written,
"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called...
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."
It's all there: sanctified by God and PRESERVED in Jesus Christ...He is able to KEEP YOU from falling, and PRESENT YOU faultless before the presence of His glory.
And sometimes that is by placing His fear in our hearts, by His Word, and by intense preaching, that we may be conformed to the likeness of Christ, our LORD and our Saviour; all glory be to Him.
HalleluYah! Amen.
❤☝️✝️❤
Yet there is a time for such preaching, so long as the mercy of God is presented. LORD knows I have NEEDED such preaching at times, when I've been stubborn, thick headed & foolish!
Almost the entire epistle of Jude comes across harsh, and contains the ominous prophecy of Enoch:
"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (14-15)
Further Jude states there are different ways to approach those caught up in sin:
"And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (22-23)
Revelation 19:11-15 also, which Edwards drew attention to the dual aspect of both fierceness AND wrath:
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."
Our God is a mighty God, the LORD God Omnipotent (Revelation 19:6), and is both a loving and merciful Father, as well as a chastizer who disciplines His children. And no chastizement seems joyous, but afterwards it does yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Even Paul uses serious words when he writes,
"Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." - Romans 11:20-22
And finally the dreadfully scary Hebrews 10:26-31, which along with Matthew 7:20-23 & 1 John 3:6 make up the "trinity" of most scariest verses in the entire Bible!
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
These are all written under the new covenant, under grace, yet serve as dire warning to all who begin to profess Christ. And, no, we don't lose salvation: if we are truly born again, yes, we are SEALED unto the day of redemption, and even Jude's ominous letter begins and ends with this truth, as it is written,
"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called...
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."
It's all there: sanctified by God and PRESERVED in Jesus Christ...He is able to KEEP YOU from falling, and PRESENT YOU faultless before the presence of His glory.
And sometimes that is by placing His fear in our hearts, by His Word, and by intense preaching, that we may be conformed to the likeness of Christ, our LORD and our Saviour; all glory be to Him.
HalleluYah! Amen.
❤☝️✝️❤
