But you, dear friends, build yourselves
up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in
God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to
eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and
save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing
stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 1: 20–23
No doubt
it is true that the subject of divine wrath has in the past been handled
speculatively, irreverently, even malevolently. No doubt there have been some
who have preached of the wrath and damnation with tearless eyes and no pain in
their hearts. No doubt the sights of small sects cheerfully consigning the
world, apart from themselves, to hell has disgusted many. Yet, if we would know
God, it is vital that we face the truth concerning his wrath, however
unfashionable it may be, and however strong our initial prejudices against it.
Otherwise we shall not understand the gospel of salvation from wrath, nor the
propitiatory achievement of the cross, nor the wonder of the redeeming love of
God. Nor shall we understand the hand of God in history and God’s present
dealings with our own people... nor will our evangelism have the urgency
enjoined by Jude—“save some, by snatching them out of the fire” (Jude 23).
Neither our knowledge of God nor our service to him will be in accord with his
Word.
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