A look at wrath and judgement and grace and mercy

based on Paul’s letter to the Romans

John Jensen

San Jose Christian College

Winter 98/99

Many of us hold onto the truth of God’s grace and his mercy, we claim the mercy of God when we stumble, when we sin. Christians and even unbelievers are familiar with the old saying "There but by the grace of God go I…" Christians can talk at length about the ‘amazing grace’ of God. Grace and mercy are wonderful, and surely we should talk about these things. But we do not often talk about what God’s grace and mercy save us from, we don’t often hear about the wrath and judgement of God as it applies to us. The wrath and judgement of God are often only spoken of in reference to those long-ago extreme cases, like the flood, or Sodom and Gomorrah. Not little ol’ ME!

Although there are several instances of God’s wrath and judgment as well as his grace and mercy throughout the entire bible, this paper will look at these concepts based on the book of Romans, Paul’s letter to the house churches in Rome, and related works.

What is the "wrath and judgement" of God?

Paul wrote "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness." (1:18).

John Stott quotes John A. T. Robinson who wrote that the wrath of God is his "deeply personal abhorrence" of evil (Stott: 72). Stott adds further "his wrath is his holy hostility to evil, his refusal to come to terms with it, his just judgement upon it." (Stott: 72).

David C. Needham writes this of the intensity of the wrath of God when he calls it, "His scathing, reverberating repulsion toward anything that is contrary to holiness." (Needham: 132).

The wrath of God

Who is deserving of the wrath of God? All of us, for "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (3:23). This means all of us, Jew and Gentile alike, then and today. In chapter 1 Paul writes that "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness" (18). The phrase ‘is being revealed’ implies a present tense, not just an eventual final judgement. Paul later writes, "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts." (24). God’s wrath is actively revealed in his giving over of sinners to the sinful life that they desire (24-28). In this position, the sinner is far from God and full of sin.

Some may argue that it is not far, that they never had a chance to learn about God. Some might say, "but no one told me!" Paul had other thoughts when he wrote "since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them." (1:19). God’s magnificent creation is all around us -- from the simplest critter to the soaring eagle, from the bottom of the ocean to the stars above. One simply cannot avoid the amazing earth that we inhabit. Paul claims this when he continues, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (1:20).

In verses 18-32 of chapter 1 Paul details the depravity of the Gentile specifically. The Gentile is guilty of idolatry (23, 25), immorality (29-32), sexual impurity (26-27), and many other forms of sin. One could hardly argue that even a single of the sins mentioned does not occur today.

The Jew also is guilty of sin. The Jews had the advantage of having the law (2:20). Or more exactly, the Jew "possesses in the law the precise sketch, the exact outline, the rigorous formula of the knowledge of things which men should have … and of the truth, that is to say, the moral reality or substance of goodness." (Godet: 128). The Jew had a better opportunity to follow God’s desires for us. Even with the advantage of having the law as a guide, the Jew is guilty of sin, as they were not able to keep the law (2:27).

Paul proclaims that "Jews and Gentiles are alike under sin." (3:9). So who is deserving of the wrath of God? All of us, we have all sinned, we are all not righteous, and we are all subject to God’s judgement.

The judgment of God

In chapter 2, Paul writes about the pending judgement this way, "because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." (2:6). Paul goes on to add, "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil" (2:9). Paul demonstrates his point specifically when he writes, "But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger" (8). Paul has made it clear that those who have sinned, and that means all of us, are guilty and face the judgement of God.

It is important to be aware that the judgement of God is fair and just. In verses 1-3 of chapter 2, Paul declares that God’s judgement is based on truth. John Murray called it ‘just condemnation’ (Murray: 98). He is not a hypocrite as some human judges may be, passing judgement on someone while doing the same things that they pass judgement on (1, 3) or even subject to human emotions. In contrast, God’s judgement is fair and honest. In his book Knowing God, J.I. Packer wrote of those who experience the wrath of God through judgement in this way, "each receives precisely what he deserves." (Packer: 168). One could state that it is fair, consistent, and inarguable judgement.

It is only logical to conclude that wrath and judgement fit together in this way; judgement is the result, or manifestation, of the wrath of God. God’s just hatred of sin means he must ‘deal with’ or judge those who sin as he cannot allow sin into heaven (Matthew 13:41). As we all have sinned (3:23), we cannot go to heaven -- at least not by our own deservedness.

Is there any way for us to get to heaven?

Yes! We can be freely justified with God.

How?

By the grace of God.

God, full of grace, has mercy on us. He has provided a way for us to become righteous. God sent his son, Jesus, to die for our sins (5:10, 8:3). Our debt of sin has been paid in full. We can be freed from the judgement of the wrath of God.

Paul wrote in chapter 10 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (9). Simple faith can save us. It is as basic as that. Paul continues, "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (10). Nowhere in verses 9-10 is there a list of tasks or items that one must complete, we only need to believe (have faith) that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead. The direct result of our faith is that we receive righteousness from God (3:22).

There is a wonderful benefit of this gift of righteousness from God, freedom from wrath! Paul tells of this benefit when he wrote, "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!" (5:10). The righteousness that God gives to those who have faith, frees the faithful from wrath and judgement. In fact, righteousness from God brings many benefits, L. Berkhof appropriately, wrote, "Fallen man receives all the blessings of salvation out of the eternal fountain of the grace of God, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ." (Berkhof: 604). When we are made righteous with God, we are able to be at peace with God. Paul wrote it this way, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (5:1).

It is important to consider that we have not simply been ‘pardoned’ from our sins, we have been made righteous. A pardon implies that while punishment is due, it just will not occur (Stott: 110). When one is justified or made righteous with God, it can be said, "that no ground for the infliction of punishment exists" (Stott: 110). We are welcome into relationship with God; it is as if we never deserved the death that sin brings about.

Additionally, one must not assume that this righteousness is something that we deserve, in fact we deserve death, the ‘wages’ of our sin (6:23). But God has given us the gift of righteousness and eternal life. Paul rhetorically asks, "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" (11:35). God does not ‘owe’ us mercy, and we cannot earn it. In his grace, God has given it to us. Anders Nygren put it this way; "God is absolutely free and sovereign in his mercy. No one can claim it, and no one can earn it by works. It can only be received as a freely proffered gift." (Nygren: 366).

It may seem strange that wrath and judgement and grace and mercy are all necessary. Is it all really needed? Don’t they cancel each other out in someway? Can the wrath and judgement of God and the grace and mercy of God co-exist? One may also ask, why would God, who is full of grace have any wrath at all? God, being holy and just, must hate sin. Any other response would be contrary to who he is. The wrath of God towards sin is a reflection of his integrity and character.

If the wrath of God is directed our sin, some might wonder why would God even allow sin in the first place? Or, couldn’t he just wipe sin out, remove it completely? It has been suggested that "God has permitted it so that every conceivable alternative to his own perfection might have a chance to come out in the open" (Needham: 134). Sin has the opportunity to exhibit its power in this world, and God will prove himself more powerful by the complete defeat of sin.

So if God’s mercy and grace can overcome wrath and judgement, why not keep on sinning, mercy and grace will win, right?

Paul addresses this issue and asks somewhat sarcastically, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" (6:1). He answers his own question with, "By no means!" When we receive, through faith, the gift of righteousness from God, our old sinful nature has died with Christ. We have, in effect, died with him, Paul states it this way, "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (6:11).

Not only does Paul suggest that we should not sin with the intent to increase grace, he challenges us to fight sin and to strive to live as those who are dead to sin.

Is the free gift of righteousness available to everyone? Can any of us be justified with God? Paul answers these questions in chapter 10 when he wrote, "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him (12), for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (13). Yes, just as the wrath and judgement of God applies to all of us, his grace and mercy applies to all of us that call on his name.

So then, who needs all this wrath and judgement and grace and mercy stuff?

We all do. It certainly is not easy (and definitely not desirable) to recognize oneself as deserving the wrath of God and falling under his judgement. But we must. We must realize that we have sinned, we live in a sinful world. But, thanks be to God! He has provided us with a way out. He has opened the cage of sin that we had walked into and he has let us out. We did nothing to deserve mercy; we are not worthy of his grace. God gives us the gift of righteousness because he loves us. God loves us so much that he gave his son to die for us. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead can free us from wrath, judgment and eternal damnation. All we need is to have faith and we can be set free. Praise God!

Berkhof, L. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1953.

Godet, Fredric Louis. Commentary on Romans. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1977.

Jensen, Irving L. Romans A Self-Study Guide. Chicago: Moody Press, 1969, 1990.

Murray, John, The Epistle to the Romans in The New International Commentary On The New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959, 1965.

Needham, David C. Close To His Majesty An Invitation to Walk with God. Portland: Multnomah, 1987.

Nygren, Anders. Commentary on Romans. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1944, 1949.

Packer, J.I. Knowing God. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1973, 1975.

Stott, John. Romans: God’s Good News for the World. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994.

Quoted scripture from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Chicago: Moody Press, 1973, 1978, 1984.