The Unbiased Anger of God

Psalm 7:11 ~ "God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day."

As we step into this day, I wonder how many have misplaced this truth: God is angry at sin every day. With the mainspring of many spiritual conversations centered upon the love of God, it becomes harder to remember that the Just and Righteous Judge is also completely unbiased in His anger against sin. Now, my friends, God does love--and His love is rich with such goodness and mercy that it is impossible to fully comprehend. But the best way to view the brightness of His merciful love is seen when painted against the backdrop of the darkness of His wrath. 

Most will never truly know the love of God because they know nothing of His anger. He is our Creator, and He made us that we should walk in the bright glory of His holiness. But mankind is off, wandering through the wilderness of sin and exploring every possible rebellion against God. Ecclesiastes 7:29 states, "See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes." But because most people don't see that God is filled with wrath against sin, they do not see their own need for mercy, nor do they fear the disaster of judgment that is looming over their heads. 

But God's anger is the unbiased anger of a righteous judge. The Almighty, Omniscient God does not look down upon mankind with a subjective point of view. The LORD knows the truth of everyone. It was said of Jesus that He knew what was in man. "But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man" (John 2:24-25). Even David understood that God was justified in His judgments, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment" (Psalm 51:4).

In the face of God's anger, there is not one justifying position that any person on this earth can take. Our problem arises because we do not fully understand an unbiased anger. For most of mankind, the anger that we feel within our hearts is filled with such personal prejudices that it restricts our capacity to make righteous judgments. James 1:19-20 says, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." And because we are so biased in our thinking, we think that God's anger is biased as well and therefore not justifiable.  And if we believe that God is not justified in His indignation against our sin, then we do not see the need to seek His mercy and grace.

But, as we think of God's anger this day, let us not forget His compassion. If you know yourself to be guilty before the Righteous Judge, then throw yourself on the mercy of God's court and plead not for your sins but for His salvation. Jesus, the Righteous Son of God, took upon Himself the full measure of God's anger and wrath against your sin. In love, He stood in your place of judgment so that you can stand before God in His righteousness. Our Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love (see Exodus 34:5-7). And if you know true grief over your sins against God, then let it also lead you to repentance and salvation. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." 

We end with the words of God through the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 3:12 states, "Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, 'Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever.'"

In His Grace,
​Pastor Michael

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