What Does A Good Church Look Like 1g
What Does a Good Church Look Like • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Last week we talked briefly about the expansive nature or purpose of the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ. We mentioned that
The gospel is God’s gracious provision (solution or response) to restore our humanity (identity),
reverse the condition and consequences of sin, and to reconcile broken relationships through the Cross of Jesus Christ.
In a nutshell, that’s what the gospel is. But why do we need the gospel? Scripture is clear – all have sinned. All have missed God’s standard of love and morality. There are consequences for choosing to live a life apart from a relationship with God and apart from His standards – and the ultimate consequence is the Bible calls wrath or judgment. To reiterate,
The gospel is God’s loving and proactive remedy to sin, judgment, and wrath.
God does not want people to experience condemnation or wrath – i.e. doesn’t want anyone to spend eternity in this place called Hell.
who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
We read earlier that God takes no pleasure in death – physical or spiritual. So why do we need God’s wrath? Why would this so-called God of love, this God who is supposedly good condemn humanity. Why would He pour out wrath and judgment and send people whom He loves to eternity in Hell?
Ask the average Joe Shmoe or average Janet Schmanet, Christian or not, what is the wrath of God and most likely you’ll get an answer like this – “God is angry, and He’s keeping tabs on the bad stuff we do, and this angry God will one day joyfully send bad people to Hell.” That’s a gross misunderstanding of the wrath of God and it’s a gross misunderstanding of His love for all people.
Yes, wrath is connected to God’s anger, but God’s anger is very different than human anger. First, only God is perfect, thus His wrath is based upon perfection. James 1:19 tells us that human anger does not produce the righteousness of God. We know that God is slow to anger and quick to forgive. It may be difficult for us, but we cannot compare human anger or wrath with God’s. Therefore, I think it would do us well to spend some time discussing the wrath of God before we get into the text.
So, there are several things to keep in mind when discussing God’s wrath.
1. Always keep the totality of God’s attributes (character) at the center of the discussion.
For example: God is love; therefore wrath must be connected to His perfect love. God is just (always does what is good and right); therefore wrath must be connected to God’s justness. God is holy and good and so on; therefore wrath must be connected to His holiness and goodness and so on. Contrary to some beliefs, anger is not one of God’s attributes. Justice is, but not anger. God’s anger is a response to injustice, and injustice incurs consequences.
2. God’s wrath is never arbitrary.
Never an uncontrolled unintentional reaction. Never an oops God’s part. To use some idioms – God never goes off halfcocked; never flies off the handle. On the contrary, God’s wrath is always deliberate (carefully thought out by God who is eternal, outside of time, all-knowing) and justified – even when we don’t understand. No way we can fully comprehend.
3. Three categories: Immediate, delayed, and final wrath (the Day of Judgment).
God’s wrath can be divided into divine or natural consequences.
An easy example of natural consequences is sexual relations. God says very clearly that sexual activity is reserved for a man and a woman within the covenant of marriage. Any sexual activity outside of the biblical boundaries of marriage incur natural consequences (shame, broken relationships, STDs – list goes on.). I don’t think God is constantly creating new forms of wrath (moo ha ha). I believe God’s wrath is often expressed through natural consequence - spiritually, physically, emotionally.
Let’s talk about delayed wrath for a moment. This is imperative to understand because it contradicts the false notion that God is always angry and out to get us. Let’s think about the ancient nation of Israel. Before Israel entered the Promised Land, God repeatedly warned them about the consequences of idolatry and serving other gods.
Read Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy – God says be careful, watch yourselves lest you fall and worship other gods. He tells them that if you do worship other Gods, repent, come back to Me. This was around 1450ish BC. Shortly after, Israel conquers Promised Land. Almost immediately they begin this repetitive cycle of idolatry, captivity, repenting, God delivering - idolatry, captivity, repenting, God delivering. Then Israel unites as one kingdom under David. David dies and Israel falls apart. They worship other gods. God sends prophet after prophet to warn them about a coming judgment. They blow it off and eventually around 750 BC the Assyrians conquer Israel. 200 years later Babylon conquers Judah and destroys the temple. All of Israel is in exile until 1948.
What’s my point? At a minimum God warned His people about a coming wrath, a future judgment for over 700 years. “I’m warning you. Please repent.”
What does this tell us about God’s wrath – His anger?
Consider what Peter wrote regarding the coming wrath or final judgment of God. Peter confesses that people will ignore the message of future judgment. Peter says this,
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Right there it is – delayed wrath. God wants to give humanity every opportunity to escape final judgment, which apart from Christ is ultimately spent eternally in a place called Hell (not meant for humans …). God wants us with Him!
Delayed wrath is a part of our Wesleyan doctrine called prevenient grace.
God’s grace always pursuing and calling people into a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul wrote about this in
Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
“God’s kindness is meant to give us space to repent, not to excuse sin.” ~ John Stott
Another way of looking at God’s delayed wrath is this -
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Last thing:
It might be helpful to incorporate the attitude of ancient Israelites and look at wrath in terms of allegiance or loyalty.
Bible presents several stark contrasts that we need to pay attention to. A person is either in the light or the dark; either have life or have death. Regarding wrath – it’s either upon you, or it’s been removed from you, and that depends where your lies your allegiance. You are either for God or against. Either covered by Jesus’ blood or not.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
So, where are you this morning? There’s no middle ground. If you have never confessed Jesus Christ as your Savior, He’s not angry with you. He loves you and wants to forgive you and wants to be in a relationship with you. He wants to give you life now and in eternity.
Last last thing –
If wrath is coming, but it is God’s love, kindness and patience that lead people to Christ, then what should a good church look like?