God's Wrath Turned Into Love

Intro: There is so much misunderstanding and misinformation about God. Why did God do this? Some think God is just waiting for us to mess up so He can club us. We can never grow in our relationship with God and receive His fullest blessings until we have cleared our minds of any confusion and false information. I believe we need to hear what God has to say about Himself in His word, the bible. It has been taught by some that God gets angry or mad at you and punishes you. You will not find that in the new Testament. Jesus took God's wrath against us upon Himself when He went to the cross. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Propitiation speaks of the satisfaction of God’s holy wrath.

O.T. God did get angry at His people and punished them because they disobeyed Him and they were under the dispensation of law. There was no mercy at that time. Thank God we are not under law but grace. Romans 6:14 (NKJV) ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. People abuse the passage of scripture found in Hebrews 12:10-11 (NLT) that says ¹⁰ For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. Chasten- restrain, subdue,whip,train, correct.
¹¹ No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. Sickness is not for discipline, if it is, we shouldn't try to get well because that would mean we were fighting God's will for our lives. You don't discipline your children that way. If we are God's child, He is never angry at us. His Spirit is quenched and grieved by our sinful actions. We should not do those things we know bring sorrow to God's heart. We will never be condemned or judged for our sins if we are His child, saved by Jesus.

 God is never angry at us, only sinners. John 3:17-18 (NKJV) ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:36 (NKJV) ³⁶ He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Sinners [those without Christ] have already been judged guilty, they are under God's wrath- angry judgment!

1. Listen to how God deals with His people through the apostle James who was the Lord's half-brother. James 1:13-18 (NLT) ¹³ And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. ¹⁴ Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. ¹⁵ These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. ¹⁶ So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. ¹⁸ He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

Discipline is from God, sickness is not, according to God's word. Acts 10:38 (NLT) ³⁸ And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

God also has this to say about His relationship to His children in the 8^th chapter of Romans.

Romans 8:31-39 (NKJV)
³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
³³ Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
³⁶ As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From these scriptures we understand that God's love is always with us and we shall never be separated from it. When we don't understand and want to get angry and blame someone, let it be the one who deserves it, the devil himself.

God is not the problem, the devil and sin is! Let's get rid of both in our lives! Let's live for Jesus and try to get as close to Him and the Father as we can by praying, reading and studying God's word and then by living in obedience to God's word.

Invitation: If you have never asked Jesus to forgive you, do it now. Life is short and eternity is long. Where will you spend it? If Jesus is your Savior you are in the hands of God and no one can take you out!

Temperature Check

Revelation 3:14-22 (NKJV)

3:14 ¹⁴ "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: The name Laodicea means either the people ruling or the judgment of the people. The Lord Jesus speaks of Himself as the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. Jesus Christ is the "beginning of the creation of God." Jesus Christ is the great Creator of the universe, the Maker and Sustainer of the universe and all that is therein. Therefore, He is the source of all—all good things, all real wealth and satisfaction, all purpose, meaning, and significance in life, all love, joy, and peace that a person experiences. Therefore, the church must not depend upon its prosperity: its rituals, ability, energy, wealth, and resources. Its only hope for life is to trust Him who is the beginning of creation, Him who alone can give the church life both abundant and eternal life. Therefore, no matter how prosperous the church, it is not the creator nor the sustainer. Christ alone creates and sustains. The church's wealth and prosperity are meaningless and useless apart from being absolutely centered in Jesus Christ.

3:15–17 ¹⁵ I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 

¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 

¹⁷ Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked--The church at Laodicea was neither cold nor hot. It was sickeningly lukewarm. The Lord would have preferred it to have been extreme in its indifference or its zeal. But no—it was lukewarm enough to deceive people into thinking that it was a church of God, and so disgustingly lukewarm about divine things as to nauseate the Most High. Furthermore, the church was characterized by pride, ignorance, self-sufficiency, and complacency.

3:18 ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. The people were counseled to buy from the Lord gold refined in the fire. This may mean divine righteousness, which is bought without money or price (Isa. 55:1) but received as a gift through faith in the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross.  It may also mean genuine faith, which when tested in the fire, results in praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Pt. 1:7)

Also the people were counseled to buy white garments, that is, practical righteousness in everyday life. And they should anoint their eyes with eye salve, that is, gain true spiritual vision through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. This counsel was especially appropriate, since Laodicea was known as a center for banking, textiles, and medicines—especially eye salve.

3:19 ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. The Lord’s love for the church is seen in the fact that He rebukes and chastens it. If He did not care, He would not bother. With lingering tenderness, He calls on this nominal church to be zealous and repent.

3:20²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Jesus is outside the door of the professing church, politely knocking and inviting individuals (no longer the mass of the people) to open their hearts in order to sup or have intimate fellowship with Him.

Richard Trench comments:

Every person is lord of the house of their own heart; it is our fortress; we must open the gates of it and make Jesus Lord of our lives. We have the prerogative and privilege of refusing to open. But if we refuse, we displease Him and we miss the power and blessings of God in our lives.   

3:21²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. The overcomer is promised that he will share the glory of Christ’s throne and reign with Him over the earth during Christ’s 1000 year reign. Those who follow Him in humility, in rejection of the things of the world, and  in suffering will also follow Him in glory.

3:22 ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Then for the last time, the hearer is solemnly advised to listen to the voice of the Spirit.

Whatever interpretation we take of the book of Revelation, it is undeniable that the church of Laodicea presents a vivid picture of the age in which we live. Luxury-living abounds on every hand while souls are dying for want of the gospel. Christians are wearing crowns instead of bearing a cross. We become more emotionally stirred over sports, politics, or television than we do over Christ. There is little sense of spiritual need, little longing for true revival. We give the best of our lives to the world, and then we give what’s left to the Savior. We cater to our bodies which in a few short years will return to dust. We accumulate instead of forsake, lay up treasures on earth instead of in heaven.

Jesus admonishes us to repent, open the door to our hearts and let Him in so He can have close relationship with us. It will be to our benefit for us to take up Jesus' offer and lay up treasures in Heaven.

Invitation: Jesus is standing at your hearts door right now, knocking. Will you let Him into the deepest recesses of your heart and mind and soul? What is Jesus saying to you right now? What does He want you to do? Do it and you will be blessed!