What is the biblical understanding of the wrath of God?

Against all this evil, disclosed by the testing of man, the wrath of God is revealed. The Cross that demonstrates the righteousness of God to save the sinner that believes, also demonstrates the wrath of God against sin. It is the wrath of God revealed from heaven, and it is against all impiety and unrighteousness. In Old Testament days God's wrath was revealed in governmental judgments that overtook certain individuals, or nations, because of certain sins committed against the partial light that they had. Now it is no longer a limited expression of wrath according to what man is on earth, but wrath revealed according to the holy nature of God in heaven; and it is against all sin, wherever that sin may be found.

If, in the gospel, we have the full setting forth of the righteousness of God that can save, we have, at the same time, the revelation of the wrath of God against sin. God's righteousness in saving does not in the slightest degree set aside God's wrath against sin. On the contrary, the revelation of the power of God that can righteously save the greatest sinner, becomes the occasion of fully declaring the wrath of God against all sin. On our side we can afford to face the full revelation of the wrath of God against sins, if we know there is righteousness with God to forgive sins. The wrath is not yet executed, for God is acting in grace, but it is revealed.

The real value and point of the glad tidings of God, however, can only be rightly estimated by the consideration of the alarming fact, stated in connection with these verses, that "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness" (Rom. 1:18), which shows that God's terrible judgment against all that is contrary to Himself is coming upon men from heaven. It is not a local or partial intervention of God's anger, but "against all ungodliness." Divine wrath then is coming, and happy are those who like the Thessalonians can say they are "delivered from the wrath to come."

But let us not fail to notice, that wrath is revealed from heaven, not only against all that is hostile to God, but against all those who, while holding fast the letter of the truth, are practising unrighteous ways.

Dying under the wrath of God because of our sins, uttering the bitterest of cries, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" our Lord fulfilled the type of the Sin Offering in all its terrible meaning. Surely our souls may well bow before Him in deepest worship and thanksgiving, that He has met all the claims of Divine justice against us, and saved us from an eternal hell.

At infinite cost to Himself, God has provided a way of escape, even through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ who bore all the wrath of God against sin and making full atonement for it.

All that separated us from God is entirely put away — death, the wrath of God, the power of Satan, sin, disappear, as far as we are concerned, in virtue of the work of Christ; and He is made to us that righteousness which is our title to heavenly glory.

His death was not merely the surrender of life, but it was in connection with, and as subjecting Himself to, the righteous wrath of God against sin. It was there, on the cross, that God condemned sin in the flesh, and that Christ drank the cup at His Father's hand.

He is the Object of faith, and therefore the test of every man. To believe on Him is to become possessed of life eternal. To refuse the subjection of faith to Him is to be excluded from life and lie under the wrath of God.

The words, "shall not see life," negative universal reconciliation, which declares that in some way or other all shall ultimately see it. The theory of conditional immortality, which means the annihilation of impenitent unbelievers, is negatived by the fact that the wrath of God "abides" on such — therefore they exist abidingly.

"He that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36). "Shall not see life," destroys the Universalists' theory. God says the unbeliever shall not see life. "The wrath of God abides on him," destroys the Annihilationists' theory. The unbeliever must exist for the wrath to abide upon him.

Refusing to repent, man treasures up wrath against the day of wrath. Not only does man call down wrath by his evil, but also because he despises the goodness of God that would meet the evil. All this will become manifest to the unrepentant in the day of wrath. In the goodness of God that day may be long delayed, none the less it is surely coming — an actual day when God's judgment — not man's, will be revealed and executed.

As we read of these terrible judgments that will fall upon the sphere of Christendom, how solemn to realise that in the very portion of the world in which our lot is cast, and which for centuries has enjoyed the outward privileges of Christianity and where the grace of God in the gospel has been proclaimed, there the great apostasy will develop and there the wrath of God as expressed in these vials will be poured out.