It is unfortunate when it is not properly distinguished how it is that God’s Wrath is not to be confused with our notions of man’s wrath (which “does not work the righteousness of God,” James 1:20).
I ask a simple question: if God is angry with and hates the unrighteous man, does that mean God is malicious?
Answer: Ephesians 4:31. That is, let all abhorrence, and wrath, and anger, and dissatisfaction, and accusations be grounded in and begotten of the ministry of reconciliation that we have received from Christ, and let them not be mixed with ill-will. If you can apprehend this spiritual principle, you will have an inkling of the beauty of God’s righteous indignation.
Moreover, anyone who thinks that God only “loves” and never “hates” people today, because it is the NEW Testament dispensation, need to familiarize themselves with the rest of John chapter three.
John 3:14-17
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Immediately followed by verse 18,
He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And, again, verse 36,
He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.
The difficulty with rightly handling the seeming antagonism between divine Love and Wrath begins with the realization that God is declared to be “Love” (1 John 4:8); and nowhere in Scripture revelation is God equally declared to be “Wrath.” This priority is evident enough in James 2:13b, “mercy rejoices over judgment,” and in another place, “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Ezekiel 33:11.
In the same manner that we might understand the Trinity as One Substance: so we may also consider Wrath to be of One Substance with Love. Love and Wrath are not the same, but they are unified inseparably and magnify each other in perfect complement. And to continue in Trinitarian language: Love is the Origin (or Prime Substance) from which Grace proceeds forth. And, where is Wrath in this scheme? It is derived from Grace. I like the way R. A. Finlayson explained this phenomena, when he said, “Hell is an encounter with the character and will of God. God’s nature is holy, and His character is unsullied righteousness. For the unholy to mix with holiness is Hell.” That is to say, for the creature that is spiritually corrupt to receive the pure Grace of God is as Isaiah 33:14, “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” For the Presence of God is unapproachable Light and in Him there can abide neither darkness nor shadow of turning. Even as we read, “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.” Psalm 5:4.
From this, you may have noticed, I literally define divine Wrath as God’s pure, good, and life-abounding Grace shed upon the obstinate and rebellious soul. To reiterate, it is not Love, properly in itself, which defines Wrath but rather it is the object which Love is set upon — this is how God can Love and Hate the same object at the same instance. For it is the very power of the holiness of Love that destroys the ungodly and gives fury to the tempests of hell-fire. From here, we may begin to properly consider the insurmountable contradiction of how a Holy God could ever dwell in peace with the condemned sons of men; for the very Grace of God is Hell to the wicked. Therefore let all men worship the God of all Grace who has made atonement for our sins according to the Scriptures: the Gospel of His Beloved Son.
