It is only from the Bible that we know of the salvation by grace. Grace, however, saves on certain conditions, and there is no such thing known in Scripture as indiscriminate, necessary, universal grace. We know the "how" of it because of the revelation of grace. The surprise of pardon has ceased to surprise us because we are so familiar with the thought. All things considered, the fact of punishment for sinners need not surprise the fact of pardon is the surprising thing. So we may well expect that in the higher sphere, God's moral laws cannot be neglected or violated with impunity, and Scripture fully justifies the expectation and shows that sin must be punished. ![]() Thus law in Nature "worketh wrath" to the neglecters of it. Harmony with law is blessing collision with law is loss. Strictly speaking, the laws of Nature cannot be broken, but let a man fail to keep in harmony with them, and the natural consequences will be trouble, punishment, retribution. No breach of the so-called laws of Nature is tolerated. Within the sphere of physical law this is clearly exemplified. Nature teaches that punishment, retribution, must follow sin. The word of God but confirms the verdict which conscience forecasts. Wrath implies punishment, punishment is decreed, punishment is denounced. "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men" ( Romans 1:18). Putting ourselves back into the position of those who have only the light of natural theology, we find that all deductions from the perfections of God, as revealed in His works, combined with a consideration of man's sin and want of harmony with the Holy One, lead to the conclusion announced by the apostle: We are apt to surrender ourselves to the sway of one or the other of them according to the pressure of the moment. It is an infirmity of human nature that we find it difficult to let two seemingly conflicting conceptions find a place in our thought. ![]() It is certainly well that we should let the grace of the gospel have full influence upon all our thinking, but we must beware of being too fully engrossed with one phase of the divine character. We are so accustomed to think of the gracious revelation which the gospel brings us, and to approach the subject of the doom of the impenitent under the influence of the kindly sentiments engendered thereby, and with a view of God's gracious character as revealed in salvation, that we are apt to overlook somewhat the sterner facts of sin, and to misconceive the divine attitude toward the impenitent sinner. The day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, "who will render to every man according to his works." It is well in approaching the subject to remind ourselves that there is undoubtedly, as the apostle says, a Revelation of wrath. The apostle, in 2:5,6, comes very near to using the word itself, and gives indeed a good description of the thing: Romans 2 is full of the thought of retribution. The words which come nearest to it are orge, and thumos wrath attributed to God ekdikeo, ekdikesis, ekdikos, and dike, all giving the idea of vengeance kolasis, and timoria, "punishment" besides krino, and its derivatives, words expressive of judgment.Ģ. The word as applied to the divine administration is not used in Scripture, but undoubtedly the idea is commonly enough expressed. Scripture Indicates Certainty of Vindication Moral Sense Demands Vindication of God's Righteousnessġ1. Words Meaning "Chastisement" Not Used of the Impenitentġ0. ![]() Instances of Use of Greek Words for "Vengeance"Ĩ. Also the Positive Infliction of Divine Wrathħ. ![]() Retribution the Natural Consequence of Sinĥ.
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